PRODUCED BY AND FOR THE VICTORIAN SES VOLUNTEERS
ISSUE 205 AUGUST 2021 Printpost Approved PP 100001634
HELL ON EARTH: RECORD-BREAKING JUNE STORMS CULTURE AND CONDUCT SURVEY • LIFEBLOOD
O VICT RIA
Content for Phoenix Photography should only be supplied digitally or as original prints (please supply stamped, self-addressed envelope for returning). Please avoid scanning of any type. Text should be supplied electronically as a Microsoft Word document.
www.vicsesva.org.au
VicSESVA CONTACTS VicSESVA Phoenix Editor & Mailing List Enquiries To add, edit or delete members to mail list or password and technical support contact: helpdesk@vicsesva.org.au
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Contents 3
From the Board
14
4
Hell on Earth: recordbreaking June storms
VICSES Volunteers give “Lifeblood”
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Supporting the mental health of young adult volunteers
21
Managing the Human Dimensions of Disasters
22
Victoria SES, FRV and the SEMP
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A Quick Guide to VicSESVA
7
Don’t forget your map and compass
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VICSESVA Conduct and Culture Survey 2021
10
How does asking for help become a traumatic experience?
Send all articles to:
Email: phoenix@vicsesva.org.au
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Letters to the editor If you have a point of view you feel would be of benefit to VicSESVA, or a request for any article which other members may be able to help source, mail it to PHOENIX. If your Unit has a need to publicise an event or Unit activity, send it to PHOENIX.
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CONTRIBUTIONS
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Safe and Found
VicSESVA STATE BOARD EXECUTIVE & STATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIR Mr David Rowlands
PRESIDENT Dr Faye Bendrups
M: 0423 777 633 E: chair@vicsesva.org.au
M: 0435 964 455 E: fayebendrups@hotmail.com
SECRETARY AND DIRECTOR SOUTH WEST REGION John McKenzie
TREASURER Sue Davidson E: treasurer@vicsesva.org.au
E: secretary@vicsesva.org.au
DIRECTOR NORTH EAST REGION Mr Chris Brown
DIRECTOR EAST REGION Mr Ray Desem
M: 0417 550 076 E: nerc@vicsesva.org.au
E: erc@vicsesva.org.au
SHOP MANAGER AND TASK FORCE DELEGATE Mr Chris Patton
DIRECTOR NORTH WEST REGION Julie Jochs
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E: nwrc@vicsesva.org.au
M: 0407 310 555 E: shop@vicsesva.org.au
DIRECTOR CENTRAL WEST REGION In progress
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E: mwrc@vicsesva.org.au
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E: cwrc@vicsesva.org.au
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DIRECTOR MID WEST REGION Vacant
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Advertisers Alert Countrywide Austral is appointed by the Victoria Emergency Service Association as the authorised publisher of PHOENIX. For enquiries re advertising in this magazine, please contact the printers and publishers:
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VICSES PEER SUPPORT Peer Support can be accessed at any time by ringing 1800 899 927 and asking for SES Peer Support (EAS Paging). The Clinical Director can be contacted on mobile 0417 565 927 or by ringing 1800 899 927 (EAS Paging).
COUNTRYWIDE AUSTRAL Level 2, 310 King St, Melbourne GPO Box 2466, Melbourne 3001 Ph: (03) 9937 0200 Fax: (03) 9937 0201 E-mail: admin@cwaustral.com.au ACN: 30 086 202 093
CHAPLAINS CONTACT DETAILS CENTRAL REGION Major Arthur Ford M: 0416 085 634
EAST REGION Rev Judy McLeod M: 0417 347 821
NORTH WEST REGION Rev David Mills M: 0425 708 730
Major Eddy Holman M: 0412 014 557
Disclaimer Countrywide Austral (“Publisher”) advises that the contents of this publication are at the sole discretion of the Victoria State Emergency Service Volunteers Association (VicSESVA) and the publication is offered for background information purposes only. The publication has been formulated in good faith and the Publisher believes its contents to be accurate, however, the contents do not amount to a recommendation (either expressly or by implication) and should not be relied upon in lieu of specific professional advice. The Publisher disclaims all responsibility for any loss or damage which may be incurred by any reader relying upon the information contained in the publication whether that loss or damage is caused by any fault or negligence on the part of the publisher, its directors and employees. Copyright All advertisements appearing in this publication are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced except with the consent of the owner of the copyright. Advertising Advertisements in this journal are solicited from organisations and businesses on the understanding that no special considerations other than those normally accepted in respect of commercial dealings, will be given to any advertiser.
The data that VicSESVA holds for its members is solely used for the production and distribution of Phoenix and associated products.
Bernie Finn MP is proud to support the volunteers of the SES. Thank you all for your wonderful work!
Bernie Finn
MP
Member for Western Metropolitan Region
Suite 101 / 19 Lacy Street, Braybrook VIC 3019 Ph (03) 9317 5900 www.berniefinn.com Funded from Parliament Budget ADVERTISEMENT
Authorised by Senator R Ciccone, 1A Blackburn Road, Blackburn VIC 3130
To all emergency volunteers:
A: Suite 1A, 12 Hall Street, Moonee Ponds VIC 3039 P: PO Box 214, Moonee Ponds VIC 3039 T: 9326 1300 E: bill.shorten.mp@aph.gov.au BillShorten @billshortenmp @billshortenmp Authorised by Bill Shorten, Australian Labor Party, Suite 1A, 12 Hall Street Moonee Ponds, VIC, 3039.
for your tireless efforts assisting our community through storm, flood, bushfire, rescue, and the current Covid-19 crisis.
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from the
BOARD
Volunteers Speak Up
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his edition features many examples of volunteer experiences: contributing to the development of the positive mental health programme for young adult volunteers, responding to record storms (“hell on earth”), saving lives by giving blood, and speaking up about bullying and harassment. VicSESVA congratulates all those who have had the courage to come forward and describe their experiences in the first Conduct and Culture Survey 2021 for volunteers and staff, and others who have written personal impact statements. For some, this has been an challenging and emotional undertaking; to disclose what has happened to them, to share with others, and to reflect on how asking for help becomes a traumatic experience. VICSES has started to make changes and referred the matters to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. The issues are complex and there is no quick fix; cultural change takes time. In the meantime, there is a growing feeling that members’ voices can be heard and that staying silent is no longer an option. Members have shown personal conviction
“Members have shown personal conviction and strength in coming forward, and reflecting their commitment to serve others, they want their experiences and feedback to help others, to build a better, stronger, more inclusive and more supportive organisation.” and strength in coming forward, and reflecting their commitment to serve others, they want their experiences and feedback to help others, to build a better, stronger, more inclusive and more supportive organisation. In this edition, we farewell Michael Eburn’s Australian Emergency Law blog. Dr Eburn’s blog has been an informed and expert contribution to a wide variety of EM topics for 12 years. We thank him for his work and for his support to reprint articles in Phoenix. The Emergency Service Foundation continues its excellent work, with an
online forum on ‘Managing the Human Dimensions of Disaster’. Go to esf.com.au to find out about their Learning Network and Leading for Better Mental Health. AFAC’s Volunteer Management Technical Group has sponsored a new initiative on supporting young adult EM volunteers with a package of resources that provide a practical and evidence-based starting point for supporting positive mental health and wellbeing, including the Care4Guide, a practical self-completed guide designed with and for young adult volunteers.
