Westplan Earthquake

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STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN

FOR

EARTHQUAKE

MAY 2011

(WESTPLAN - EARTHQUAKE)

Prepared by

APPROVED AT SEMC MEETING

RESOLUTION NO: 32/2011

DATE OF APPROVAL: 14 JUNE 2011

REVIEW DATE:May 2016


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Westplan EarthquakeAmendment 2 - 2011 2

Contact Details

For copies of this plan, or to provide comment, please contact:

Manager, Natural Hazards Planning

Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia

FESA House, 480 Hay Street Perth Western Australia WA 6000

Amendment List

AMENDMENTDETAILS

AMENDED BY:

(INITIALS)NO. DATE

09/04 Review and re-write of 1999 version.

1 09/06 Amend 2004 version, congruous with theprovisions of the Emergency ManagementAct 2005.

2 05/11 Complete Revision.

3

4

5

6

78

9

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Copies of this State emergency management plan are available on the FESAinternet site:http://www.fesa.wa.gov.auusing the following menus:

Main FESA website

State Emergency Management

Policy and Planning

State Emergency Management Plans(WESTPLAN)
http://www.fesa.wa.gov.au/internet/default.aspx?MenuID=297http://www.fesa.wa.gov.au/internet/default.aspx?MenuID=297http://www.fesa.wa.gov.au/internet/default.aspx?MenuID=297http://www.fesa.wa.gov.au/internet/default.aspx?MenuID=297


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Table of Contents

1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................... 5

1.1 AIM AND OBJECTIVES................................................................................................................... 5

1.2 SCOPE........................................................................................................................................ 5

1.3 HAZARD DEFINITION..................................................................................................................... 61.3.1 Special Considerations ................ .............................................................. ............................... 6

1.4 RELATED DOCUMENTS.................................................................................................................. 7

1.5 AUTHORITY TO PLAN.................................................................................................................... 7

1.6 PLAN RESPONSIBILITIES................................................................................................................. 7

1.6.1 Advisory Groups and Subcommittees ................................. ..................................................... 7

1.7 EXERCISE AND REVIEW PERIODS..................................................................................................... 7

1.7.1 Testing/Exercising ................................................................ .................................................... 7

1.7.2 Review ....................................................................................................... ............................... 8

1.8 ORGANISATIONAL ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES............................................................................... 8

2 PREVENTION AND MITIGATION ............................................................... 9

2.1 RESPONSIBILITY FOR PREVENTION AND/OR MITIGATION..................................................................... 9

2.2 LEGISLATION AND CODES.............................................................................................................. 9

2.3 PREVENTION STRATEGIES.............................................................................................................. 9

2.4 MITIGATION STRATEGIES............................................................................................................... 9

3 PREPAREDNESS ..................................................................................... 11

3.1 RESPONSIBILITY FOR PREPAREDNESS............................................................................................. 11

3.2 PLANNING AND ARRANGEMENTS.................................................................................................. 11

3.2.1 Groups with Special Needs ..................................................................................................... 12

3.2.2 Resources .................................................................... ........................................................... 12

3.2.3 Training ............................................................................................. ..................................... 12

3.3 COMMUNITY INFORMATION........................................................................................................ 133.4 EVACUATION ARRANGEMENTS..................................................................................................... 13

3.5 LOCAL AND DISTRICT HAZARD EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANS..................................................... 13

3.6 WESTERN AUSTRALIA BORDER AGREEMENTS................................................................................. 14

3.7 ARRANGEMENTS FOR ASSISTANCE FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS........................................................ 14

3.7.1 Australian Government Physical Assistance .................................. ........................................ 14

3.7.2 Defence Assistance to the Civil Community (DACC) ............................................................... 14

3.7.3 Interstate Assistance .............................................................. ................................................ 14

3.8 ARRANGEMENTS FOR ASSISTANCE TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS............................................................. 14

4 RESPONSE ............................................................................................. 15

4.1 PRINCIPLES............................................................................................................................... 154.2 ALERT...................................................................................................................................... 15

4.3 EARTHQUAKE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM............................................................................................ 15

4.3.1 Earthquake Notification Messages ................................................................................. ....... 15

4.3.2 Distribution of Earthquake Notifications ............................................................................... 16

4.4 ACTIVATION.............................................................................................................................. 16

4.5 LEVELS OF RESPONSE.................................................................................................................. 16

4.6 INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM................................................................................................. 17

4.7 SITE ORGANISATION................................................................................................................... 17

4.8 HAZARD MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE /ARRANGEMENTS................................................................... 17

4.8.1 Incident Management ............................................................ ................................................ 17

4.8.2 Liaison Officers ............................................................ ........................................................... 17

4.9 MULTI AGENCY SUPPORT STRUCTURE AND ARRANGEMENTS............................................................. 18

4.9.1 Incident Support Group (ISG) ................................................. ................................................ 18


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4.9.2 Operational Area Support Group (OASG) ............................................................. .................. 18

4.9.3 State Emergency Coordination Group (SECG) ...................................................... .................. 18

4.9.4 Emergency Situation .............................. .............................................................. .................. 20

4.9.5 State of Emergency ....................................................................................................... ......... 20

4.10 RE-SUPPLY................................................................................................................................ 20

4.11 EVACUATION ARRANGEMENTS..................................................................................................... 20

4.11.1 Triggers for Evacuation .......................................................................................................... 21

4.11.2 Facility Evacuation Plans ........................................................ ................................................ 21

4.11.3 Notification of Evacuation Arrangements ............................................................ .................. 21

4.11.4 Evacuation of Pets....................................................... ........................................................... 21

4.11.5 Refusal to Evacuate ................................................................ ................................................ 21

4.11.6 Return of Evacuees ................................................................................................................. 22

4.12 SUPPORT PLANS........................................................................................................................ 22

4.12.1 Medical Response .................................................................................................................. 22

4.12.2 Communications .............................................. ............................................................... ....... 23

4.12.3 Public Information and Media Management ....................................................... .................. 23

4.13 FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR RESPONSE................................................................................... 25

4.14 STAND DOWN AND DEBRIEFING................................................................................................... 25

4.15 CONTACT ARRANGEMENTS.......................................................................................................... 25

5 RECOVERY ............................................................................................. 26

5.1 RESPONSIBILITY FOR RECOVERY.................................................................................................... 26

5.2 TRANSITION TO RECOVERY.......................................................................................................... 26

5.2.1 Specific On-site Recovery ................................................................ ....................................... 26

5.2.2 State Level Recovery Coordination ............................................................ ............................. 27

5.2.3 Community Recovery ....................................... ............................................................. ......... 27

5.3 INCIDENT ANALYSIS /REVIEW...................................................................................................... 27

5.3.1 Investigation/Assessment ........................................... ........................................................... 27

5.3.2 Identifying Mitigation Strategies .............................................................. ............................. 28

6 APPENDICES .......................................................................................... 29

APPENDIXA-DISTRIBUTION.............................................................................................................. 29

APPENDIXB-GLOSSARY................................................................................................................... 30

APPENDIXC-THE EARTHQUAKE HAZARD............................................................................................ 31

APPENDIXD-ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF ORGANISATIONS............................................................. 36

APPENDIXE-OPERATIONAL SEQUENCE GUIDE -EARTHQUAKE................................................................ 41

APPENDIXF-OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE........................................................................ 44


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1 INTRODUCTION

Despite being relatively geologically stable, Western Australia has experienced atleast one significant earthquake in each of the decades since Federation.Earthquakes of Richter or local magnitude (ML) 4.0 or greater are relatively

common and occur approximately every five years in the Earthquakes SouthwestSeismic Zone which includes the main population centers of the State.

Western Australia has experienced Australias strongest earthquake (Meeberrie1941) and has had severe destruction of rural towns such as Meckering (1968) andCadoux (1979). The State continues to receive reminders of the earthquake threatin the form of minor structural damage such as that which occurred in Burakin(2001) and Kalgoorlie-Boulder (2010).

