Emergency management

Silhouette of a firefighter in front of burning forest

Emergency management is serious business. It's about protecting the lives and livelihoods of our community in the unfortunate event of an emergency in the Queenscliffe municipality.

A number of plans have been developed to guide Council in responding to and recovering from emergencies. We've developed these in conjunction with other emergency service providers to ensure a coordinated approach.

You can also help play your part in emergency management through the following simple tasks:

Keeping your property neat and tidy for fire prevention
Regularly cleaning chimneys and checking smoke detectors to avoid fires in the home
Having and practising a fire plan
Understand what to do to look after yourself and your pets during a heatwave.

Fire Danger Period

The Fire Danger Period (FDP) in our area began on the 20th November and will end on the 1st of May 2024.

The El Niño weather pattern means we can expect a hotter and drier summer than recent years, and it’s important to be prepared for it.

Some things you can do now to be prepared include clearing your gutters – removing leaves and twigs, keep grassed areas trimmed and watered, and rake and clear leaf litter. It’s a good idea to trim tree branches overhanging your house too.

Find out what you can and can’t do during the FDP by clicking on the link below.

Learn more.

Municipal Emergency Management Plan

The Borough of Queenscliffe Municipal Emergency Management Plan(PDF, 7MB) (also known as the MEMPlan) has been produced pursuant to Section 20 of the Emergency Management Act 1986.

This plan addresses the prevention of, response to and recovery from emergencies within the Borough. It is the result of the cooperative efforts of the municipal emergency management planning committee and recognises the previous planning activities of the municipal area.

For any enquiries about the MEMPlan, please contact Council.

Preparing for an emergency

There are a number of actions you can take to ensure you and your family are prepared in the event of an emergency. Some actions you can take include:

Know where to find information in an emergency. Emergency Victoria's website, Apple App Store app and Google Play Store app provide up-to-date information on emergencies as they occur throughout the state.
Develop a plan for what to do in an emergency. The Australian Red Cross provides resources to help you and your family develop an emergency plan tailored for your home. Make sure your plan includes plans for your pets, medication, and a meeting point.
Practice your plan and speak to children about what to do in an emergency.
Know what hazards and risks are present in your area.

Risks in the Borough

Council has conducted a Community Emergency Risk Assessment (CERA) to consider which emergencies may occur in the Borough, and rate them as being either medium, high or extreme. Risk treatments have been developed to reduce either the likelihood or consequence of each of these risks.

Medium

Small scale bushfire
Landslide
Storm surge / tsunami*
Flash flooding
Incident with ship
Train accident
Vehicle accident, particularly if in ‘The Narrows’
Civil unrest
Mass gathering events
Drowning
Building collapse
Missing persons
Utility service disruption

High

Extreme temperature heatwave
Small aircraft crash
Residential fire

Extreme

Large commercial vehicle incident, particularly if in ‘The Narrows’

Heatwave Plan

Council maintains a Heatwave Plan for the safety and welfare of our community. Our community is particularly vulnerable to heat-related illnesses, given that a large proportion of the population is aged 65 years and older.

The Borough of Queenscliffe Heatwave Plan(PDF, 1016KB) aims to reduce heatwave associated risks within the Borough of Queenscliffe municipality by:

Identifying risks to the community
Assessing the vulnerability of the community to those risks
Providing options to reduce or eliminate the risks and impacts of a heatwave on the municipality
Having arrangements in place to reduce the health impacts of heatwave
Developing media and communication messages, in line with whole-of-government messages, to inform the community and staff of the best way to look after themselves, relatives and their neighbours during a heatwave
Providing support and assistance throughout the duration of the heatwave
Ensuring response activities are consistent across the whole of government.

Coronavirus information

Visit Council's dedicated COVID-19 page for updates on the pandemic.

Incident advice

For live, up-to-the-minute incident advice from across the state, visit the Vic Emergency website or call their hotline on 1800 226 226. You can also download the Vic Emergency Apple App Store app or Google Play Store app for updates.