Chairperson chair@vicsesva.org.au
Phoenix Editor phoenix@vicsesva.org.au
North East Regional Council nerc@vicsesva.org.au
Treasurer treasurer@vicsesva.org.au
South West Regional Council swrc@vicsesva.org.au
East Regional Council erc@vicsesva.org.au
Secretary secretary@vicsesva.org.au
Mid-West Regional Council mwrc@vicsesva.org.au
Central East Regional Council cerc@vicsesva.org.au
Volunteer Shop shop@vicsesva.org.au
North West Regional Council nwrc@vicsesva.org.au
Central West Regional Council cwrc@vicsesva.org.au
vicsesva.org.au
August 2021
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REPORTS
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FEATURE
HELL ON EARTH: RECORD-BREAKING JUNE STORMS ON JUNE 9 AND 10 2021, WILD STORMS HIT THE DANDENONG RANGES AND GIPPSLAND REGIONS, BRINGING FLOODS TO GIPPSLAND, DAMAGING THE YALLOURN POWER STATION, AND LEAVING MORE THAN 200,000 HOMES AND BUSINESSES WITHOUT POWER.
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edia headlines in themselves told the story: terrifying storms isolate Victorian towns, Hills families ‘abandoned’ in devastation aftermath, wild weather lashes State, residents advised not to drink water, 56,000 homes without power, more than 1,000 without power for a month, township crippled in one night, police roadblocks, State government calls in the troops, towns without 000, massive financial hit to 1,200 businesses, the hills are alive with the sound of chainsaws, debris metres high, Victoria declares state energy emergency. VICSES Emerald Controller Ben Owen said it was “an absolute miracle” no one died in the Dandenong Ranges storm. Some residents were barricaded in their vicsesva.org.au
Summary Table
Incident Period: Start Time: 09/06/2021 00:00:00 AM End Time: 28/06/2021 00:00:00 AM
SES Requests For Assistance by SES Response Boundary GRAMPIANS KNKE
LODDON MALLEE
KMRE
GISB
Total RFA's
SES Region
HUME
MVLE
Barwon South West
223
Gippsland
1306
Grampians
688
Hume
552
Loddon Mallee
1022
Metropolitan East
3674
Metropolitan North and West
733
Metropolitan South
2231 10429
Total
Legend
CRAI WTLS
SES Incidents Type
SUNB
Animal Incident
NBIK
Assist Agency
HEAL
GRAMPIANS
Building Damage Flooding Landslide
BROA
BACC
MELT
METROPOLITAN NORTH AND WEST BRBK
Loose Debris / Objects / Fence
NORT
Other
LILY
ESSE
METROPOLITAN EASTERN
MHAM
FOOT
Rescue Sandbag Request
UPYA
Tree Down Tree Down Traffic Hazard
Melbourne
Major roads
HOBS
SES Region Boundaries RFAs by SES Response Zone GLEI
1 - 10
KNOX
WYND
WYNW
11 - 30 31 - 50
EMER
51 - 75
MOOR
76 - 100 101 or more
BARWON SOUTH WEST
CHEL
GRDA
WGUL
METROPOLITAN SOUTHERN
FRAN NAWA
BELL
PAKE
BARWON SOUTH WEST
Warragul
GIPPSLAND
Scale 1:500,000 0
By: ses_rb00
(at A3 paper)
11
16.5
22
Kilometres
HAST
Grid: GDA_1994_VICGRID94 Disclaimer: This map is a snapshot generated from Victorian Government data. This material may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria does not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for error, loss or damage which may arise from reliance upon it. All persons accessing this information should make appropriate enquiries to assess the currency of the data.
METROPOLITAN SOUTHERN
Created on: 7/2/2021 9:21:01 AM
5.5
LEOG
SORR
SANR Leongatha
GIPPSLAND PHIL
streets with no capacity to call triple zero for days. “God knows how many people needed triple zero and couldn’t get through” he said. Power cables lay twisted amongst trees that “fell from the sky”, power and mobile phones were down. Many residents trapped in their homes took 3 or 4 days to chainsaw enough clear space to get a car through. Community hubs were set up at Olinda, Lilydale, Yarra Junction, Belgrave, Healesville and Kalorama. Olinda CFA captain Phil Skiller commented “I was sure we were going to lose crews. I’ve been to Black Saturday, I’ve been to Ash Wednesday. I’ve been doing this 40 years, and this was the scariest thing I’ve ever come across”. vicsesva.org.au
GIPPSLAND
The event was a record for SES, with over 9,600 requests for assistance (RFAs) in two weeks. More than 1,000 staff and volunteers were deployed from 127 active Units. There were 7,197 reports of trees down, 1,138 building damage, 292 flood, 201 rescue, and 196 assist other agencies. Many properties were completely destroyed; 129 were deemed uninhabitable. VICSES, CFA and the ADF delivered 200 generators to homes without power, as Ausnet confirmed there was “basically no (power) network left”, with fallen trees having destroyed the above-ground system. Damaging winds also hit central Victoria, with gusts of up to 115km/h recorded at Puckapunyal. Dozens of trees were brought down in the wind, particularly
in the Macedon Ranges and Kyneton. Falling trees and downed power lines left more than 30,000 people without power. In Gippsland, 1,200 RFAs were received. People described it as “worse than a cyclone”. Widespread flooding damaged homes, leaving almost 200,000 homes without power. The Bureau of Meteorology issued major flood warnings for the Avon, Latrobe, McAlister, and Thomson rivers in Gippsland as well as for Traralgon Creek. The Princes Highway and other major roads were closed, cut by floodwaters. An evacuation order was issued for Traralgon and an evacuation centre was set up in the basketball stadium. The SES rescued at least 12 people caught in floodwaters. August 2021
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Senator
KIMBERLEY KITCHING Senator for Victoria
Thank you to all SES volunteers for your Gippsland says
Thank you
Thank you to all our local SES volunteers for working together with Councils to keep our community safe during the recent Storm, Flood and Power Outage event. We appreciate your tirelss dedication, assistance and efforts during the most challenging of times.
continued work to protect Victorians in
vulnerable situations despite the hardships
of COVID-19. Your dedication and effort is valued and appreciated.
Tenancy 3, 6 English Street, Essendon Fields VIC 3041 P: 03 9374 1640 E: senator.kitching@aph.gov.au www.kimberleykitching.com.au
Authorised by Senator K Kitching, ALP, Tenancy 3, 6 English Street, Essendon Fields VIC 3041
We would like to thank our Employees for keeping our Residents safe and COVID free. Thank you for your dedication and support of Park Lane Croydon.
Proudly Supporting the SES Volunteers & their families in our local community. Park Lane Croydon 295 – 299 Maroondah Hwy, Croydon Vic 3136 Ph: 03 9726 1100
Domestic & Residential Registered Building Practitioner Member of the Master Builders Association of Victoria New Builds - Renovations & Extensions Servicing All Melbourne and Surrounds
For Free Quotes Contact Luke on 0437 585 369 Find us on Instagram Email: luke@buildingandconstructioncompany.com.au
Proudly Supporting the Local SES
DON’T FORGET YOUR MAP AND COMPASS Smartphones are not always the answer YOU WOULD THINK THAT THERE ARE NO EXCUSE FOR PEOPLE GETTING LOST THESE DAYS WITH SMART PHONES, GPS AND MAP APPS, BUT THEY DO.