Planning for earthquake emergencies in Western Australia is undertaken incompliance with the Emergency Management Act 2005, s18. Additionally, theEmergency Management Regulations 2006 designate the Fire and Emergency

Service Authority (FESA) as the Hazard Management Agency (HMA) for thepreparedness and response aspects of earthquake within Western Australia. FESAis also the Controlling Agency for earthquake emergencies in accordance with StateEmergency Management Policy (SEMP) 4.1

This WESTPLAN has been prepared to meet the State Emergency ManagementCommittee (SEMC) planning requirements under the Emergency Management Act2005.

1.1 Aim and Objectives

The aim of WESTPLAN-Earthquake is to detail the emergency management

arrangements for an earthquake in Western Australia.The objectives of this WESTPLAN-Earthquake are to:

ensure Western Australia has effective emergency managementarrangements in place for an earthquake emergency;

define the responsibilities of FESA, Australian Government agencies, StateGovernment agencies, local government, combat agencies and supportorganisations in the event of an earthquake emergency;

detail arrangements in relation to the control and coordination of, andresponse to, an earthquake emergency;

provide guidance for earthquake emergency management plans at districtand local level; and

detail arrangements for the review of planning at all levels.

1.2 Scope

WESTPLAN-Earthquake covers emergency management (EM) earthquakeplanning within the geographic boundaries of Western Australia, including adjacentwaters, but excluding high seas, Australian Waters, Cocos Island and ChristmasIsland. The plan deals with mitigation strategies, preparedness for earthquake,response to earthquake and initiation of recovery arrangements following the impact

of an earthquake.


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WESTPLAN-Earthquake documents the arrangements for both government andnon-government organisations to operate in a cooperative and coordinated manner,in accordance with agreed roles and responsibilities.

WESTPLAN-Earthquake is designed to account for all earthquakes which affectWestern Australia, regardless of magnitude or the geographic location of theepicentre. The Westplan does not cover tsunami emergencies resulting fromearthquakes (refer WESTPLANTsunami).

1.3 Hazard Definition

An earthquake is the shaking and vibration at the surface of the earth caused byunderground movement usually along a fault plane or by volcanic activity.

An earthquake emergency is an emergency as defined in the EmergencyManagement Act 2005, as the result ofan earthquake.

Please refer to Appendix C for detailed information on the earthquake hazard.

1.3.1 Special Con sid erations

1.3.1.1 Community Factors

Modern society is becoming increasingly dependent on services and infrastructuresuch as energy supply, including gas, transportation, water, sewage and drainagesystems and communication networks. This vital and critical infrastructure can bevulnerable in an earthquake emergency. Restoration may take significant time andcreate secondary effects in the community as the result of prolonged outages.

Some facilities such as rail networks and dams are particularly susceptible to theeffects of earthquakes.

As communities become more connected through modern electronic networking,there are increasing expectations being placed on emergency managementagencies to respond sooner, over wider areas and in ways that are moresophisticated. There is also a growing requirement for public information.

The need for a sound level of earthquake planning is of increased importance inareas of the State in which earthquakes are a threat to human life, activities,property and community lifelines.

1.3.1.2 Industry

Western Australia has exploration, oil, gas and mining industries which make asignificant contribution to the national economy. A large part of the mininginfrastructure is located in or close to earthquake risk zones as shown at AppendixC. Underground mining is also at risk from earthquakes and rock falls.

Whilst industry is required to comply with a range of regulations and instructionssuch as theOccupational Safety & Health Act 1984, consideration should also begiven to factors such as isolation, evacuation or re-supply of industry basedcommunities as a result of an earthquake emergency.

Where a risk analysis identifies a reduced level of individual or community resiliencedue to the transient nature of the work force, FESA strongly encourages industry to

develop specific mitigation and preparedness measures in partnership with the localcommunity.


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1.3.1.3 Remote Indigenous Communities

Indigenous communities have a unique culture that must be considered whenplanning for hazards. Language and communication, for example, may have specialrequirements because English is the second or third language spoken. IndigenousAustralians have a relationship with land, lore and kin, which can result in

communities being located in regions considered high risk in terms of earthquake.Isolation may increase response times in the event of an emergency and reduce theready availability of response resources.

These factors may result in the requirement for special localised arrangements forprevention, preparedness, response and recovery activities.

1.4 Related Documents

Emergency Management Act 2005;

Emergency Management Regulations 2006;

Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia Act 1998;

Local Emergency Management Arrangements;

Plans, Policies and supporting documents authored within the StateEmergency Management framework;

Planning and Development Act 2005.

Geoscience Australia Research Papers- particularly Jones, T. Middelmann,M. and Corby, N. (2007) Natural Hazard Risk in Perth `Western Australia -Comprehensive Report. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. GeoCat No.63527, ISBN: 1 920871 41 1

1.5 Authority to Plan

The State Emergency Management Committee (SEMC) is responsible for directingthe preparation of State emergency management plans [Section 20(1) EM Act2005]. SEMC has delegated to FESA the responsibility to prepare and review theState Emergency Management Plan Earthquake (WestplanEarthquake).

1.6 Plan Responsibilities

FESAs responsibilities for earthquake planning encompass the development,preparation, maintenance, testing and review of a State Emergency Management

Plan for the earthquake hazard.

1.6.1 Adv isory Group s and Subcomm it tees

There are no formal advisory groups or subcommittees for earthquake planning,however FESA maintains regular liaison with Geoscience Australia whichundertakes earthquake research and provides notification services.

1.7 Exercise and Review Periods

1.7.1 Testing/Exercising

WESTPLAN - Earthquake should be validated regularly to ensure the arrangements

are appropriate for the circumstances in which they are to be applied. SEMP 2.2Development and Review of State Emergency Management Plansrequires the plan


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to be exercised annually. Such exercises may test elements as broad asoperational plans, communication procedures and facilities, individual staffperformance, and inter organisational operations. Exercises are to be conducted inaccordance with SEMP 3.1Emergency Management Exercises.Activation of the plan during an actual emergency can be considered as a test ofthe plan.

1.7.2 Review

WESTPLAN-Earthquake will be reviewed by FESA, on behalf of SEMC, as often asnecessary, and not less than once every five years.

1.8 Organisational Roles and Responsibilities

This plan details organisational responsibilities at a State level and requires thatparticipating organisations support planning at district and local level.

FESA, as the HMA for earthquake emergencies in Western Australia, is responsiblefor ensuring effective preparedness and response to this risk within the community.

A coordinated response to an earthquake emergency requires combat agenciesand support organisations to undertake a variety of agreed and statutoryresponsibilities. These responsibilities are outlined at Appendix D.


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2 PREVENTION AND MITIGATION

2.1 Responsibility for Prevention and/or Mitigation

Local government has the main responsibility for prevention strategies for

earthquake emergencies within Western Australia, principally through applicationand enforcement of the building codes and land use planning. FESA also haslimited responsibility for coordinating the development and maintenance ofprevention aspects in State emergency management plans for earthquake asdesignated in SEMP 2.2.

2.2 Legislation and Codes

Legislation is one of the key initiatives to ensure that prevention and mitigationstrategies are consistent and enforceable. Legislation applicable to managing theearthquake risk includes:

Building Code of Australia(updated annually).Building Regulations 1989;

Emergency Management Act 2005;

Emergency Management Regulations 2006;

FESA Act 1998;

Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1960;

Local Government Act 1995;

Occupational Safety & Health Act 1984; and

Planning and Development Act 2005;

2.3 Prevention Strategies

It is impossible to prevent earthquakes from occurring, but strategies to mitigateearthquake impacts on communities can include:

engineering solutions, such as hardening buildings;

social solutions, such as community education; and

enforcement of legislative requirements, such as building restrictions in

areas identified as being at risk from earthquake.

2.4 Mitigation Strategies

Mitigation strategies contribute to the increased resilience and reduction invulnerability of our communities by proactively reducing or minimising the effects ofhazardous events.

Key strategies are employed to mitigate the risks associated with earthquakeemergencies. These strategies are shown in TABLE 1.


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TABLE 1: Earthquake Mitigation Strategies

Strategy Respon sib le Organisat ions

Earthquake risk mapping. FESA/Geoscience Australia

Application and enforcement of The Building Codes of

Australiaand informed land use planning for vulnerableareas.

