The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria – in accepting that emergency management is a 'shared responsibility' - collaborate with the emergency management sector and community to:
a) establish clear guidance that clarifies the roles and responsibilities of individuals, communities, the private sector, responder agencies and government before, during and after emergencies
b) develop, implement and evaluate an ongoing communications strategy that ensures these roles and responsibilities are well-understood and reiterated throughout the year.
EMV released the SEMP in September 2020. The SEMP sets out the roles and responsibilities of individuals and households, as well as clarifies roles and assign responsibilities to the emergency management sector agencies, business, community groups and networks. The SEMP forms part of Victoria’s new emergency management planning arrangements, including new arrangements at regional and local levels. Together, these planning reforms provide critical guidance for communities, ensuring they understand what they can expect in terms of support - and what is expected of them - in the event of an emergency.
IGEM notes this action is an affirmation of the existing SEMP.
For information on the SEMP's release, refer to Action 2.2 on page 33 of IGEM's 2021 report. For more detailed information on the SEMP's guidance for communities and articulation of the roles and responsibilities of individuals and households, refer to Action 3.2 on page 40 of IGEM's 2021 report.