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oug Incoll, the Alpine Cluster Commander stationed at Bright Police, can tell many stories of people getting lost and needing assistance too often because they weren’t prepared. The high country around Bright is very beautiful but can turn deadly very quickly at any time of year. Senior Sergeant Incoll says too many people overly rely on their smartphone to find their way and ignore the messages about preparation, noting their intentions with someone or in track log books. Moreover, as smart as our phones are, they tend to lose charge very quickly in high altitude and in the cold and when they are flat, they are simply bricks. The most basic equipment that any walker should have is a paper map and a compass. Also as Senior vicsesva.org.au
Sergeant Incoll points out, “and know how to use them”! From a policing point of view, looking for and rescuing people is part of the job. However, it makes their job much easier and assistance much faster, if people can say where they are. One tip that Senior Sergeant Incoll recommends is that people download the Emergency+ app to their phones. This free app can be used to call triple zero and provides a Lat: Long location coordinate that rescuers can use to pinpoint the walker’s location. Recovery of injured skier (snapped head of his femur off) Aug 15 2021 near Horse Ridge Mt Bogong involved 50 hours of search and recovery time; agencies – VicPolice, RAV, SES and Ski Patrol
The other thing that people should bear in mind is that a lot of the search and rescue work is done by volunteers, the SES. The local SES does a great job. However, when they are called out, they are spending their personal time to perform a task that can be difficult, uncomfortable and demanding. How would you feel about giving up your Sunday lunch to go searching for someone, particularly if the weather is cold and wet? The message to everyone, not just walkers, is to do everything you can to be prepared so if you need to call for help, you are safe and make it as straightforward as possible for the rescuers. And don’t forget to take a map and compass with you. By Senior Sergeant Doug Incoll Alpine Cluster Commander, Bright August 2021
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VICSESVA CONDUCT AND CULTURE SURVEY 2021 IN 2021 VICSESVA CONDUCTED THE FIRST SURVEY ON CONDUCT AND CULTURE FOR BOTH VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF. THIS INITIATIVE FORMS PART OF ADVOCACY AND REPRESENTATION TO IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCES OF SES VOLUNTEERS AND TO ALLOW THEM TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD.
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icSESVA promotes the value of volunteers in multiple forums; through this widely-distributed Phoenix publication, at sector forums and working groups, on social media, at conferences and speaking engagements and in discussions with stakeholders and politicians. Like most workplaces, there are always varying examples of both excellence and deficiencies. The Conduct and Culture Survey attracted 285 participants who had concerning – and in some cases alarming – stories of bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, negative behaviours, misconduct, etc. Some members reported instances of stalking, predatory behaviour, and going through experiences which left them feeling suicidal. How does a workplace deal with such serious allegations? People want transparency and action, they want to be believed and respected, and they want procedures and processes that are equitable and effective which do not exacerbate the problem or blame the victim. Denial and defensiveness have no place. There should no argument around number of cases. How many cases of sexual harassment are acceptable? How many serious bullying examples? How many damaged people? The VicSESVA report was leaked to the media and critical articles caused some disquiet among some members. A few even lost sight of what other volunteers had been through and how they had suffered, and became tied up in social media posts about the media leak (and erroneously blaming VicSESVA). Yes, it is difficult news. Yes, it does not reflect well on the organisation. But these tough times are when members who are dedicated and committed demonstrate their will to improve the service; to ensure no-one is excluded, discriminated against, stalked, harassed or victimised. Many volunteers and staff saw this as the opportunity to contribute to meaningful change. Learning from the past Perhaps the last time VICSES was under serious scrutiny and needed to make radical change was after the death of a volunteer
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and VICSES was required to comply with a number of undertakings from the Magistrate’s Court. The VICSES annual report from 2009-2010 described the situation: “On 19 May 2007 Ronald Hopkins from the Mildura VICSES Unit died while participating in a Flood Boat exercise on the Murray River near Mildura – Buronga Bridge. A full investigation was carried out after this tragic event, with the cooperation and support of VICSES members. As a result of the investigation, VICSES were subsequently charged with a breach of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004. In November 2009, VICSES entered a plea of guilty to the charge and gave an undertaking to the Court to carry out a review of its training materials and programs along with a commitment of extensive funding for the purpose of developing appropriate training and audit activities and the employment of sufficient staff to ensure the implementation of such actions”. The service was fined $75,000 and gave undertakings about new procedures and policies that would improve safety, around training, OHS, Train the Trainer, skills development, safety advisor role, SOPs, Play Your Part and more. The then CEO Mary Barry was unwavering in ensuring the implementation of the undertakings and in lifting the standards of SES. Understandably, there was some resistance or push-back from some members; significant changes disrupted the ‘comfort zone’ of some, and others did not fully comprehend the necessity of the changes. But change we all did, with Mary Barry leading from the front and not allowing us to slip back. We may now be at a point where the extent of mental harm in the workplace can be seen as the next big challenge; hopefully one where a tragic death does not have to occur for it to be given the serious attention it deserves. VICSES have taken steps and referred the matter to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC). They have
released their own internal review of culture. They have begun to implement measures which align with the advocacy VicSESVA has provided them for several years. We continue to recommend that all disputes should be taken to an external, independent provider and be based on principles of restorative engagement. The VicSESVA Conduct and Culture Survey has freed up many voices. People no longer feel they are alone and that noone is listening. They have found relief in knowing it is not just them, and in finding other volunteers who will believe them and support them. The following is an excerpt from the Introduction to the report. The full report can be accessed at vicsesva.org.au, login, then go to documents, then reports. If you do not have a login, please request one from secretary@vicsesva.org.au. If you have an example of negative culture, bullying, harassment etc. you can report this to VicSESVA at any time. VicSESVA Conduct and Culture Survey 2021: Background In 2021, after extensive discussions with volunteers and staff, VicSESVA worked with individuals and groups to gain a greater understanding of issues of conduct and culture in VICSES. VicSESVA received numerous complaints from members who believed issues they had experienced in their local Unit or which they had raised with VICSES had been inadequately managed. In some cases, the members had suffered significant detrimental mental health consequences. VicSESVA developed the ‘Conduct and Culture Survey for Volunteers and Staff 2021’ to allow all VICSES workers the opportunity to voice their concerns about their experiences in VICSES and to highlight issues which may negatively affect sector capability, recruitment, retention, member welfare, workplace practices, and more. The survey provides valuable insights into culture and conduct matters and VicSESVA suggests that it can form part of a solutions-based approach which can be repeated annually to gauge ongoing trends in cultural change. vicsesva.org.au
No longer silent In the 2 months from December 2020 to January 2021, VicSESVA received detailed submissions from members concerning 26 different cases of bullying, harassment, discrimination, misconduct; some of which affected many more people than the complainant. It was a period in which multiple workplaces were coming under increasing scrutiny for their unsatisfactory cultural practices and various cases received extensive media coverage, including some with allegations of physical and sexual assault, such as in Federal Parliament and other EM agencies such as the RFS, CFA and AV. People were no longer prepared to be silent. The Extent of Cultural Problems There is no systematic measurement of negative cultural issues or mental injury in VICSES, even though these may be critical incidents. While there is a large amount of WH&S data quantifying vehicle scratches and dents, trips and falls in the office, or minor bruising, there may be no mechanism for assessing mental injury. Many volunteers leave the service quietly rather than persist in a damaging work environment. Those who take their complaint further through formal processes often feel they are victimised, and that the process itself does little to resolve their complaint, or that the process compounds their stress and trauma. This survey of conduct and culture can provide a valuable voice for members, where the information can be systematically gathered and analysed. Engagement in the Conversation There is a widely held view that in the EM sector there are historical practices which may not reflect contemporary community expectations, and which fall short of accepted social and workplace standards of behaviour, gender equity and personal safety. VicSESVA continues to actively advocate in every possible forum for meaningful cultural change to be effected in VICSES and across the EM sector. VicSESVA has contacted and discussed these issues to varying degrees with volunteers; ministerial offices of the Minister for Police and Emergency Services, the Minister for Women and the Prevention of Family Violence and the Minister for Workplace Safety; with VHREOC, Phoeni x Australia, the Centre for Innovative Justice, Justice Connect and EMV’s Volunteer Consultative Forum (VCF); with the VICSES Board, VICSES Executive, VICSES staff; and with other EM agency representatives and colleagues. The conversation is important and has broad engagement. vicsesva.org.au
Sharing the Findings VicSESVA provided a pre-release copy of the report to the VICSES Executive on 5 August, with a request for a meeting to discuss the serious findings. The report was uploaded to the VicSESVA website on 9 August after the report was leaked to The Age, before it was able to be tabled at the VicSESVA Board meeting on 14 August. As a number of media articles were published, more people came forward to tell stories of their experiences. The issues are wide-ranging and disturbing, and it is clear that effective action needs to be taken, in consultation with volunteers and staff. VICSES Workplace Culture Review into Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Almost two weeks after the release of the VicSESVA report, VICSES released its internal review of culture. This report supports the findings of the VicSESVA Conduct and Culture Survey 2021. While the VICSES-commissioned report was more limited in scope and attracted only 35 participants, it nevertheless demonstrated the clear outcomes of the VicSESVA survey contributed to by 285 members: that some volunteers and staff have experienced and continue to be exposed to, negative workplace culture and behaviours that have caused harm. Both surveys raised questions about the level of trust that volunteers and staff have in VICSES, about processes not being followed, about confidentiality, mental health concerns, exclusion, exhaustion from raising matters continually with no change, and feeling targeted if they raise a complaint. Any VHREOC enquiry should not just address whether internal processes are adequate; how and by whom processes are implemented is often where failures occur. The VicSESVA report and the VICSES review both support the case for how a people-centred approach (and in disputes, a victim-centred approach) should guide future strategic directions. VicSESVA remains committed to working with VICSES on issues affecting volunteers, we call upon VICSES to work with volunteers and staff, to learn from what has been in plain sight for years, and to build a better organisation together. While VicSESVA appreciates the recent announcements from VICSES on measures they will be taking to improve workplace culture, many members suggest that it is not enough. Because a plethora of helplines, new ways to report, or web pages do not change culture and behaviour. Only people can do that. While the people who have perpetuated the damaging culture are in charge of the changes needed,
members will not be confident that their at least, legitimate concerns and at worst, heartbreaking experiences can be given the attention they deserve. We remain optimistic that the wellbeing of members is at the centre of VICSES’ thinking. Volunteering is critical to emergency response in Australia and we cannot afford to lose good people. More than that, no workplace – not least one which is predicated on service to others – can ever afford to have a culture that is in any way damaging to individuals, paid or unpaid. That is unconscionable.