Local governments

Participation in research and development programsdirected towards increased mitigation, improvedcommunity awareness and better informationdissemination.

FESA

Promoting an improved state of resilience withincommunities to improve the management of future risks.

FESA

Developing resilience in the community and minimisingthe vulnerability of communities to effects of earthquake.

FESA in partnership with LocalGovernments

Promote the uptake and maintenance of adequate

insurance against earthquakes.FESA

Promotion of, and participation in, community awarenesscampaigns for at riskcommunities.

Local governments assisted by FESA

Provision of support to voluntary emergencyorganisations.

FESA,

Local governments

Provision of earthquake advice to the community. FESA, Geoscience Australia

Identification of suitable buildings for designation asWelfare/Evacuation Centres.

Department for Child Protection inconsultation with

Local governments

Maintenance of a register of potential welfare/evacuationcentres.

Department for Child Protection inconsultation with Local EmergencyManagement Committee

Participation on local and regional earthquake planningcommittees, (where practicable).

Local government, FESA,

Main Roads Western Australia, WesternAustralia Police, Department for ChildProtection

Ensuring the sustainability of service delivery of criticalinfrastructure through design and maintenance standards.

Main Roads Western Australia, UtilityProviders

Providing advice in relation to the design andmaintenance status of critical infrastructure services and

access routes in at risk communities.

Main Roads Western Australia, Utility

Providers

Structurally retrofit, where necessary, facilities such aspolice, SES, fire and ambulance stations and hospitals,which provide essential services following any earthquakeevent. These facilities should be examined by suitablyqualified engineers on a site-by-site basis to assess theirexpected performance under earthquake loadings. Thisrecommendation is pertinent for Wheatbelt communities inor near the SouthWest Seismic Zone (SWSZ).

All relevant Agencies

Participate in research in social vulnerability models asthey apply to sudden impacts of hazards.

Relevant Agencies and Localgovernments.


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3 PREPAREDNESS

3.1 Responsibility for Preparedness

Preparedness activities focus on developing systems to ensure the delivery ofessential emergency response capabilities when an emergency occurs. These

systems include the development of plans and procedures; design of organisationalstructures; implementation of training; development of resource managementsystems; and community education related to preparation and response.

As the HMA for earthquake, FESA has responsibility for:

promoting an improved state of resilience within communities to improve themanagement of future risks; and

ensuring that all emergency management activities related to earthquakepreparedness are undertaken.

3.2 Planning and ArrangementsEmergency management plans are to be developed and based on:

best practice principles;

technical and scientific knowledge;

historical data and information; and

local knowledge and experience.

Successful earthquake operations depend on good planning, effective resourceutilisation and a coordinated response which is timely, efficient and effective.

The concept of this plan is to employ and coordinate the resources of State andAustralian Government departments, authorities and agencies; resources availableto private industry; and resources available to volunteer groups, for earthquakeoperations. This concept is based on:

availability of a 24 hour State level contact facility for receipt of earthquakenotification reports. This is the FESA Communications Centre at 480 HayStreet, Perth;

establishment of operational facilities at three levels, from whichmanagement of earthquake operations takes place;

deployment of emergency service personnel and trained volunteers;

provision of expert technical advice on geological modelling by State andAustralian Government agencies when requested by FESA;

provision of expert technical advice on road ways and transport routes by theDepartment for Main Roads, when requested by FESA;

tasking of agencies in a co-ordinated manner in support of FESA. Agencyprocedures are then employed to carry out tasks.

In accordance with the Emergency Management Act 2005, local government isresponsible for the development of local emergency management arrangements.


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The Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC) is to provide advice to thelocal government in this regard.

3.2.1 Grou ps with Special Needs

Special-needs groups include individuals and groups of people within the

community for whom special consideration must be given in state, district and locallevel plans. These groups may require unique arrangements in regard to resources,mobility, timings, support or communications when responding to an emergency.

Among the groups to be considered are:

Remote communities;

Indigenous communities;

Tourists;

Culturally and linguistically diverse groups;

Persons with physical, medical or mental conditions (including persons usingassistance animals);

Aged Care;

Persons without means of transport.

Special-needs groups should be included in the development of local risk plans forinclusion in Local Emergency Management Arrangements.

3.2.2 Resources

The identification of appropriate and adequate resources and expertise is essentialto preparedness for an earthquake emergency. Planning at all levels shouldreference resource management, inventory and acquisition arrangements.

Resources which are used in earthquake emergencies may be required at shortnotice and may include: urban search and rescue (USAR) resources; transportresources, earth moving machinery, cranes, shoring and tunneling equipment,signage, electricity generating plants, lighting, temporary toilet facilities, medicalequipment and drugs.

FESA is responsible for the overall provision of resources required to physicallyrespond to a potential or actual earthquake emergency. Combat agencies and

support organisations are required to provide their own resources in the firstinstance and to make requests for additional resources to FESA as required.

Local and district emergency plans should incorporate the use of community andindustry resources, especially in relation to accommodation and welfare. Such plansshould also identify methods, such as resource registers, to acquire communityresources during an earthquake emergency.

Where an operation is beyond the resources of the State, a request for assistancefrom other jurisdictions may be made in accordance with paragraph 3.7.

3.2.3 Training

FESA is responsible for training and equipping an emergency service capable ofassisting the community to manage the effects of earthquake.


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Combat and support agencies are also expected to provide trained and equippedpersonnel. FESA is responsible for conducting multi-agency exercises for therelevant level of emergency management, thereby ensuring all agency personnelare aware of their role in the organised response.

3.3 Community InformationFESA, local governments, and Geoscience Australia provide a contribution toeducation programmes developed to inform and educate the public on earthquakenotification, earthquake risk and earthquake management.

During earthquake events, FESA will provide community information in acoordinated manner through the Incident Controller and / or Operational AreaManager.

Media and public information strategies are reviewed annually by FESA to ensureappropriate communication of earthquake information to the community.

3.4 Evacuation ArrangementsEvacuation arrangements are addressed in the response section of this plan.

3.5 Local and District Hazard Emergency Management Plans

Where earthquake prone areas are identified as a risk to the community, FESA maydevelop relevant local earthquake plans which should consider:

Transfer of information from earthquake risk maps to LEMC district basedmaps;

Analysis and confirmation of damage projections;

Development of map overlays or other data modelling for :

o Critical facilities

o Special needs facilities

o Special needs populations

o Transportation lifelines

o Hazmat sites and facilities

Determining where damage is likely to occur, and identify areas of thepopulation at the greatest risk;

Ascertaining demographics for at-risk populations;

Evaluation of the adequacy of existing controls (i.e. building design and landuse planning);

Implementation of steps to reduce likely effects;

Identifying evacuation routes and developing traffic control contingencyplans.

In addition to local plans, FESA may develop District Earthquake Plans to

coordinate activities during earthquake emergencies.


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3.6 Western Australia Border Agreements

Currently Western Australia is not a party to any border agreements in relation toearthquake emergencies. Requests for assistance will be treated on an individualbasis between State/Territory Governments.

3.7 Arrangements for Assistance from Other JurisdictionsShould an earthquake emergency be beyond the resources of the State, supportmay be requested from the Australian Government, other states or overseas.

3.7.1 Aus tra l ian Governm ent Physical Assis tance

The provision of Australian Government physical assistance is dependent uponestablished criteria and requesting arrangements. All requests for physicalassistance are to be made in accordance with SEMP 4.9Australian GovernmentPhysical Assistance.

3.7.2 Defence Assis tance to the Civi l Commu nity (DACC)Defence Assistance to the Civil Community (DACC) can be provided in a number ofways which are defined as categories of assistance in Emergency ManagementProcedures Manual [Operational Procedure OP-9].

The most immediate support isDACCCategory 1, as follows:

Category 1 DACC is emergency assistance for a specific task(s) provided by aLocal ADF Commander/Administrator from within their own resources, in localisedemergency situations when:

a. immediate action is necessary to save human life, alleviate suffering,prevent extensive loss of animal life or prevent widespread loss/damage toproperty; and

b. local civilian resources are inadequate, unavailable or cannot be mobilisedin time.

