Overview
This Recovery section (Table 13–18) serves as a guide for agencies involved in recovery. It details the range and types of assistance, and the providers of each, to support community recovery. Refer to the SEMP for an explanation of recovery concepts and arrangements.
The information shown is in summary form. This guide does not prevent other organisations from providing recovery services, including activities or additional services. Depending on the needs associated with the event, other government organisations, such as community service organisations, may support and deliver recovery services in addition to or alongside the Recovery Lead Agencies (RecLAs) (refer to REMPs and MEMPs for regional and local recovery arrangements as they may differ from those listed in tables 14–18).
However, all recovery services must be managed under the established recovery coordination arrangements.
Recovery tier coordination responsibilities are:
- for state recovery coordination: Emergency Recovery Victoria
- for regional recovery coordination: Emergency Recovery Victoria
- for municipal recovery coordination: Municipal councils [1]
Recovery coordination operates at both tier level and activity level.
- Tier level coordination is responsible for oversight of all recovery environments and associated activities
- Activity level coordination (Recovery Coordinating Agency (RecCA)) is responsible for overseeing the delivery of recovery services by RecLAs and Recovery Support Agencies (RecSAs).
Recovery is undertaken across four environments, Social, Economic, Built and Natural, that provide a framework within which recovery can be planned, reported, monitored and evaluated. The environments and their areas of activity can be adapted to meet the needs of people and communities affected, such as consideration for Aboriginal Culture and Healing.
Within the four environments, there are 15 areas of activity. These activities are interrelated across the recovery environments (Table 13) and describe a community need. Each activity has recovery services – programs, services and products – that assist in community recovery. Every recovery service has a Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA), often with several other agencies (Recovery Support Agencies (RelSAs)) supporting them (tables 14–18).
The consequences of the emergency and community needs will determine if the recovery service is required. In some cases, the RecLA reflects existing legislative responsibilities or arrangements in practice/on the ground [2], and if at any time the service extends beyond the RecLA capability or capacity to deliver, it is escalated to the RecCA.
Table 13: Four recovery environments and 14 areas of activity
Recovery Environment |
Activity |
Recovery Coordinating Agency |
---|---|---|
Social |
Housing and accommodation |
|
Individual and household financial assistance |
||
Psychosocial support |
||
Health and medical assistance |
||
Economic |
Local economies |
|
Businesses |
||
Agriculture |
||
Built |
Energy services |
|
Public telecommunications |
||
Reticulated water and wastewater services |
||
Transport |
||
Buildings and assets |
Activity leads |
|
Natural |
Natural environment, public land and waterways |
|
Threatened ecosystems and species |
Table 14: Recovery coordination: For services across all environments
Lead and support agencies for recovery services that occur across the recovery environments. These are coordinated at the relevant tier level.
Service |
Recovery lead agencies (RecLAs) |
Recovery support agencies (RecSAs) |
---|---|---|
Community information |
||
Public health advice |
||
Formation, leadership and support of municipal recovery committees |
||
Provision and staffing for recovery/ information centres |
||
Provision and management of community recovery services |
||
Organisation of state-led public appeals |
||
Coordination of spontaneous volunteers [3] (including for relief) |
Volunteering Victoria |
|
Management of donated goods (including for relief) |
Table 15: Recovery coordination: Social environment
Lead and support agencies for recovery services, within recovery activities that occur across the social environment. The social environment considers the impact an event may have on the health and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities. This environment is primarily concerned with safety, security and shelter, health and psychosocial wellbeing.
Housing and accommodation (DFFH)
Assist people displaced by the emergency to access temporary accommodation, and return to permanent housing as soon as possible.