If any content of this article has raised issues for you, please seek help. Lifeline 131114 (24/7) lifeline.org.au Beyond Blue 1300 224 636 (24/7) beyondblue.org.au Headspace Australia 1800 650 890 headspace.org.au Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 (24/7) suicidecallbackservice.org.au Qlife 1800 184 527 qlife.org.au SANE Australia 1800 187 263 www.sane.org ReachOut NextStep https://au.reachout.com/urgenthelp#nextstep MensLine Australia 1300 789 978 (24/7) mensline.org.au 1800 RESPECT 1800 737 732 (24/7) 1800respect.org.au Mindspot 1800 614 434 mindspot.org.au RU Triple OK? www.ruok.org.au/triple-ok Smiling Mind app www.smilingmind.com.au/ Self Compassion resources self-compassion.org myCompass web tool www.mycompass.org.au/ MoodMission app moodmission.com
August 2021
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HOW DOES ASKING FOR HELP BECOME A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE? One member’s impact statement HOW DID WE GET TO THIS POINT? HOW DO YOU PUT FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS INTO WORDS? HOW DOES ASKING FOR HELP BECOME A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE? WITH MOVEMENTS AND CAMPAIGNS SUCH AS #METOO, ‘UNMUTE YOURSELF’, ‘KNOW THE LINE’ ETC. PEOPLE ARE MORE EMPOWERED TO CALL OUT INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR, SEEK HELP AND REPORT IT. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE REPORTING BECOMES MISHANDLED AND TRAUMATIC?
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t has been deeply traumatising to witness an SES member and friend being constantly subjected to sexual harassment, inappropriate behaviour, unwanted attention and stalking by another SES member for the past couple of years. After consistently repeating the words of “NO” and very clear instructions to stop, the behaviour continued and escalated. The victim was also subject to extreme coercive control behaviours such as gaslighting, possessive behaviours and manipulation. These sexual harassment behaviours have been allowed to continue for far too long. They have made her feel very unsafe, nervous, fearful and anxious which causes me to worry about her safety, well-being and mental health, and the safety, well-being and mental health of all women in the SES. vicsesva.org.au
It has been extremely distressing to watch one of the strongest, charismatic and driven people I know turn into someone who is now frightened, constantly looking over their shoulder, anxious, lost and lacking motivation. She has had to obtain a PSIO, install security cameras in her home. During COVID lockdowns she was alone. Why did it have to get to this point? I am now very concerned about SES procedures and processes involved in identifying, reporting, responding to and supporting sexual harassment cases. I am frustrated that the process seems inadequate, ineffective, far too lengthy and not sufficiently supportive of victims. Many of us found the processes to be horrific and it is no wonder members choose to leave rather than go through this humiliating and distressing experience. Why is it that reporting sexual harassment can be as traumatic if not more so than the harassment itself? My impression was: 1. Unit management and some staff in VICSES didn’t seem to understand the process. Their errors have detrimental impacts on those involved. 2. It was hard to gain information on the process and to work out who to talk to in VICSES. Who are all the players in the game and what role do they play? vicsesva.org.au
3. We felt that VICSES played the blame game. State blamed the unit, unit blamed Region, Region blamed State, State blamed the victim. 4. It appeared as though the perpetrator had more rights than the member being harassed. 5. It appeared that VICSES is not able to provide a safe workplace even though they have a duty of care to do so. Everyone has a right to feel safe at work. 6. In my opinion, the sexual harassment complaint was mismanaged at every level of the organisation and at every step of the process. It felt like there was always an excuse or issue in order to not deal with this situation. Sexual harassment is very serious misconduct and priority should be given as the situation was escalating which raised very scary safety concerns. There was no clear point of contact in VICSES to manage this type of complaint. It seemed that no-one was trained to deal with a case this serious and sensitive in nature. There was a lack of empathy and understanding. There was a lack of communication. I was not told what was happening in either of the investigations (internal and external) or what happened afterwards. Everything seemed to take so long when it was important for it to be dealt with and resolved quickly for safety reasons. 7. I was concerned that the victim and other members who were witnesses had to do all the information gathering in regards to policies, procedures, legalities etc. Why did SES management not give us timely advice on this? 8. The process was not straightforward or easy to understand. It felt like the victim was set up to fail from the beginning due to so many hurdles being put in place. The Hearing process was not explained at all. Pressure to proceed when unsure of the process was frightening. There was no access to legal support or any psychological support for the victim who suffered fear of reprisals. 9. What happened to the other complaints that were raised? What about the Code of Conduct being violated? It appears there is no consequence for repeatedly violating the Code of Conduct, even though evidence was provided by multiple people. 10. Priority was given to keeping everything ‘hush hush’ as opposed to resolving the issue. Unit management were apparently scared of ‘possible litigation’. 11. It was extremely disappointing and alarming to attend a meeting by State in regard to this complaint and watch a high ranking staff member look disinterested and fall asleep. 12. No apology has been given to the victim in regards to the failings of VICSES in this case.