Requests for Category 1 assistance may be passed directly to a Local ADFCommander who has the authority to provide the resources, if available. Availabilityof these resources should be identified in Local Emergency ManagementArrangements.

Other categories of DACC Assistance may be provided at the discretion of theAustralian Government where the State requests Australian Government physicalassistance. In these cases the initial resource request should be made throughFESA.

3.7.3 Interstate As sis tance

Assistance from other jurisdictions (and the process involved) will be determined byFESA in accordance with the conditions prevailing at the time.

3.8 Arrangements for Assistance to Other Jurisdictions

Assistance to interstate, overseas and other jurisdictions for earthquakeemergencies will be co-ordinated by FESA. This will include determination of the

process involved and recognition of pre-existing arrangements for inter-jurisdictionalassistance by other agencies where such arrangements exist.


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4 RESPONSE

4.1 Principles

Management of an Earthquake emergency is based on graduated response usingthe following guiding principles:

FESA is the Controlling Agency for earthquake emergencies in WesternAustralia in accordance with SEMP 4.1;

FESA is responsible for activating and controlling the response to anearthquake emergency within Western Australia;

FESA will use arrangements which employ identified combat agencies andsupport organisations (refer to Appendix D) to provide an effective andcoordinated response;

Responsibility for resourcing and responding to an emergency initially restswith the Incident Controller at the local level;

An emergency beyond the capability of local resources will receive supportfrom District resources. State resources will be provided if District resourcesare inadequate;

Communication between Local, District and State authorities is essential toensure intelligent and timely application of resources to manage theemergency;

Should an earthquake create a subsequent emergency, then reference willbe made to SEMP 4.1 Operational Managementand the relevant State Plans(e.g. Westplan-Hazmat).

4.2 Alert

Unlike most other natural hazards, earthquake prediction and warning is notpossible. The earthquake response phase commences as a result of the impact ofan earthquake and the alert is initiated by FESA as the result of either communityreports or notification from Commonwealth Agencies.

4.3 Earthquake Notification System

Geoscience Australia (GA), located in Canberra, is responsible for the notification ofearthquake occurrences. GA has a series of remote sensing stations which enable

the determination of the severity and location of an earthquake. The sensor networkis connected to alarms and instruments in Canberra which alert duty staff at GAwho interpret the seismic activity and pass relevant information to The AttorneyGenerals Department (AGD). The notification system provides coverage 24 hoursper day 7 days per week.

4.3.1 Earthq uake Notif ic ation Messages

AGD will advise FESA when an earth tremor of 3.5 local magnitude (ML/ Richter) orgreater occurs using a notification message which contains the location of theepicenter and magnitude.


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4.3.2 Distr ibut ion of Earthquake Not i f icat ions

FESA will distribute earthquake notification messages to key stakeholders andresponders.

4.4 Activation

Upon receipt of advice of an earthquake, FESA will activate a response which isappropriate to the intensity and location of the earthquake including activation ofrelevant emergency personnel and local and/or district plans as required.

The level of implementation of plans and operational structures can varyconsiderably depending upon circumstances. Factors which may influence the levelof response include the degree of threat to a community, the number of FESADistricts impacted by the earthquake and whether a multi-agency response isrequired.

More detail of the sequence of activation is shown in the ALERT and CALLOUTphases of Appendix E.

4.5 Levels of Response

Sound emergency management requires a graduated response which isappropriate to the circumstances of the emergency.

TABLE 2 shows descriptors which have been developed to ensure a response in

which the size of both the Incident Management Team (IMT) and the coordinationstructure are proportional to the size of the earthquake emergency. The Table

TABLE 2: Operational Levels

FACTOR LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3

ResourceInvolvement

Local response/resourcesrequired

Resources requiredfrom outside the localarea

State or National resourcesrequired

AgencyInvolvement

Single or limited multi-agency response (day today business)

Requires multi-agencyresponse

Requires significant multi-agency response

Incident

ManagementStructures

Managed by an HMA IMT

only Activation of ISG Activation of an OASG

Impact onCommunity

Minimal impact oncommunity

Medium impact on thecommunity

Significant impact on thecommunity

Duration Protracted duration Protracted response duration

Complexity No significant issuesMedium level ofcomplexity

High level of complexity

Multiple incident areas

Activation of StateEmergencyMeasures

Low risk of incidentescalation

Potential declaration ofan Emergency Situation

Potential declaration of anEmergency Situation or State ofEmergency

OtherMedium level of mediainterest

Significant level of mediainterest

Significant political interest


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enables one of three operational levels to be selected depending upon thecharacteristic factors of the emergency.The descriptors are provided as guidanceto FESA Operational Managers and are used for all FESAs HMA and CombatAgency responsibilities (Refer to Appendix F).

4.6 Incident Management SystemDuring all emergencies, FESA will use the Australasian Inter-service IncidentManagement System (AIIMS). All agencies with agreed responsibilities under thisplan are encouraged to ensure their personnel are familiar with and able to workwithin the AIIMS structure.

4.7 Site Organisation

FESA has established a number of Operations Centres around the State to:

provide a robust facility from which to oversee the coordination ofemergencies;

facilitate coordination with other emergency service agencies and combatagencies;

coordinate state and regional response to various emergencies;

manage the dissemination of information to the community;

provide appropriate advice to various levels of government;

4.8 Hazard Management Structure / Arrangements

Once an earthquake notification has been received, and the earthquake is likely torequire a level two or three management structure, then FESA will appoint anOperational Area Manager(s) (OAM). The OAM will assume overall managementof the earthquake operation within their defined operational area. (Refer AppendixE)

4.8.1 Incid ent Managemen t

FESA (through the OAM), will appoint the IC(s), responsible for the overallmanagement and control of an incident, within specific localised communities orgeographical areas.

An Incident Control Centre may be established, for the purpose of locating anIncident Controller at or near the scene of an emergency, and to facilitate better

management of the emergency. The Incident Control Centre will be able toaccommodate reliable communication capability and basic administration needs forboth the Incident Controller and Incident Management Team.

4.8.2 Liais on Officers

All agencies operating under WESTPLAN-Earthquake are required to place aLiaison Officer (LO) on call upon activation of this Plan. The LO must be ofsufficient experience and seniority to assist FESA. LOs will usually be the agencyrepresentatives on the relevant Incident Support Group (ISG) or Operations AreaSupport Group (OASG). Some agencies may nominate their Agency Commanderas the LO.


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4.9 Multi Agency Support Structure and Arrangements

SEMP 4.1Operational Managementdetails the multi-agency support structure usedfor different levels of emergency. The following paragraphs elaborate on how thispolicy will be applied during earthquake emergencies.

4.9.1 Incid ent Suppo rt Grou p (ISG)

The Incident Support Group/s consists of the Local Emergency Coordinator andLiaison Officers from local organisations involved in the incident. Its purpose is toassist the Incident Controller through the provision of information, expert advice,support and resources relevant to each organisation.

FESA shall appoint the Chair of the ISG and determine membership of the ISG.

The Incident Controller shall activate the ISG when an incident is designated asLevel 2 or higher and/or multiple agencies need to be coordinated.

4.9.2 Operatio nal Area Suppo rt Grou p (OASG)

Where the OAM identifies that the risk is likely to require a level 2 or level 3response, an OASG shall be established to assist with the management of theevent.

Members of the OASG should include agencies that have an agreed responsibilityunder this plan. Membership may change depending upon operationalrequirements.

The minimum membership of an OASG for an earthquake emergency is:

FESA (Chair)

Department for Child ProtectionDepartment of Environment and Conservation

Department for Planning and Infrastructure

Department of Health

District Emergency Coordinator

Lifelines agencies as appropriate

Local government representative

Main Roads WA

Western Australia Police

4.9.3 State Emergency Coord inat ion Group (SECG)

Should an earthquake event escalate to the point where it appears that strategic co-ordination of agencies may be required at a state-level, then the SECG will beactivated in accordance with SEMC Procedure OP11SECG Activation. FESA shalldetermine the physical location of the SECG at the time of activation.

Triggers for activation include (but are not limited to):

a earthquake has had a significant impact on a major community;

widespread earthquake damage to residential areas or a large geographicalarea containing communities or assets at risk;


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significant risk to critical infrastructure;

an Emergency Situation is declared; or

State of Emergency is declared.

