Minutes of the LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE held on Monday 8 February 2021.

LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE BUSINESS PAPER

MONDAY 8 february 2021

PRESENT

Frank Goodyer                                   LEMO, Wagga Wagga City Council (Chair)

Owen Plowman                                 REMO, NSW Police Force

John Aichinger                                  LEOCOM, NSW Police Force

Sam Quinton                                      Essential Energy

Donna Argus                                      Family & Community Services

Jodie Carter                                        VRA Rescue

Roger Orr                                            Rural Fire Service

Scott Conlan                                      Rural Fire Service

Leon Burger                                       Airport Manager, WWCC

Andrew Behan                                   Army Recruit Training Centre, Kapooka

Daniel Challis                                    Riverina Oils

Peter Burgess                                    St. Vincent de Paul Society

Justin Bentley                                    State Emergency Service

Eamon Purcell                                   NSW Ambulance

Lisa McNaughton                              31 Squadron RAAF Base Wagga Wagga

Wendy Frankham                              Department of Defence, Wagga Wagga

Jason Ip                                               Riverina Water

Nigel Glennon                                   Essential Energy

Stewart Alexander                            NSW Fire & Rescue

Jordan Boney                                    Business Support Officer, WWCC (Minute Taker)

APOLOGIES

Sandra Grentell                                 Anglicare

Sharomi Dayanand                           Environmental Health Coordinator, WWCC

Shannon Coghlan                             Infrastructure Administration Coordinator, WWCC

The meeting of the Local Emergency Management Committee commenced at 1405hrs.

The Chair has welcomed new members: Peter Burgess from St Vincent De Paul, Daniel Challis from Riverina Oil, Lisa McNaughton from RAAF Base Wagga Wagga, and Wendy Frankham (Defence Wagga Wagga).

Acknowledgement Of Country

I would like to acknowledge the Wiradjuri people who are the Traditional Custodians of this Land. I would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present of the Wiradjuri Nation and extend that respect to other Community members present

Confirmation of Minutes - Meeting Held 9 november 2020

Recommendation:

On the Motion of S Alexander and L Burger

That the Minutes of the proceedings of the Local Emergency Management Committee Meeting held on 9 November 202 be confirmed as a true and accurate record.

CARRIED

BUSINESS ARISING

Local Emergency Management Plan

LEMO will email requesting organisations/response agencies/functional areas review their respective roles/responsibilities and provide amendments updates as required. LEMO to update census and relevant LGA data.

Emergency Management Plan Working Group

LEMC is required to complete and submit an audit document for Resilience NSW. This document is about 80% complete.

D Argus – It has been effective in the amount of responses we have had.

Action:

The remainder of the report to be completed by LEMO and submitted via REMO.

Local EM plan already has register of local facilities. It has been identified that the Netball Centre is a base of evacuation. This venue is hazard specific and unsuitable for flood events. Investigations into an alternative facilities by LEMO.

Action:

Investigate suitability of additional potential facilities and developing partnerships with privately owned facilities.

Lengthy discussion regarding evacuation policy and local arrangements.

Airport Emergency Exercise update

Three training sessions held since last LEMC.

Airport emergency exercise to be scheduled Aug-Sep 2021. Exercise plan will be presented for review at the next LEMC meeting. Will test emergency and security response.

GENERAL BUSINESS

agency reports

Attachments:

1. WWCC Report

2. Riverina Murray Regional Emergency Management Officer Report & Evacuation Centre Profile Template

3. Fire and Rescue NSW Report

LEMO

Refer attachment 1.

Support LEMO appointed – Nathan Smith, Surveillance Officer. Has very sound knowledge of WWCC Operations and will bring that knowledge to the support role. F Goodyer and N Smith doing EM training this week.

REMO

Refer Attachment 2.

NSW Police Force

Been good since the last period for from local perspective, district perspective was the fire in the Tumut area. Policing report, domestic violence.

NSW Ambulance

Increase in critical cases (1 to 2 daily). Bushfire Ambulance awareness training has been held with sessions at Bega with 12 SOs and will look to expand in the next couple of months.

Rural Fire Service

All the asset protections zones are complete. Reviewed fire district boundaries, taken further responsibilities in Gobbagombalin, Harris Road and out west, Gregadoo Road and South of Gregadoo, following the urban spread. Awaiting maps to be finished.

Also adding a neighbourhood safer place in the park at Cootamundra Boulevard, Gobbagombalin. 80 jobs for Wagga Wagga.

Aircraft now using a predetermined response on days of certain temperature with the aircraft dispatched 30 minutes prior to events with the pilot on standby at the base. It has been able to get to fires to fight events or prevent them entirely. Have had larger jobs around the region, including Borambola fire event 2-3 weeks ago which burnt down a couple of sheds.

Fire & Rescue NSW

Refer attachment 3.

Several residential and commercial structure fires. Vehicle fire responses. Serious truck crash near Tarcutta that involved 30000L of herbicide and a significant multi agency response.

VRA Rescue

Nil to report.

RAAF Base

The Airport Taxiway upgrade has created restrictions on aircraft movements. Emergency aircrafts offline due to taxiway closure.

Wagga Wagga City Council - Airport

The project started July 2020 but had been delayed due to wet weather. Restarted in January 2021 and hoping to complete the southern part of the taxiway next week. This will open up the grass taxiway for water bombers to take off. PFAS removal could have timeline impact towards the end of April.

It is important that all agencies are aware of the situations at the airport to avoid conflicts of work at and use of the airport. There is also an increase in bird activity in the regions due to bushfires in 2020 and increased crops in the area.

Aircraft movement has been reduced significantly due to COVID19.

With airline trainees stuck outside the country, in the coming months hoping to get trainees in the country and quarantined.

Qantas has also announced direct flights from the region to Queensland

Main emergency entry is still Gate 11 with the safest routes to be organised based on circumstances.

Before the next meeting, the Airport Emergency Exercise plan will be available. Keep August and September available for exercise sessions.

Essential Energy

Calls increased in response to the recent storm events.

Kapooka

Two bases in town, go to both bases, see manager who runs both bases. Reminder we are maintaining COVID-19 arrangements, locked down, no local leave and separated into cohorts. Making sure that no recruits are coming from hotspots and tracking for lockdown if necessary. Have had no cases due to this management.

Transport for NSW

Paul Billingham or Lee Shoemark confirmed as current LEMC reps for TfNSW.

St. Vincent De Paul

Looking forward to long term involvement with LEMC and would like to support people who are affected by disasters (support and recovery). Although there is no state level arrangement with St Vincent de Paul as a public partner, there is nothing preventing them from being involved on a local level.

Action:

Meeting to be organised to discuss St Vincent de Paul’s involvement during an emergency response. Those to attend are P Burgess, O Plowman and J Aichinger, D Argus.

Riverina Oils

Nil to report.

Riverina Water

Been quiet. Those who are familiar with the 10million gallon basin near the railway will have a change in purpose.

Action:

Agenda item next meeting to go over the Wagga Wagga water supply system to rectify any confusion of water being supplied where there is no need for the supply.

LEOCON/Police

Rescue Committee meeting held within LEMC.

REMO - regional rescue exercise to be held in Livingston State Forest.

QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE

No Questions with Notice were received.

The Local Emergency Management Committee rose at 1510hrs.

Next meeting 3 May 2021.