How this has affected me This whole experience has left me emotionally and mentally drained and I am experiencing high levels of anxiety, PTSD, and loss of confidence. I have zero trust with the VICSES organization and am very frustrated, angry and sad in regards to the outcomes and the effect this has had on the victim. I have lost inspiration which has made me resign from a number of SES positions which I once wholeheartedly enjoyed. I am too anxious to attend group training. I feel members involved in the investigation process are suffering from vicarious trauma and I have concerns over their welfare. I am left confused and disappointed with the processes and outcomes especially as a number of witnesses presented evidence of misconduct and inappropriate behaviour and safety concerns caused by the perpetrator. I am fed up with harassment, abuse of power and inappropriate behaviour and the effect it has on members. I am left with questions instead of solutions. What can be done to improve conditions? What can be done better to support staff? I want to see: • A respectful, supportive workplace culture • Zero tolerance for inappropriate behaviour, harassment or assault • A standard for dealing with inappropriate behaviour, harassment or assault set and enforced • Better process for dealing with inappropriate behaviour, harassment or assault • Formation of a confidential, independent and impartial ‘Serious Incident Team’, that staff could turn to for advice, safety and support for trauma • People who come forward listened to, believed and supported by an effective independent, impartial body that empowers victims • Timely handling of investigations • Unit management to be more informed, trained and educated in regards to inappropriate behaviour, harassment or assault and their policies and processes • I don’t want an us vs them situation, I want to work together to improve our workplace culture. • Better understanding of how Safegate works and why we must use it • Members understand the bystander effect and empowering people to call it out, report it and not to tolerate inappropriate behaviour. August 2021
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Give life. Give blood.
Book your donation today
give blood
Thank you to all the incredible SES volunteers for the amazing work you do to keep us safe.
P: 9803 0592 W: SonjaTerpstraMP.com.au E: sonja.terpstra@parliament.vic.gov.au
www.beyondblue.org.au 1300 22 4636
Authorised by S Terpstra. Funded from Parliamentary budget
East Gippsland says thanks I extend a sincere thank-you to the selfless contribution SES volunteers make to East Gippsland and beyond. The SES steps up without fear or favour to support our community, and we are most grateful. – Cr Mendy Urie, Mayor East Gippsland Shire Council (03) 5153 9500 eastgippsland.vic.gov.au
www.salvos.org.au 13 72 58
SES canine squad being inspected by the Police Commissioner and Minister.
SAFE AND FOUND Western Australia Launch ON THURSDAY 12 AUGUST THE WA MINISTER FOR POLICE, THE HONOURABLE PAUL PAPALIA CSC MLA, LAUNCHED THE SAFE AND FOUND WA INITIATIVE.
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his initiative is about those persons who are living with dementia or a cognitive impairment who may be at risk of becoming lost. The WA Police partnered with Australia Medic Alert to create the Safe and Found WA. The program ensures police have immediate access to critical information, including s photo, if a member is reported missing. The launch included representatives from the WA Police, Medic Alert Foundation, the State Emergency Service and others. vicsesva.org.au
This program utilises Lost Person Behaviour, a method that has been developed, based on studies and statistical gathering from search and rescue groups from many countries. Safe and Found is an initiative introduced by Western Australia Police Force and Australia MedicAlert Foundation. There have been a number of people involved in developing this, with the Police lead coming from Inspector Steve Scott (past WA SES Volunteer Advisory Committee member).
Police Minister launching Safe and Found WA. August 2021
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VICSES Footscray group.
VICSES VOLUNTEERS GIVE “LIFEBLOOD” ON THURSDAY JULY 22 DURING MELBOURNE’S 5th LOCKDOWN, 10 MEMBERS OF VICSES FOOTSCRAY UNIT VISITED THE MELBOURNE CITY BRANCH OF THE AUSTRALIAN RED CROSS BLOOD SERVICE (ALSO KNOWN AS AUSTRALIAN RED CROSS LIFEBLOOD) TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 2021 EMERGENCY SERVICES BLOOD CHALLENGE.
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ust over 50% of the Unit members donate blood and one of the reasons a group booking was organised was to encourage first time blood donors to attend and experience the process of donating. Donating blood is a permitted activity during lockdown. Highlights of this group visit were: Deputy Controller People and Community Engagement Faye Bendrups 427th blood donation, Section Leader Training Brendan Corcoran giving his 120th donation, 5 first time donors and one returning donor after a 10 year break. All first time donors and the returning donor enjoyed the experience. Donating blood may seem a daunting prospect for the new donor but the benefits to the community are enormous. Only 3% of the Australian population donate blood but if you have 2 hours to spare once every 3 months, you can save the equivalent of 3 lives as there is a section of the community which is only able to live through transfusion of the various blood products produced through the donation of blood. Blood is a living organism with a very limited shelf life and cannot be replicated. There are benefits to the blood donor as well. A test of blood pressure, pulse, iron level and weight are all taken at each donation and a record kept. This is a mini
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Faye Bendrups 427 donations.
Many other SES volunteers give blood regularly. Among them in August was Peter Swann, from Melton Unit who reached a milestone 100 donations.
health check free of charge every time. If you work for a large organisation you will be issued with a medical certificate by the Australian Red Cross which will entitle you to an hour off work with pay to donate. A complimentary light meal and refreshments are provided after each donation as well. During National Blood Donor Week (14-20 June 2021) Faye Bendrups had made a milestone 425th donation.
Faye started donating 50 years ago and is also a registered organ donor: “In SES we can save lives attending to disasters, rescues and road crashes, but it is easy to save lives in other ways – like being a blood donor or organ donor. Its something to think about and discuss with those closest to you”. Dr Bendrups is the third generation of Red Cross supporters; both her mother and grandmother were lifelong Red Cross volunteers. She started donating whole vicsesva.org.au
Brendan Corcoran (in orange) 100 donations, with first timer Charlotte Russell-Maynard.
78 8
182 268
BLOOD DONATIONS
PLASMA DONATIONS
PLATELET DONATIONS
TOTAL DONATIONS
849
Lives Saved
blood at the age of 16, then became a regular plasma donor as well as a regular donor to an early cytapheresis panel at the original Peter McCallum Cancer Clinic which was located in Little Lonsdale Street until 1994. If you become a blood donor, you can join in the annual Emergency Services Blood Challenge which runs from 1 June to 31 August – every donation you make counts towards the total, and if you become vicsesva.org.au
plasma donor you can make even more by giving plasma every 2 weeks. Donations are needed for patients experiencing cancer, road trauma, surgery or a difficult pregnancy, or for people with medical conditions which require regular blood products. The Blood bank forwarded some interim SES donor statistics in early August which can be seen in the above table. Brendan Corcoran has recruited dozens of blood donors over many years of service
in VICSES and St John Ambulance: “I encourage all VICSES members to consider being involved in donating blood. If you have any questions about donating blood or to make a booking call 131 495 or go to donateblood.com.au”. By Brendan Corcoran Section Leader Training, VICSES Footscray Unit August 2021
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SUPPORTING THE MENTAL HEALTH OF YOUNG ADULT VOLUNTEERS NEW RESEARCH HAS DEVELOPED A PACKAGE OF RESOURCES THAT PROVIDE A PRACTICAL AND EVIDENCE-BASED STARTING POINT FOR SUPPORTING POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING IN YOUNG ADULT FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICE VOLUNTEERS.
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hese mental health and wellbeing resources were developed as part of the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC’s Tactical Research Fund program. They were designed to support the positive mental health and wellbeing of young adult volunteers by improving mental health literacy and establishing stronger support networks within fire and emergency service agencies. The research project, Positive mental health in young adult emergency services personnel, was led by Dr Amanda Taylor at the University of Adelaide and was a partnership with Flinders University, the University of Western Australia, the University of British Columbia in Canada, the Hospital Research Foundation, AFAC, Military and Emergency Services Health Australia (MESHA), several key emergency service agencies and the young adult members of the project’s Young Volunteers Advisory Committee. “This study is the first in Australia to focus specifically on the mental health needs of young adult fire and emergency service volunteers aged 16 to 25,” said Dr Taylor. vicsesva.org.au
The package of research-backed mental health resources available online includes the Care4Guide, posters, social media assets and fact sheets. Source: Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC.