The requirements for membership of the SECG are outlined in Section 26 (3) of theEmergency Management Act 2005. In the case of an earthquake emergency, it isrecommended that the SECG Membership should include, as required:

Core Group

Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA)

State Emergency Coordinator (Chair)

Executive Officer of the State Emergency Management Committee (SEMC)

Western Australia Police

Local government representation

Main Roads WA

Bureau of Meteorology

Chair State Recovery Committee / State Recovery Co-ordinator

Department for Child Protection


Other Members

Department for Water

Department of Education

Department of Environment and Conservation

Department of Indigenous Affairs

Department for Planning and Infrastructure

Industry representatives

Telstra

Office of EnergyWater Corporation

Western Power

Westnet Rail

Any other representatives as considered necessary by the State EmergencyCo-ordinator.


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4.9.4 Emerg ency Situation

Under Section 50 of the Emergency Management Act 2005FESA may declare thatan Emergency Situation exists in an area of the State in respect of a hazard. Thedeclaration shall be made in accordance with SEMC Procedure OP 13Declaration of Emergency Situation.

The declaration must not be made unless it is satisfied that:

An emergency has occurred, is occurring or is imminent in that area of theState; and

There is a need to exercise powers under Part 6 of the EmergencyManagement Act 2005 to prevent or minimize :

Loss of life, prejudice to the safety, or harm to the health of persons oranimals;

Destruction of, or damage to property; or

Destruction of, or damage to, any part of the environment

An emergency declaration must include:

The time when and date on which the declaration is made; and

The area of the State to which it applies.

FESA will notify the State Emergency Coordinator, each District EmergencyCoordinator and each Local Emergency Coordinator for a local government districtto which the Emergency Situation declaration applies, as soon as practicable after

the declaration is made.

4.9.5 State of Emerg ency

In the event of an earthquake emergency which has consequences requiring theuse of specific emergency powers, the Minister may declare a State of Emergencyin accordance with Section 56 of the Emergency Management Act 2005. Thearrangements for making such a declaration are contained in SEMP ProcedureOP

14 Declaration of State of Emergency.

When a State of Emergencyis declared, a State Disaster Councilis established inaccordance with Section 63 of the Emergency Management Act 2005.

4.10 Re-supply

The Operational Area Manager or Incident Controller will manage the re-supply ofcommunities.

4.11 Evacuation Arrangements

The decision to evacuate residents from areas after impact is the responsibility ofthe Operational Area Manager, if appointed, or the Incident Controller. The decisionwill normally be taken in consultation with key stakeholders.

The responsibility for implementing the evacuation rests with FESA, which mayrequire support from other Agencies, particularly WA Police and Department forChild Protection.


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SEMP 4.7provides guidance on community evacuation.

FESA is responsible for arranging the transport requirements for the evacuationfrom the emergency site. Local and district resources should be used whereverpossible.

4.11.1 Trigg ers fo r Evacuatio n

During an earthquake emergency, FESA may evacuate residents in risk proneareas due to factors such as:

Failure of essential services - Failure of lifelines such as sewerage, power,telecommunications and water pose significant health risks to thecommunity. In the event of any or all of these systems failing, evacuation ofindividuals, families and the community may be necessary.

Earthquake affecting properties - Evacuation may occur if it is deemedlikely that properties could be at risk from the aftershocks of an earthquake.

Isolation of properties - Persons who are not prepared for isolation orunsuited due to medical conditions, disabilities, age, etc should beencouraged to evacuate.

Structural Collapse - Buildings that are at risk of structural collapse as aresult of earthquake damage should be evacuated.

4.11.2 Facil i ty Evacu ation Plans

Local industry may have site specific evacuation plans which form part of theirOccupational Safety and Health Strategies. Additionally, schools, hospitals,detention centers, prisons, shopping centers and public buildings may also have

site or building evacuation plans. These plans should be developed in consultationwith the Local Emergency Management Committee to ensure they are realistic interms of resource availability, timeliness and the risks created by the hazard.

4.11.3 Not i f icat ion of Evacu at ion A rrangements

When authorised by the Operational Area Manager and or Incident Controller(s),FESA may use an emergency warning system, local radio stations, TV stations orother means of its choosing to warn the public of the danger and provide safetyadvice, including evacuation advice.

4.11.4 Evacu ation of Pets

The evacuation of pets will be conducted at the discretion of FESA subject tooperational circumstances.

Due to safety restrictions, it may not be possible to allow pets to accompany theirowners when transported via aircraft or boats.

Assistance animals (guide dogs, diabetic dogs etc) will remain in the care of theirowners throughout the evacuation. This includes the transport and access intoevacuation centres.

4.11.5 Refusal to Evacu ate

Sometimes community members have difficulty complying with a decision toevacuate an area. Management of such situations by the Incident Controller/s shallinclude:


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a) provision of clear direction to persons conducting an evacuation with respectto what action should be taken where a person refuses to evacuate;

b) ensuring, as far as practical, that those who refuse to evacuate understandthe risks of staying and are capable of making an informed decision;

c) arranging recording of the refusal to comply with any evacuation directionunder the Emergency Management Act 2005 during an EmergencySituation or in a declared State of Emergency;

d) arranging subsequent action, if required, in respect of refusals under sub-paragraph c (above).

e) where possible, developing procedures to track the welfare of remaining (i.e.non evacuated) residents.

4.11.6 Return of Ev acuees

FESA is responsible for managing the return of persons evacuated as the result of

earthquake. The return of evacuees should follow consultation with relevantemergency management agencies to ensure appropriate response and recoveryactivities have been completed. Additionally, the return should be scheduled toensure that returning evacuees will not create a subsequent hazard for thecommunity.

4.12 Support Plans

Should additional support be required during an earthquake emergency, it willinitially be sourced through the appropriate liaison officer. Where the need foradditional support requires a more co-ordinated approach, State Support Plansmaybe activated including the following:

State Telecommunications Emergency Management Support Plan;

State Isolated Communities Freight Subsidy Plan;

State Health Emergency Management Support Plan;

State Welfare Emergency Management Support Plan;

State Recovery Coordination Emergency Management Support Plan; and

State Public Information Emergency Management Support Plan.

Detailed advice regarding some of the support arrangements is contained in the

following paragraphs.

4.12.1 Medic al Respon se

Regional Health Services Disaster Plans are normally activated as part of agraduated response. In an emergency event, the graduated response stages maybe condensed, with stages being activated concurrently. The initial coordination ofregional health services medical resources and personnel will be coordinated at thelocal level.

Should an earthquake emergency result in numbers of casualties beyond thecapabilities of local health service medical resources and personnel, the Regional

Health Disaster Coordinator will be notified and shall consult with the OperationalArea Manager and then notify the State Health Coordinator (SHC). Similarly, if the


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local Environmental Health Officer requires assistance with any public health issue,this shall be provided through the SHC.

The notification process to the SHC is via the Department of Health On-call DutyOfficer (OCDO) paging service. The SHC will determine if WESTPLAN-Health is tobe activated.

4.12.2 Comm unic at ions

The provision of communications for emergency response measures underWESTPLAN-Earthquake are based on the use of the communication facilitiesrequired for the day-to-day activities of participating organisations. Should theseservices be inadequate, then additional resources may be sought in accordancewith WESTPLAN-Telecommunications Support.

The State Emergency Service has a public emergency assistance line (132500) tofacilitate the provision of emergency assistance to the community.

If communication with a community at risk has not been established, FESA willdispatch a reconnaissance team including medical and communication respondersat the first available opportunity.

4.12.3 Publ ic Inform at ion and Media Management

WESTPLAN Public Information details the emergency managementarrangements for provision of emergency public information (EPI). SEMP 4.6Emergency Public Information details the responsibilities and requirements forHMAs, Combat Agencies and Support Organisations in providing timely, accurateand consistent EPI to communities at risk.

FESA has arrangements to ensure the community of Western Australia is informedof earthquake emergencies.

FESAs Public Information Operational Plan (PIOP) is designed to provide aframework for FESAs communication to the community, media and otherstakeholders in a timely, consistent and accurate way during an earthquakeemergency.