Service | Recovery lead agencies (RecLAs) | Recovery support agencies (RecSAs) |
---|---|---|
Support securing interim accommodation |
Community housing agencies |
|
Advice to councils on interim accommodation standards for displaced people | DH | |
Survey and make a determination regarding occupancy of damaged residential buildings (when safe to do so) | Municipal councils | |
Transition to permanent housing | DFFH | Community housing agencies |
Individual and household financial assistance (DFFH)
Assist households to minimise the financial impact of the emergency by providing advice and financial assistance where eligible
Service | Recovery lead agencies (RecLAs) | Recovery support agencies (RecSAs) |
---|---|---|
DFFH Personal Hardship Assistance Program – re-establishment assistance |
||
Australian Government Disaster Recovery Financial Assistance |
EMV as lead gov’t liaison |
|
Link insurance advice or information to relevant recovery activities |
Victoria Legal Aid |
Psychosocial support (DFFH)
Support the emotional, spiritual, cultural, psychological and social needs of affected people
Service | Recovery lead agencies (RecLAs) | Recovery support agencies (RecSAs) |
---|---|---|
Personal support (psychological first aid and emotional-spiritual care) in relief and recovery centres and through community outreach |
||
Family violence services and information |
DFFH (Family Safety Victoria) |
Mental health services Private providers Specialist family violence services |
Mental health services and information |
Mental health services Private providers |
|
Support in emergencies caused by criminal acts |
Victim Support Agency |
|
Support and advice to aid schools and early childhood services |
|
|
Referrals to psychosocial support services for primary producers and animal owners |
Victorian Farmers Federation |
|
Support for the bereaved |
Health and medical assistance (DH)
Ensure that health and medical emergency responses are coordinated and appropriate
Service | Recovery lead agencies (RecLAs) | Recovery support agencies (RecSAs) |
---|---|---|
Advice on wellbeing in recovery |
||
Primary and acute health services |
DH funded health care services Other primary & acute health services & agencies |
Table 16: Recovery coordination: Economic environment
Lead and support agencies for recovery services, within recovery activities that occur across the economic environment. The economic environment considers the direct and indirect impacts that an event may have on business, primary producers and the broader economy
Local economies (DJPR)
Assist people displaced by the emergency to access temporary accommodation, and return to permanent housing as soon as possible.
Service | Recovery lead agencies (RecLAs) | Recovery support agencies (RecSAs) |
---|---|---|
Implement available financial assistance under the DRFA to assist voluntary non-profit groups, communities and economies |
||
Implement approved actions and projects to assist economic recovery |
||
Encourage and bring forward the resumption of local trade and economic activity |
||
Implement marketing/public relations and industry product development activities to assist affected tourism regions and businesses to recover |
Regional Tourism Boards Visit Victoria |
|
Monitor broad economic impacts and consequences |
Businesses (DJPR)
Information, advice and support to businesses to facilitate good decision making and assist their recovery
Service | Recovery lead agencies (RecLAs) | Recovery support agencies (RecSAs) |
---|---|---|
Assist businesses to access available information and advice following an emergency |
||
Information and advice to small businesses to support decision making and encourage return to business |
||
Implement available financial assistance under the DRFA to assist small businesses’ recovery |
||
Implement funded activities to support business recovery |
||
Provide opportunities for the enhancement of knowledge and skills within small businesses |
||
Coordinate the insurance industry response, information, advice and government liaison |
Agriculture (DJPR)
Assist the agriculture sector to recover and minimise long term social and economic impact on primary producers and other animal owners
Service | Recovery lead agencies (RecLAs) | Recovery support agencies (RecSAs) |
---|---|---|
Deliver recovery programs and advice to primary producers, and rural land managers and other animal businesses |
Victorian Farmers Federation |
|
Implement available financial assistance under the DRFA to assist primary producers’ recovery |
||
Provide technical advice to primary producers and rural land managers on re-establishment or alternative strategies |
|
|
Assist farmers repair and restore fences damaged by bushfire or suppression activities |
|
|
Table 17: Recovery coordination: Built environmental environment
Lead and support agencies for recovery services, within recovery activities that occur across the built environment. The built environment considers the impacts that an event may have on essential physical infrastructure including essential services, commercial and industrial facilities, public buildings and assets and housing.