“The resources developed from this research include both simple practical strategies for young volunteers to support their own mental health and wellbeing, as well as a Wellbeing Framework and Implementation Guide for fire and emergency agencies to better support younger volunteers. “Most importantly, these resources have been designed by subject matter experts across Australia together with fire and emergency agencies and the young volunteers themselves, which is a unique way of ensuring that they are understandable and relevant to those who will be using them,” Dr Taylor said. The suite of resources includes the Care4Guide, a practical selfcompleted guide designed with and for young fire and emergency service volunteers to maintain their positive mental health and wellbeing. The guidance provided by the study’s Young Volunteers Advisory Committee, was critical to the project, explained Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC CEO Dr Richard Thornton. “The Care4Guide gives young volunteers, their agencies and the whole fire and vicsesva.org.au
emergency sector the tools they need to have a conversation about mental health early in their engagement,” Dr Richard Thornton said. Other resources include an Agency Implementation Guide aimed at agency leaders, fact sheets that summarise key findings, and shareable assets such as posters and social media graphics that fire and emergency service agencies can use to promote positive mental health within brigades, groups and units. These resources will not only benefit all fire and emergency services, but will also contribute more widely to the sustainability of Australia’s critical volunteer service and emergency sector. AFAC CEO Stuart Ellis said that it is the duty of emergency service agencies to meet the commitment of young volunteers with appropriate and relevant support. “Volunteering is a rewarding venture in and of itself, and this research shows us that young volunteers’ sense of wellbeing is improved through their participation, and their service to their communities is invaluable to the fire and emergency services sector,” he said.
“However, we cannot ignore the risks. Their willingness to step up for their communities must be reciprocated by fire and emergency services through mental health and wellbeing support.” The resources developed through the research will be valuable for years to come, explained Dr Miranda Van Hooff, Executive Director of MESHA. “The Hospital Research Foundation Group, through MESHA, is proud to have co-funded and collaborated on this important piece of research, which will have a positive impact on the young people who serve our community. “We hope the practical and tailored resources that have been developed can be utilised by both young emergency services volunteers as well as their agencies to promote and support the health and wellbeing of our young emergency service volunteers now and into the future,” Dr Van Hooff said. Access the full suite of mental health and wellbeing resources at www.bnhcrc. com.au/resources/volunteer-mentalhealth, while the full project report is also available at www.bnhcrc.com.au/ volunteermentalhealth/report. August 2021
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The research team created several shareable assets that can be used to promote positive mental health practices, all available online, including Skill Spotlight social media graphics such as this one about daily mindfulness.
Some of the key research findings included: • Volunteer exposure to potentially traumatising events is common. • 25 per cent of surveyed young volunteers had experienced an event that affected them deeply during their volunteering. 4 in 5 young firefighters had experienced at least one stressful event in the course of their role. • 75 per cent had an active role in the 2019–20 Australian bushfires. 44 per cent lived in a bushfire affected area. • Young volunteers generally perceived that their volunteer role benefited their wellbeing via a sense of contributing to the community.
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Young volunteers have higher levels of probable post-traumatic stress disorder (8.8 per cent) compared to older volunteers (4.7 per cent). Young volunteers believed that they had good skills for identifying and responding to potential mental health concerns in others but had less well-developed skills for identifying mental health concerns in themselves. Young volunteers perceived mental health-related stigma is still present within many brigades, groups and units, particularly among older volunteers and personnel.
The research team for this project comprised Dr Amanda Taylor, Dr Jane Cocks (University of Adelaide); Prof Sharon Lawn (Flinders University); A/Prof David Lawrence, Wavne Rikkers (University of Western Australia); Dr Louise Roberts (Flinders University); A/Prof Maureen Ashe (University of British Columbia, University of Adelaide); A/Prof Rachel Roberts, Prof Alexander McFarlane, Prof Paul Delfabbro, Holly Caruso (University of Adelaide); and Dr Miranda Van Hooff (Military and Emergency Services Health Australia, Hospital Research Group, University of Adelaide). vicsesva.org.au
There are four fact sheets available online that present key findings from the research, including this one that shows the main perspectives of young volunteers regarding mental health and wellbeing. vicsesva.org.au
August 2021
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ARE THEY TRIPLE OK?
We’re always there to help. Let’s make sure we help each other and ask R U OK? ruok.org.au/triple-ok
ESF IMPACT Newsletter, Issue 16
Managing the Human Dimensions of Disasters
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jell Brataas’ book, Managing the Human Dimension of Disasters, caring for the bereaved, survivors and first responders includes stories that have not previously been widely shared about how people deal with the aftermath of disasters. Kjell joined ESF for an Insight conversation and explained how, after speaking with people worldwide about their involvement in disasters, he came to a very broad definition of first responders – all of whom need to be considered in the aftermath. He stressed that it is so important to have a longterm vision when thinking of supporting people after a disaster because issues often don’t surface for many years and how leaders respond in times of crisis can have such an impact on all involved saying they must get amongst those affected immediately. Shannon Hood drew on his experience as a counsellor deployed with SA fire crews on Black Saturday to share ideas for how organisations could better support people involved in disasters. He suggested involving family in pre incident training and introducing pre-deployment wellbeing checks. Dr Graham Dwyer from Swinburne University spoke about a research study he recently did with Prof Leanne Cutcher
from University of Sydney in partnership with CFA to understand how emergency management organisations – primarily firefighters – commemorate and remember major events. What they found is that firefighters don’t want to be seen as heroes, because calling them heroes overstates their ability to control fires and downplays the long-term psychological impacts of fighting fires. He stressed the complexity and importance of broad consultation in establishing any sort of memorial so that different memories and perspectives can be incorporated. The Black Saturday memorial at Jindivick in the Baw Baw Shire was
provided as an example of where this was well done. The memorial comprises brightly painted bollards, a mosaic, wooden seating, and a post sculpture with a memorial plaque. It is designed as a pause place for quiet reflection beside a walking track. A recording of the conversation with Kjell, Shannon and Graham is available here: https://esf.com.au/2021/06/24/ managing-the-humandimension-of-disasters/
Reactions Fascinating speakers providing real insights. The delayed emotional response to disasters, often not seen for the first year but over subsequent years, shows that support needs to be available for years after a disaster. Speakers covered the risk of hindsight in recovery, the role of the media and journalists, the importance of memorials and some of the great examples in other countries. So much of interest to find out more about. Tanja Surwald Emergency Management Victoria
This was another great opportunity to hear from some very well credentialled speakers addressing the issues of post event trauma on our communities, and importantly on our emergency service/management people. Kjell’s experiences resonate with those in Australia particularly in the context of community engagement and communication, Shannon’s experiences, particularly from the 2009 bushfire event were illuminating, and the findings from Graham Dwyer’s research about the place of memory, memorials and the impacts of time was very informative. Another great session, thank you.
I thoroughly enjoyed the points made by all three speakers especially in relation to engaging with the community about developing memorials. The idea of pre deployment wellbeing checks resonated through my experience and it should be the way of the future and we must train those in charge to do that sort of check. Lex de Man CEO Victoria Police Legacy and CFA Volunteer with 47 years’ experience
Tony Pearce Inspector General for Emergency Management
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VICTORIA SES, FRV AND THE SEMP TODAY’S QUESTION COMES FROM ‘CONCERNED AND CONFUSED VICTORIANS’ BUT I WOULD INFER IT’S MORE SPECIFIC AND IS ‘CONCERNED AND CONFUSED VOLUNTEERS WITH VICTORIA SES’. THEY SAY: Over the previous 12 months, we VICSES volunteers have been in many awkward situations across the state in many locations since the introduction of FRV [Fire Rescue Victoria] being challenged on response to jobs. After reading your recent correspondence relating to the Fire Rescue Victoria Act Section 32 [see Response issues for Fire Rescue Victoria (July 23, 2021)], I pose the following questions as an extension: 1. With the introduction of the State Emergency Management Plan (SEMP), does this ‘trump’ agencies Acts, namely Victoria State Emergency Service Act and the Fire Rescue Victoria Act. For example: Vehicle into Structure, who may the control agency be? Is there a difference between being in an FRV District, vs outside in another area of the state. Who is the control agency for Vehicle into Structure with Building Damage in the current arrangements with consideration to the Acts/SEMP?