The PIOP addresses the operational, resourcing and strategic considerations whichcould arise during an emergency. It takes into account internal and externalstakeholders and includes media liaison, internal communication and publicinformation alerts. Hazard specific public information requirements are included inthe PIOP.

4.12.3.1 Approval of Information

During an emergency, information is gathered from the Incident Controller anddistributed by FESAs Media and Public Affairs (MPA) team. FESA only commentson matters within its jurisdiction and all information is approved prior to release.

Public information talking points about the earthquake response will be completedby the FESA Media Liaison Officer (MLO) or Public Information Officer (PIO), andapproved by the Incident Controller or delegate. These talking points are used tocomplete existing authorised media alert templates which are then distributed.

Where strategic or policy information is added to the talking points it shall beapproved by the FESA Regional Duty Co-ordinator (RDC) or FESA State Duty Co-ordinator (SDC).


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4.12.3.2 Consistency of Information

FESA uses core information from the incident scene to inform all of itscommunication to various stakeholders. This core information is documented andauthorised on an earthquake talking points template that uses a common alertingprotocols (CAP) approach. Each talking points template includes preapproved key

messages.

Information captured on the talking points is then used to complete preapprovedmedia alert templates with fields to include or delete depending on the specificcircumstances. The use of the template system means the Incident Controller onlyneeds to approve one document - the talking points.

4.12.3.3 Delivery Methods

After the Incident Controller has approved information, it will be distributed by theMPA team using some or all of the following:

Media and Web Alerts - Templated media alerts are filled in using thetalking points provided from the field. This information is sent to all mediaoutlets and posted to the alerts page of the FESA website which can belinked via RSS feed.

Emergency Broadcasts -ABC radio broadcasts emergency information atquarter to and quarter past the hour, during a major emergency, where thereis imminent danger, they will break into programming. FESA endeavours,through the MLO, to provide a very brief interview at ten minutes past thehour to lead into the quarter past update. Alerts provided by FESA are readout word for word.

FESA Information Line

1300 657 209 - Telephone line that public can callthen listen to recorded information about an emergency incident. This will beupdated as soon as new information is available and/or at regular intervals.

FESA Call Centre - FESA staff/volunteer call takers answer telephonequeries from the public. (When this number is not staffed, it is diverted to theinformation line.)

TV Crawler - TV crawlers will be used for major emergencies only.

StateAlert - StateAlert delivers critical public information to people in aspecific location who are facing an imminent threat. It utilises the public(telephone) network and can only be authorised by the State Duty Director ordelegate.

Media Releases - General information about an incident prepared for themedia and placed on the FESA website news page and sent to all mediaoutlets. It shall be updated and disseminated regularly to satisfy mainstreammedia requirements, usually morning and afternoon, or as required.

Public Information Teleconference - This is an opt-in service for mediaand public affairs decision makers in other combat and support agencies. Ateleconference may be offered at least daily for 48 hours to keep otherresponders and incident participants up to date about communications

activities and identify emerging issues.


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4.13 Financial Arrangements for Response

SEMC Policy No. 4.2 Funding for Emergenciesdetails the criteria for a variety offunding situations and should be consulted to determine the funding arrangements.Funding situations include:

Situation A.FESA response with no support from other organisations.Situation B. FESA response with agreed bi-lateral arrangements forsupport, through either plans or memoranda of understanding.

Situation C.A multi-agency response.

Situation DWhere costs are incurred in delivering services or resources atthe request of the FESA, which are not part of the agency's core functionsand there are no prior agreements as to funding responsibilities.

Situation E.Where an emergency is declared an eligible event under theNatural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) Determination

and arrangements have been entered into between agencies and FESA forthe provision of specific eligible measures.

Situation F.Where an emergency occurs outside the jurisdiction of the Stateof Western Australia.

Situation G.An emergency response where an agencys or organisationsfunding does not meet the criteria of Situations A F.

Where no prior arrangement has been made with FESA, such as in Situation D,only expenditure approved by the IC, OAM or State Duty Co-ordinator (SDC) will befunded by FESA.

4.14 Stand Down and Debriefing

This response element of this plan will remain active whilst the SECG is active. Theresponse elements may be de-activated when:

the SECG is stood down; and

the OAM identifies that there is no longer a requirement for the plan toremain active.

There has been a handover to a Local Recovery Co-ordinator in accordancewith paragraph 5.2.

4.15 Contact Arrangements

The key organisations participating in this plan are shown at Appendix D. Ongoingcontact with these organisations shall be through Liaison Officers appointed byeach organisation.

Detailed contact arrangements for activation of WESTPLAN-Earthquake and forcommunication with Liaison Officers are held by FESA.


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5 RECOVERY

Recovery management is the coordinated process of supporting emergencyaffected communities in the reconstruction and restoration of physical infrastructure,the environment and community, psychosocial, and economic wellbeing.

(Emergency Management Act 2005)

5.1 Responsibility for Recovery

It is a function of local government to manage recovery following an emergencyaffecting the community in its district. (Emergency Management Act 2005, Section36(b)).

FESA is responsible for ensuring an effective recovery process is initiated. In orderto facilitate the effective coordination of the recovery process, it is essential that anassessment of the recovery and restoration requirements be conducted as soon aspossible after the impact of the event.

5.2 Transition to Recovery

Recovery activities should commence during the response phase and often therewill be no clear transition point from one element to the other. The responseelement is considered to be in place until at least the following conditions are met:

all rescues have been accomplished;

all injured have been attended to;

all the displaced people have been provided with shelter;

the essential public services, such as water and power, have been restored;

temporary repairs have been made to designated buildings; and

physical and electronic communications have been largely restored.

The decision to move from the response to the recovery phase, and the proceduresfor the hand-over between the two phases is the joint responsibility of localgovernment and FESA.

In the absence of local recovery plans or arrangements, FESA shall initiate action toestablish suitable arrangements during the response element. This includesmaintaining community information until handover has occurred.

5.2.1 Specif ic On-site RecoveryIn response to the impact assessment, resources from State Government, regionalsources or other external suppliers may be deployed to assist the affectedcommunity.

In addition to the deployment of these resources, support may also be provided bythe activation of State Emergency Management Plans.

The restoration and reconstruction of essential services (e.g. roads, transport,water, sewerage, electricity and waste disposal) will remain the responsibility of theagencies with the normal/existing responsibility for the provision of those services.

The removal and disposal of waste is the responsibility of Local governments (LGs)operating in accordance with Department of Conservation and Environmentlicensing conditions. FESA will liaise with Environmental Protection Authorities and


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LGswhere the waste is deemed to be hazardous to ensure the hazardous waste ismanaged in a safe and effective manner. Where the waste is not deemed to behazardous, Local Government is responsible.

5.2.2 State Level Recov ery Coo rdin ation

The extent of recovery activity will depend on the nature and magnitude of theemergency. In some circumstances, it may be necessary for the State Governmentto assume responsibility for coordinating the recovery process at a whole-ofgovernment level.

A Recovery Services Sub-Committee (RSS) was established by SEMC to overseethe planning and operation of state-level recovery coordination. The Chair of theRSS will make the decision to activate state-level recovery arrangements, followingconsultation with FESA.

If it is considered that extraordinary arrangements are required for a specificemergency, the Chair RSS may recommend to Government the appointment of a

specialist State Recovery Coordinator to ensure the provision of coordinatedsupport to emergency affected communities by public authorities and other persons.

5.2.3 Commu nity Recovery

Local government is responsible for managing community recovery, including theappointment of a Local Recovery Coordinator who shall lead the Local RecoveryCommittee, and activate the Local Recovery Plan.

5.3 Incident Analysis / Review

FESA conducts three levels of post incident analysis following operational incidents.

These are:Operational Debrief

Post Incident Analysis

Major Incident Review

The level of analysis required will be determined by the FESA Chief OperationsOfficer in accordance with FESA Incident Analysis Policy. The Operational AreaManager/Incident Controller will ensure that all agencies involved in a multi -agency emergency are provided the opportunity to submit input into any post

operational analysis. Upon acceptance of recommendations an implementationschedule is to be developed and monitored for timely completion.