Energy services (DELWP)
To build resilience within the energy sector from emergencies and minimise the impact on Victoria’s economy and communities
Service | Recovery lead agencies (RecLAs) | Recovery support agencies (RecSAs) |
---|---|---|
Electricity services assets reinstatement and return to reliable supply |
DELWP lead gov’t liaison |
Electricity companies |
Gas services assets reinstatement and return to reliable supply |
DELWP lead gov’t liaison |
Gas companies and other pipeline companies |
Restoration of liquid fuel supply |
DELWP lead gov’t liaison |
Fuel companies Pipeline companies |
Public telecommunications (DJPR)
To build resilience within the telecommunications sector from emergencies and minimise the impact on Victoria’s economy and communities
Service | Recovery lead agencies (RecLAs) | Recovery support agencies (RecSAs) |
---|---|---|
Public telecommunications assets reinstatement and return to reliable supply |
DJPR lead gov’t liaison |
Telecommunications carriers |
Reticulated water and wastewater services (DELWP)
Replacement of essential water used for bushfire firefighting operations
Service | Recovery lead agencies (RecLAs) | Recovery support agencies (RecSAs) |
---|---|---|
Recovery and rehabilitation of reticulated water supply |
|
|
Restoration of reticulated wastewater (sewerage) services |
|
|
Replacement of essential stock and domestic water used for bushfire firefighting operations |
Transport (DoT)
To build resilience within the transport sector from emergencies and minimise the impact on Victoria’s economy and communities
Service | Recovery lead agencies (RecLAs) | Recovery support agencies (RecSAs) |
---|---|---|
Restoration of access to airports |
DoT lead gov’t liaison |
Airport owners and operators Other agencies and businesses as required |
Restoration of port infrastructure |
DoT lead gov’t liaison |
Port Managers Other agencies and businesses as required |
Undertaking the assessment, restoration, clean-up and rehabilitation of roads, bridges and tunnels |
DELWP (fire) DoT (arterial) Municipal councils (local) |
Infrastructure operators VicTrack (rail crossings, rail corridor networks) |
Restoration of tram, bus, rail services |
Transport operators |
Buildings and assets (Activity leads)
Management of risk and facilitating restoration of buildings and assets
Service | Recovery lead agencies (RecLAs) | Recovery support agencies (RecSAs) |
---|---|---|
Coordination of approved state-led or supported clean-up of residential property |
||
Provision of financial assistance to Municipal councils for the restoration of essential municipal assets |
N/A |
|
Undertaking the assessment, restoration, clean-up and rehabilitation of public buildings and assets (e.g. roads, bridges, sporting facilities, public amenities, station buildings, schools, hospitals) where an agency is the owner or manager of that respective building or asset |
Respective asset owner or managing agency |
DJPR (sporting facilities, public amenities, station buildings) DoT (roads, bridges) DET (schools) |
Building advice and information to residents |
||
Administration of insurance claims for state assets |
|
|
Insurance and claims management advice and support for Departments and participating agencies during an emergency |
|
|
Provide policy and regulatory settings, issues resolution and support for land use planning, building and heritage to facilitate rebuilding for housing, local businesses, and public buildings and services |
Table 18: Recovery coordination: Natural environment
Lead and support agencies for recovery services, within recovery activities that occur across the natural environment. The natural environment considers the impact that an event may have on a healthy and functioning environment, which underpins the economy and society. Components of the natural environment include air and water quality; land degradation and contamination; plant and wildlife damage/loss; and national parks, cultural and heritage sites.
Natural environment, public land and waterways (DELWP)
Manage consequence and mitigate risk to the natural environment on public land
Service | Recovery lead agencies (RecLAs) | Recovery support agencies (RecSAs) |
---|---|---|
Undertake erosion control on public land to help manage risk to public safety, natural and cultural assets and values, and infrastructure |
Relevant land manager |
|
Rehabilitate, restore and reinstate public land and assets directly responsible for managing |
||
Coordinate the clean-up for fish death event due to natural causes on public waterways (non-commercial fish populations and excluding disease outbreaks) |
||
Provide advice and information services to Municipal councils and delegated public land managers and community groups |
||
Survey and protect threatened bird, marsupial, aquatic and plant species |
||
Develop and implement protection activities to support ecosystem recovery and regeneration |
||
Monitor the rehabilitation of injured wildlife |
||
Waste pollution management strategies |
||
Protection and rehabilitation of cultural and heritage sites |
Threatened ecosystems and species (DELWP)
Footnotes
- Refer to Municipal Emergency Management Plans for local emergency recovery arrangements as they may differ from those listed in the Recovery coordination tables (tables 14-18). Municipal councils recovery coordination responsibilities include local level coordination for the 2019-20 Eastern Victorian Bushfires
- Where Municipal councils are listed as the RecLA, this is a local level function and escalation can still occur to the RecCA if required.
- The coordination of spontaneous volunteers may also occur during the response (including relief) phase of an incident
- ‘Strategic’ relates to the broad strategy for spontaneous volunteers and not the management of spontaneous volunteers in response to an event
- ‘Strategic’ relates to the broad strategy for spontaneous volunteers and not the management of spontaneous volunteers in response to an event
- WorkSafe can provide occupational health and safety advice of a general nature. This advice may direct duty holders to the relevant provisions of any legislation administered by WorkSafe, and to any guidance material published by WorkSafe with respect to particular obligations. However, WorkSafe cannot provide advice on how legislation should be applied in any specific circumstance, and the advice provided by WorkSafe does not constitute legal advice. Duty holders should seek their own independent advice on how the requirements of WorkSafe-administered legislation should be applied
- EPA will initially lead the investigation to determine the cause of a fish death event, in accordance with EPA publication 1793 Interim Response Guide for Fish Death Events. Refer to Natural and Cultural Heritage Rehabilitation core capability (critical task 18.4), for more information.