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’m not going to get into the detail of each question. The Victorian emergency services in particular FRV, the CFA and Victoria SES are each established by an Act of Parliament. This Act sets up the organisation, gives it the powers it needs to function and sets out in broad terms why it is there. The control of the prevention and suppression of fires in the country area of Victoria is …, vested in the [Country Fire] Authority (Country Fire Authority Act 1958 (Vic) s 14). The functions of Fire Rescue Victoria are set out in the Fire Rescue Victoria Act (1958) (Vic) s 7. They include: (a) to provide for fire suppression and fire prevention services in the Fire Rescue Victoria fire district; and (b) to provide for emergency prevention and response services in the Fire Rescue Victoria fire district; and
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Road Rescue: Given the Road Crash Rescue Arrangements within Victoria are the main driver and rule book for the response of Road Rescue, is there anything within the CFA, VICSES or FRV Acts that override the Arrangements or are the arrangements the effective rule book of response? 2. The Fire Rescue Victoria Act within Section 32 indicates this ‘other type of emergencies’ – what is this? Is this referenced anywhere? Does this mean that the VICSES primary responsibilities are now assumed by FRV within their ‘Districts’ or is this a presumption by some FRV Officers? 3. With question number one front of mind, what is FRV’s obligation to respond outside of an FRV District for road rescue, and other emergencies? 4. Within the VICSES act, when being compared to the FRV and CFA Acts, is VICSES an equal with regards to being required to respond to emergencies. Is this overseen by the SEMP at any part or are they not exclusive of each other.
(ba) to implement the fire and emergency services priorities of the Government of Victoria; and (bb) to provide operational and management support to the Country Fire Authority in consultation with and as agreed by the Authority, to meet the Authority’s objective under section 6B of the Country Fire Authority Act 1958, including support to maintain, strengthen and encourage the capability of volunteers; and (c) to carry out any other functions conferred on Fire Rescue Victoria by or under this Act or the regulations or any other Act or any regulations under that Act. The functions of Victoria SES (Victoria State Emergency Service Act 2005 (Vic) s 5) are to provide: (a) [deleted] (b) emergency response including— (i) responding to floods, earthquakes and storms and their effects;
(ii) providing rescue services; (c) emergency support including— (i) assisting other agencies and organisations in relation to the performance and exercise of their duties and responsibilities under the Emergency Management Act 2013 ; (ii) acting in accordance with emergency management arrangements under the Emergency Management Act 2013 ; (iii) assisting search and rescue for persons lost on land or in Victorian waters; (d) other authorised emergency activities including— (i) co-ordinating and engaging in other emergency activities for the purposes of this Act; (ii) participating in civil defence activities; (iii) engaging in any other emergency activities for the purpose of carrying out any other functions conferred on the Authority by or under any other Act. vicsesva.org.au
The definition of emergency is given in the Emergency Management Act 2013 (Vic) s 3. It says: “emergency” means an emergency due to the actual or imminent occurrence of an event which in any way endangers or threatens to endanger the safety or health of any person in Victoria or which destroys or damages, or threatens to destroy or damage, any property in Victoria or endangers or threatens to endanger the environment or an element of the environment in Victoria including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing— (a) an earthquake, flood, wind-storm or other natural event; and (b) a fire; and (c) an explosion; and (d) a road accident or any other accident; and (e) a plague or an epidemic or contamination; and (f) a warlike act or act of terrorism, whether directed at Victoria or a part of Victoria or at any other State or Territory of the Commonwealth; and (g) a hi-jack, siege or riot; and (h) a disruption to an essential service; You can see the scope for duplication. If Victoria SES are providing ‘rescue services’ and FRV are providing emergency response services and an emergency includes a road accident then there could be confusion. Enter Emergency Management Victoria, the Emergency Management Commissioner and the State Emergency Management Plan. All three services are required to ‘collaborate and consult with Emergency Management Victoria’ (Victoria SES Act s 4B; Fire Rescue Victoria Act s 7AB; Country Fire Authority Act s 6C). Each must carry out their ‘functions in accordance with the operational standards developed by the
Emergency Management Commissioner’ (Victoria SES Act s 4C; Fire Rescue Victoria Act s 7AC; Country Fire Authority Act s 6D). The Emergency Management Act 2013 (Vic) provides for ‘class 1’ and ‘class 2’ emergencies. Relevantly a class 1 emergency is ‘any … major emergency for which Fire Rescue Victoria, the Country Fire Authority or the Victoria State Emergency Service Authority is the control agency under the state emergency management plan’. The State Emergency Management Plan (SEMP) is a ‘plan to provide for an integrated, coordinated and comprehensive approach to emergency management at a State level’ (s 60AD)). To get to the gist of the questions, the SEMP provides who is to be the ‘control agency’. ‘Control’ is, according to the SEMP (p. 19) ‘the direction of response activities across agencies, horizontally, including the coordination and tasking of other agencies’. Victoria Police is the control agency for ‘road … accidents/incidents … (unless otherwise designated)’. FRV is the control agency within ‘the FRV Fire District’ for ‘rescue of persons from … road, … accidents’. Vic SES is the control agency for ‘rescue incidents involving rail, aircraft and industrial, road, and building structures’. To reiterate that I’m not going to go into the details my answers to the questions are: 1. If you like, the Emergency Management Act 2013 (Vic) and the SEMP ‘trumps’ the individual Acts. I’m not keen on that language but certainly the agency have to work with EMV, the Emergency Management Commissioner and work to the SEMP. The Acts that establish the agencies create the tools, the SEMP is the plan on how they will work together.
If you want to call that ‘trumps’, fair enough. The control agency for managing the response to a motor vehicle accident is Victoria Police; unless rescue is required in which case it’s FRV within the FRV Fire District’ and outside that district, it’s the SES. 2. The definition of ‘emergency’ has been given above. This does not mean ‘VICSES primary responsibilities are now assumed by FRV within their ‘Districts’’. Who is the control agency, as the answer to q 2 shows, depends on the SEMP. 3. As part of the all hazards all agencies response, FRV’s duty to respond outside the FRV district would depend on it being tasked by the relevant control agency (Fire Rescue Victoria Act 1958 (Vic) s 55E). 4. The three emergency services, FRV, CFA and Victoria SES have similar legislation designed to ensure they work together but subject to the oversight of the Emergency Management Commissioner and in accordance with plans starting with the SEMP. I don’t know the lived experience but according to their legislation they are ‘equal with regards to being required to respond to emergencies’ in accordance with the SEMP and relevant directions from the Emergency Management Commissioner.
This article was first published in Australian Emergency Law by Michael Eburn (https://emergencylaw.wordpress.com/). It is reprinted with permission.
AUSTRALIAN EMERGENCY LAW BLOG AFTER 12 YEARS, MICHAEL EBURN’S BLOG, AUSTRALIAN EMERGENCY LAW HAS CLOSED.
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burn, PhD and Barrister, is a foremost expert on law that applies to or affects Australia’s emergency services and emergency management, and his blog has been an instructive and popular source of information. The blog is still online so archived articles can be accessed. VicSESVA appreciates the support of Eburn for SES volunteers and for allowing his blog articles to be reprinted in Phoenix over the years. Michael, a sincere thank you from across the Australian SES communities. The blog began with the first post Ambulance Service v Neal on January 29, 2009. Between then and 1 July 2021 there have been 1477 posts and approximately 4400 comments. 1.2 million people have visited the WordPress site. That does not count the number of people who access the blog via Facebook and LinkedIn. (see https://emergencylaw.wordpress.com/2021/07/01/after-12-years-this-blog-will-close/).
