Council's role in Emergency Management

Councils play an important role in Victoria’s emergency management arrangements. They facilitate emergency management planning at the local level and are responsible for coordinating relief and recovery support for affected communities. They also have a long-established role in providing support to response agencies.

What is Council's role?

Councils have a variety of emergency management responsibilities, from prevention through to emergency response and recovery, as well as building the resilience of communities to respond to emergencies. Roles include:

• Emergency management plans for the municipality, in partnership with other emergency services agencies
• Undertaking fire prevention activities including issuing fire prevention notices and working with fire agencies to reduce fire risks
• Planning overlay controls to address risks to properties such as fire and flood
• Operating relief and recovery centres during/after an emergency
• Coordinating emergency shelter for displaced people and animals
• Coordinating clean-up activities
• Assessing occupancy of damaged buildings, safety of sites after an emergency, and overseeing rebuilding (permits/inspections).