Post Operation Reports shall be provided to SEMC in accordance with SEMCPolicy Number 4.3.

5.3.1 Investigation/Assessment

Where FESA identifies any issue which has, or is reasonably believed to have,contributed to the impact of the emergency upon the community an investigationmay be conducted into that cause. The purpose of the investigation shall be todetermine the issues leading to the event with the intent of developing mitigationprevention strategies to reduce the associated risk to the community.


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5.3.2 Identifyin g Mit igatio n Strategies

During the recovery process, the opportunity will be taken to implement mitigationand/or preventative strategies identified through the emergency risk managementprocess. FESA will identify key areas in the community infrastructure that failedduring the earthquake and will promote actions and/or studies designed to minimise

the effects of earthquakes on the community in the future. Examples of potentialstrategies include increasing building construction standards, improving land-usemanagement and disaster-hardening of key community facilities and utilities.


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6 APPENDICES

APPENDIX A

APPENDIX A - Distribution

WESTPLAN-Earthquake is normally distributed in electronic form. The latestversion is always available in the EMWA Section of the FESA website. The onlyhardcopy versions distributed are the library copies shown below. Addressees onthis list will be advised by email when a new or amended version of theWESTPLAN is posted on the EMWA website.

ORGANISATION ADDRESSEES

Emergency ManagementAustralia

National Emergency Management Coordination CentreEMA Institute Library (2 Copies)

Fire & Emergency ServicesAuthority of Western Australia

Assistant Chief Operations Officer, Natural HazardPlanning and ResponseAssistant Chief Operations Officer CountryAssistant Chief Operations Officer Fire ServicesMetropolitanRegional Director, PilbaraRegional Director, KimberleyRegional Director, Midwest/GascoyneRegional Director, Goldfields/MidlandsRegional Director, South West

Regional Director, Great SouthernLibrary Deposits(bound copies with contactdetails removed)

National Library Of Australia, Legal Deposits Unit (2Copies)State Library Of Western Australia, Battye Library (4Copies)

State Government Ministers Minister For Police; Emergency Services; Road Safety.Minister For Planning; Culture and the Arts

State Emergency ManagementCommittee

All MembersAll Subcommittee MembersSecretary SEMC

Combat / Support

Organisations

All agencies and organisations with responsibilities under

this plan.


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APPENDIX B

APPENDIX B - Glossary

Terminology used throughout this document shall have the meaning as prescribed ineither Section 3 of the Emergency Management Act 2005 or as defined in theWestern Australian Emergency Management Glossary 2009.

The following additional definitions and abbreviations apply:

ABBREVIATION MEANING

Epicenter The point on the earth's surface directly above where theearthquake originated within the earth.

GA Geoscience AustraliaIC Incident Controller

IMT Incident Management Team

ISG Incident Support Group

LG Local government/s

LocalMagnitude(Abbreviated ML)

Is a measurement of earthquake intensity measured using theRichter scale which compares the maximum heights of theseismic waves at a distance of 100 kilometers from, the epicenter.The scale divides the size of earthquakes into categories called

magnitudes which are an estimate of the energy released by anearthquake. For every unit increase in magnitude on the Richterscale, there is roughly a thirty-fold increase in the energy releasedby an earthquake. For instance, a magnitude 2.0 earthquakereleases 30 times more energy than a magnitude 1.0 earthquake,while a magnitude 3.0 earthquake releases 900 times (30x30)more energy than a magnitude 1.0.

LO Liaison Officer

OAM Operational Area Manager

OASG Operational Area Support GroupRichter Scale (see Local Magnitude)

SDC FESA State Duty Coordinator

SDD FESA State Duty Director

SECG State Emergency Coordination Group

SubductionZone

An area on the earth where two tectonic plates meet and movetowards one another, with one sliding underneath the other.


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APPENDIX C

APPENDIX C - The Earthquake Hazard

Introduction

An earthquake is a phenomenon produced by a sudden movement within the earth'scrust as built up energy is released. The movement causes seismic waves that moveaway from the point of disturbance. These waves cause movement of the earth'ssurface that is much smaller in magnitude than the original movement deep withinthe crust. Only in a few cases is the fault line movement reflected at the surface by achange in the surface profile.

The seismic waves dissipate energy as they move through the earth. Their speedand energy dissipation is a function of the rock or soil through which they move.There can be reflection or refraction of these waves at geological boundaries whichmeans that a single movement deep within the earth can be felt as a large number ofsmall movements spread over a period of time (a few minutes) at the surface.

The effects of an earthquake can be felt many kilometers away from its epicenter,and generally the intensity of ground shaking diminishes with distance from thequake. Damage is caused because the ground moves in response to the seismicwaves. Buildings move at their own resonance frequencies and if this coincides withthe frequency of the seismic waves then the building will undergo significant shakingand may collapse.

Measuring Earthquake Events

The sudden movement within the earth's crust releases energy. The magni tudeofan earthquake is a measure of the energy released. The standard scale for

measurement of earthquake magnitude is the Local Magnitude (ML) which is amodified version of the Richter Scale. The three largest earthquakes ever recordedhave had a magnitude greater than 9.0 on the Richter Scale. These include the 1960Chile (9.5), 1964 Alaska (9.2) and 2004 Sumatra (9.1).

While the earthquake magnitude is an absolute measure of the energy releasedduring an earthquake, its destructive power at the ground surface varies from placeto place. It is a function of the magnitude, the distance from the epicenter and thesoil or rock type through which the earthquake waves have moved. The Mexico Cityearthquake of 1985 actually had its epicenter 360 km away near Acapulco. Whilethere was relatively little damage near the epicenter, major damage occurred in partsof Mexico City. The soft unconsolidated sediments below Mexico City amplified theearthquake's waves.

From the point of view of determining the damage to buildings, a more usefulmeasure is seismicintensity. Seismic intensity is the measurement of the effect ofan earthquake at a given place, and is a function of location as well as the magnitudeof the earthquake. It relates particularly to the impact of the earthquake on buildings.It is measured by the fairly subjective Modified Mercalli (MM) Scale, which is shownat Table 3.

The MM intensity scale uses personal reports and observations to measureearthquake intensity whereas the Peak grou nd accelerat ion(PGA) is a measure ofearthquake acceleration on the ground measured by instruments, such asaccelerographs. Generally PGA correlates well with the MM scale.


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Any given earthquake will have a single magnitude, but will produce groundmovement intensity that varies from place to place. These variations can besignificant even within a suburb as they are a function of the soil or rock throughwhich the earthquake waves have passed.

TABLE 3- MODIFIED MERCALLI SCALE OF EARTHQUAKE INTENSITY

Intensity Imp act Effect

I NegligibleNot felt except by a very few under especially favorableconditions.

II FeebleFelt only by a few persons at rest, especially on upperfloors of buildings.

III Slight

Felt quite noticeably by persons indoors, especially onupper floors of buildings. Many people do not recognize itas an earthquake. Standing motor cars may rock slightly.Vibrations similar to the passing of a truck. Durationestimated.

IV Moderate

Felt indoors by many, outdoors by few during the day. Atnight, some awakened. Dishes, windows, doors disturbed;walls make cracking sound. Sensation like heavy truckstriking building. Standing motor cars rocked noticeably.

V Rather StrongFelt by nearly everyone; many awakened. Some dishes,windows broken. Unstable objects overturned. Pendulumclocks may stop.

VI StrongFelt by all, many frightened. Some heavy furniture moved;a few instances of fallen plaster. Damage slight.

VII Very Strong

Damage negligible in buildings of good design andconstruction; slight to moderate in well-built ordinarystructures; considerable damage in poorly built or badlydesigned structures; some chimneys broken.

VIII Destructive

Damage slight in specially designed structures;considerable damage in ordinary substantial buildingswith partial collapse. Damage great in poorly builtstructures. Fall of chimneys, factory stacks, columns,monuments, walls. Heavy furniture overturned.

IX Ruinous

Damage considerable in specially designed structures;well-designed frame structures thrown out of plumb.Damage great in substantial buildings, with partialcollapse. Buildings shifted off foundations.