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VicSESVA
A QUICK GUIDE Victoria State Emergency Service Volunteers Association WHAT IS VicSESVA? VicSESVA works to represent and advocate for VICSES volunteers, actively supporting members and engaging cooperatively with VICSES management, EM sector agencies and governing bodies, and State Government. • VicSESVA is a non-profit organisation which exists to further the interests of VICSES volunteer members. • VicSESVA uses its dedicated focus on volunteers to select and drive the resolution of issues that impact on skills, safety and how VICSES volunteers undertake their duties. It is important to note that VicSESVA is an Association not a Union. VicSESVA does not engage in adversarial campaigns but it does seek to further the interests of VICSES volunteers, and the public they serve, by promoting appropriate standards in training, equipment and ethics in VICSES.
WHO IS VicSESVA? VicSESVA is wholly staffed by VICSES volunteers who provide their time and expertise gratis and is funded by a small fee from VICSES Units, used to subsidise costs such as publishing, website, minimal office admin support and VA delegates travel. VicSESVA is comprised of all VICSES Units (two delegates may represent each Unit), Regional Councils and a State Board.
VicSESVA’s MISSION To be pro-active in the pursuit of excellence in service delivery for VicSESVA members and to maintain an effective communication and interaction with all emergency and support agencies.
VicSESVA’s VISION To ensure that the highest level of skills training is available to the volunteers of VICSES. To ensure that the resources available to volunteers are applicable to the respective operational requirements.
VicSESVA’s STRUCTURE VicSESVA is broken up into 7 Regions: South West, Central West, Central East, North West, North East, Mid-West and East. Each Region has a Regional Council which seeks input from local Units, meets and discusses the issues identified and selects issues for escalation to the VicSESVA State Board. Unit Delegates Each member Unit of VicSESVA may elect two delegates who convey the thoughts and feelings of their Unit and its members to the Regional Council or State Board.
Regional Councils The elected delegates of the Units from within the region form their Regional Council. The Regional Councils raise issues relevant to VICSES volunteers to be presented to the VicSESVA State Board for the formulation of policy on the issues they perceive need to be addressed, and to further advocate an outcome with the VICSES CEO or VICSES Board for action. Regional Council Positions Each Council may elect members to undertake the following roles: • President • Secretary
• Director • Alternate Director
VicSESVA Board The VicSESVA State Board is comprised of Regional Council Directors. Matters raised at Regional Councils are brought to the State Board so that the Board can recognise and monitor any wide ranging issues as they develop. If appropriate, the board will present them to the respective VICSES Management stream for resolution. VicSESVA Board Positions • Chairperson • Board Member • Vice Chairperson • Board Member • Secretary • Board Member • Treasurer
PHOENIX MAGAZINE VicSESVA publishes the Phoenix Journal for VICSES volunteers. Phoenix is published four times a year and features articles and photos of interest, submitted by volunteers and staff. To register to receive your electronic copy of Phoenix, go to https://vicsesva.org.au/how-to-subscribe/
WANT TO GET INVOLVED? As a VICSES volunteer, you are welcome to participate in a VicSESVA Regional Council. Depending on the region, meetings may be held once a quarter at local Unit LHQs. The discussion is very informative and presents a great opportunity to network and share best practices across Units. VicSESVA Board meetings are also open to individual members to attend.
HISTORY For more information about the history of VicSESVA, go to https://vicsesva.org.au/our-history/
NSESVA VicSESVA is a founding member of the National SES Volunteers Association (NSESVA). For information on NSESVA and the National Raffle Campaign, go to: https://vicsesva.org.au/faq/ https://www.nsesva.org.au/
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TO VicSESVA VicSESVA Activities, Advocacy and Industry Influence SUCCESSFUL ADVOCACY VicSESVA has successfully represented volunteers in: • Negotiating to meet regularly with the Minister for Emergency Services • Advocating for Unit VESEP bids • Advocating to EMV to retain the right of volunteers to go to VCAT in matters of dispute (VICSES Regulations Review) • Meeting quarterly with the VICSES Executive and raising matters of concern to volunteers which have been brought to Board meetings • Meeting quarterly with the VICSES Operations staff • Supporting and promoting the annual EMV Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency Survey • Providing grants of funds for individual volunteer welfare or hardship cases • Supporting members undertaking the VFBV leadership courses • Providing information and advice to individual members and Units • Providing a support person to individual members in matters of dispute • Collaboration with the National SES Volunteers in advocacy for matters such as transferability of skills, harmonisation of training, national recognition, awards • Implementation of the NSESVA National Raffle Scheme to establish future funding
8. VICSES internal Fleet, RCR, State WH&S, Awards, Uniform working groups 9. VICSES Community Resilience Strategy, volunteer representation 10. AFAC Volunteer Management Technical Working Group 11. AFAC/SES member Project Working Group, ‘SES Fit for Task’ 12. AFAC doctrine development ‘Volunteer Impact Assessment Guideline’ (VMTG) 13. AFAC doctrine development, ‘Volunteer inclusion Model’ (VMTG Diversity Working Group) 14. Member, AIDR Dranszen Forum 15. Member Steering Committee and Working Group, Communities Responding to Disasters: Planning for Spontaneous Volunteers Handbook (Australian Emergency Management Manual Series 2018) 16. BNHCRC member Advisory Group ‘Adapting the Sector’ 17. NSESVA Youth Strategy 18. Volunteer Group Steering Committee, Victorian Government ‘Provisional Payments Pilot (Mental Health Injury)’
EXPERTS AND ADVICE On request VicSESVA has provided experts as guest speakers, advisors or community representatives. VicSESVA Chair, David Rowlands, is a Life Member of VICSES. VicSESVA Secretary, Dr Faye Bendrups, has been recognised for her work in the EM sector by being named one of the AFR’s ‘100 Women of Influence’ in 2019. This has provided opportunities to promote the work of SES volunteers in major local and national forums, including:
• Raising the profile and interests of VICSES volunteers at local, state and national forums, including conferences, other EM agencies, interstate agencies, working groups, task forces, expert advisory panels etc.
• 2018 Informed Observer, Diversity in Disaster Conference
SECTOR COLLABORATION
• 2019 Chair, Akolade 2nd Emergency Management Leaders’ Forum
VicSESVA has extensive membership of industry forums, regular collaboration with VICSES and influence through its membership of NSESVA, including:
• 2019 Guest panellist, Public Safety and Hysteria: Leading by example in the first 24 hours of a terrorist event, Akolade 2nd Emergency Management Leaders’ Forum
1. EMV Volunteer Consultative Forum, founding member
• 2019 Facilitator, EM conference panel Wellbeing: a Range of Perspectives from People on the Ground
2. EMV Expert Reference Group, The 3Vs: Volunteer Volunteering Volunteerism – Uncovering the hidden value 3. EMV Expert Working Group, collaboration in developing Strategic Priorities for Volunteering in Emergency Management 4. Emergency Services Foundation (ESF) Chair, Alumni Network 5. Member of Organising Committee, annual ESF Emergency Management Conference 6. Facilitator, ESF Alumni Strategic Directions planning and ‘Valuing Volunteers’ project
• 2019 Expert Judge, Ch7 News Young Achiever Awards (CFA Volunteer Excellence category) • 2019 Executive Judge, Victorian Regional Achievement and Community Awards • 2019 Women in the SES: Reshaping Dynamics, AFAC19 ‘A Shift to the New Norm: Riding the Wave of Change’ international conference presentation, see www.afac.com. au/events/proceedings/29-08-19/article/109.-women-inthe-sesreshaping-dynamics
7. VESEP panel member (VICSES and EMV)
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