X Disastrous

Some well-built wooden structures destroyed; mostmasonry and frame structures destroyed with foundations.Rails bent.

XIVery

Disastrous

Few, if any (masonry) structures remain standing. Bridgesdestroyed. Rails bent greatly.

XII CatastrophicDamage total. Lines of sight and level are distorted.Objects thrown into the air.

Source: U.S. Geological Survey


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Australian Earthquakes

About 90% of all earthquakes in the world are inter-plate earthquakes which takeplace at tectonic plate boundaries. Australian earthquakes, however, are intra-plateearthquakes occurring away from plate boundaries. These earthquakes are lesscommon than inter-plate earthquakes, generally originate at shallow depths and donot follow easily recognized patterns.

The geographically older western and central parts of Australia are the mostseismically active.

There are on average 200 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or more in Australia eachyear. Earthquakes with magnitude 5.5, such as that in Newcastle in 1989, occur onaverage every two years. About every five years there is a potentially disastrousearthquake of magnitude 6.0 or more.

Australia's most notorious earthquake remains the Newcastle earthquake of 28thDecember 1989, which with 13 fatalities and insured damage of $1,124 million is the

only Australian earthquake to directly take human lives. While its magnitude at 5.6(Richter) was far less than the maximum magnitude for an Australian Earthquake, theproximity of the epicenter close to a large urban centre with a considerable stock ofaging buildings, contributed to the damage.

Adelaide is the most threatened Australian capital city. On 1 March 1954 anearthquake of magnitude 5.5 in Adelaide resulted in three serious injuries anddamage to 3,000 buildings, including collapsed and cracked walls, smashed windowsand collapsed chimneys.

The Australian Earthquake hazard is illustrated in Map1 below.

MAP 1 - AUSTRALIAN EARTHQUAKE HAZARD MAP


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Earthquakes in Western Australia

The vast majority of WA is relatively geologically stable although there are areas thatare significantly more vulnerable to earthquake effects. The area of primary concernin WA is the Southwest Seismic Zone, which includes the main population centers ofthe State.

Earthquakes of Magnitude 4.0 or more are relatively common in Western Australiawith one occurring approximately every five years in the Southwest Seismic Zone.

WA Historical Events

Early Earthquakes

There is documentary evidence of a long history of earthquakes in Western Australiaincluding:

a magnitude 6.0 earthquake in the Barrow Ranges, in far eastern WA duringan expedition by explorer Earnest Giles, on 15 Dec 1873;

a magnitude 6.5 earthquake with an epicentre about 100 km from Geraldton,on 5 January 1885;

a magnitude 7.5 earthquake with an epicentre about 400 km NW of Exmouthoccurred in 1906;

a tremor on 28 August 1917 at Kalgoorlie resulted in an underground rock fall,killing one miner, and injuring several others;

a magnitude ML 7.3 earthquake at Meeberrie Station (approximately 160 kmnorth of Mullewa) on 29 April 1941 is the largest known onshore Australianearthquake. It was felt over a wide area of Western Australia from Port

Hedland to Albany.a magnitude 5.7 earthquake near Yallingup in 1946 and a magnitude 5.0earthquake near Busselton in 1959.

1968 Meckering

Western Australia's most notorious earthquake occurred on 14th October 1968. Ithad a magnitude of 6.8 and an epicenter 2.5 km from Meckering. Within the town ofMeckering, the intensity estimated at Modified Mercalli (MM) IX caused total loss toall major buildings and sixty of the towns seventy five houses. Many surroundingtowns experienced MM VI movements and sustained minor damage. Parts of Perth

experienced MM VI intensity through a localised effect due to magnification causedby the deep alluvium. Damage included:

Awnings and balconies collapsed in York, parapets were damaged inNortham, York, Cunderdin and Perth;Free standing masonry chimneys were damaged within a 50 km radius ofMeckering;Within Perth, there was major damage to masonry where brick ties hadcorroded or where weak mortar had been used;Soil subsidence was observed under roads which ran close to lakes, throughold river channels and in reclaimed land near Perth;


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Changes to building legislation as a direct result of this earthquake includerequirements for all buildings over four storeys (and those over one storey in activeareas) to be designed by professional engineers. Additional provisions limited theuse of parapets, chimneys, and non-reinforced masonry for smaller structures inhigh-risk areas.

1979 Cadoux

On 2nd June 1979 an earthquake of magnitude ML 6.2 occurred 180 km to thenortheast of Perth and caused extensive damage to the town of Cadoux where anintensity of MMIX was reached. Building inspections in the area revealed that 21 outof 25 buildings of masonry construction suffered more than minor damage. Incontrast, of 29 buildings of non-masonry construction which were inspected, only 4suffered more than minor damage. The lower limit for major structural damage isMMVI and this intensity was experienced within a radius of 32 km.

The earthquake was felt in Perth with an intensity which was generally less than MMV however most tall buildings swayed, there was subsidence of roads near theNarrows Bridge and widespread electrical blackouts resulted from the tripping ofmercury switches in transformers.

The intensity, at which almost everyone recognizes seismic shaking (MMIV), was feltwithin a radius of 390 km including most of the principal population centers in thesouth of the State. Damage totaled approximately $3.8 million (1979 dollars)

2000-2001 Burakin

Burakin is in the northern wheatbelt area of SW Western Australia, about 200 km NEof Perth. An earthquake swarm commenced in the Burakin area on 16 September2000. This activity died away over a couple of weeks, and the largest event was

magnitude 3.6. However in September 2001, a new and larger swarm commenced inan area about 15 km to the north-north west of the year 2000 swarm. In the 6 monthsfrom Sept 2002, there were four earthquakes of magnitude 5.0 or more, andapproximately 18000 smaller events. Many buildings within 25 km of the activitysuffered minor damage, but none had major structural damage. Most of theearthquakes are believed to be less than 2 km deep.

2010 Kalgoorlie-Boulder

On 20 April 2010 an earthquake of magnitude ML 5.0 in the vicinity of Kalgoorliecaused considerable damage to (mainly) historic buildings in Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

Sources:

EMA Disasters Database http://www.ema.gov.au/ema/emadisasters.nsf

University of Western Australia www.seismicity.see.uwa.edu.au

Geoscience Australia http://www.ga.gov.au/hazards/

Dr Geoff Broughton, Curtin University of Technology, 1995 WA-SES EarthquakeSeminar


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APPENDIX D

APPENDIX D - Roles and Responsibilities of Organisations

Introduction

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA), as the Hazard ManagementAgency (HMA), has the primary responsibility for managing earthquake effects inWestern Australia. However, FESA requires the support and assistance of otherorganisations to ensure an integrated community response occurs.

The organisations that have a direct responsibility in relation to the management ormitigation of earthquake in Western Australia are:

Attorney Generals Department

Department for Child Protection

Department of Planning and Infrastructure


Fire & Emergency Services Authority

Geoscience Australia

Main Roads WA

Local Government*

Public Transport Authority

Westnet RailTELSTRA

WA Water Corporation

Department of Water

Western Australia Police.

Agency Responsibilities

The agencies will undertake the agreed responsibilities, as detailed below. All theagencies are to maintain appropriate internal plans and procedures in relation to the

specific agency responsibilities.

*Note: The capability and commitment of each Local Government to undertake thetasks and meet the responsibilities identified in this State Plan should be confirmedby the HMA and detailed in the Local Hazard Emergency Plan and/or LocalEmergency Management Arrangements. This will ensure the varying capabilities ofindividual Local Governments are recognized.


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RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS

Organisation Responsibilities

GeoscienceAustralia /

AttorneyGenerals

Department

a. Participate in research and development of earthquake modelsand techniques to improve earthquake forecasting /notification.

b. Provide an earthquake prediction, interpretation and notificationservice.

c. Establish and maintain data collection networks and monitorearthquake events.

d. Store and provide historical earthquake intelligence data andinformation.

e. Contribute to the planning, installation and maintenance of newand improved earthquake warning/notification systems.

f. Participate in community awareness programs on earthquakewarning systems.

g. Provide a liaison officer to FESAs State Operations Centre, ifrequired.

Department forChild Protection

a. Management of services under WESTPLANWelfare andWESTPLANR