Vol. 3 Issue 2. 2017

Autumn 2017
LEST WE FORGET
ANZAC DAY 2017
25TH APRIL

22-23 MAY 2017 JUPITERS HOTEL GOLD COAST
www.anzdmc.com.au
The Australian Emergency Services Magazine
and Boothbook Media proudly supports
the Australian & New Zealand Disaster and
Emergency Management Conference

Editor’s Note
CONTENTS
2
Latest Events
• Volunteer Week
• ANZ Emergency and
Disaster conference
Anzac Day - remembering our
emergency services
Bail reform after Bourke
Street tragedy
Emergency Kit Essentials
Understanding thunderstorm
asthma
Climate change and the latest
heatwaves
Volunteering - your essential
guide to volunteering for
emergency services
The importance of social ties
during disaster recovery
National rollout of cyber
safety program
Tune into emergency
warnings
3
5
6-7
8-9
10-11
12-15
16-19
20-23
24-27
28
30
australian
emergency
services magazine
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1

EDITORS NOTE
2
Welcome to the Autumn Edition of
the Australian Emergency Services
Magazine. And what a long hot
summer it was! Looking forward to
the cool change that Autumn brings
and an end to the notoriously busy
season for our emergency service
personnel.
This summer season certainly
had our emergency services and
volunteers going the extra mile
and demonstrating as always what
an amazing job they do in our
communities.
The Bourke Street tragedy on
January 20th in Melbourne shocked
and saddened us all, but will forever
have a place in the hearts of the
residents of Melbourne, the families
affected and the emergency services
personnel that were first on the
scene.
Craig Lapsely, the Emergency
Management Commisioner
expressed these deep sentiments.
“Our thoughts are with not only
those who have lost their lives, but
those who are injured physically,
and those who will be scarred
for such a long time by what they
witnessed, what they did, how they
helped. We’ve seen bravery, we’ve
seen people doing their jobs and we
have seen ordinary people doing
extraordinary things. The impact for
all of us is far reaching, including for
those who are thinking “what if ”?”
Bushfires, storms and floods also
had their devastating affect on
communities around the country
with many families losing their
homes to these natural disasters that
seem to be more prevalent each year.
This highlights the value of having
strong community ties and how
important it is to look after our
neighbours. To celebrate this
community spirit and to hopefully
inspire you, this issue includes a
definitive guide to volunteering in
your community in the emergency
services sector.
On April 25th ANZAC Day services
will be held around the country. We
take a look back at the history of the
emergency service volunteers during
WW2 and the invaluable role they
played around the country. Check
out your local council website for
ANZAC day services in your area.
From all the team at the Australian
Emergency Services Magazine we
wish you a cooler and more peaceful
Autumn.
Emma Parker
Editor

LATEST NEWS
Volunteer Week 2017
8-14th may
Save the date! National Volunteer
Week, 8–14 May 2017
National Volunteer Week
(NVW) is an annual celebration
to acknowledge the generous
contribution of our nation’s
volunteers.
From 8–14 May 2017 thousands
of events across the country will
be held to say thank you to the 6
million Australians who volunteer
including breakfasts, morning/
afternoon teas, and luncheons
as well as open days, award
ceremonies, picnics, forums and
training sessions.
‘Give Happy, Live Happy’ is the
catch cry of this year’s national
volunteer week and there are plenty
of reasons why volunteering in
your local community will not only
improve the lives of those around us
but also for you too!
Professor Thomas Neilson from the
University of Canberra advocates
the benefits of volunteering in the
following ways:
As a healthy lifestyle choice:
“One of the healthiest things we
can do is to volunteer. Volunteering
leads to healthier, happier, and
longer lives. Sustainable wellbeing
comes not from money or
consumerism, but from
having meaningful happiness in our
lives. Studies show intimate links
between generosity and our
immune systems. We now know
that volunteering is not just good
for our physical health, but for our
psychological and emotional health
too.”
As a true community builder:
Engaging in generous and altruistic
behaviour makes you want to
be more generous and altruistic.
Volunteering, health, and happiness
together create a positive,
reinforcing loop: the more you
volunteer, the healthier you become,
the more you want to volunteer.
Volunteering is a true community
builder in that sense.
As a predictor of health and
happiness:
There is one shared denominator
for what people across cultures and
religions report as giving them
meaningful happiness in their
lives: being something for others.
When we give of ourselves to others
through volunteering we experience
an array of health benefits from
hormones rushing through our
biology, increasing our resistance to
disease and adversity. In fact, giving
is one of the strongest predictors of
increasing our health and
happiness.
At www.volunteeringaustralia.org
you can purchase lots of goodies
to show your support, download
resources to display in your
workplace to help speread the word
or register your own event.
References:
www.volunteeringaustralia.org/nvw
Associate Professor Thomas Neilson, University of
Canberra
Nielsen, T. W. (2013). Meaningful Living. http://
www.thomaswnielsen.net/giving-makes-us-happy/
2. Thomas W. Nielsen, The Canberra Times,
June 14, 2010. http://www.thomaswnielsen.net/
resources/meaningful-living/
3

4

LATEST NEWS
DISASTER AND EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE
2017 Australian & New
Zealand Disaster & Emergency
Management Conference
The 6th Australian and New
Zealand Disaster and Emergency
Management Conference will be
held from 22nd to 23rd of May, at
Jupiters Hotel on the Gold Coast,
Queensland.
The Conference theme “EARTH;
FIRE and RAIN” will continue
to address planning, response
and review the latest research
in the management of disasters,
emergencies and hazards.
How do we respond to, recover
from and mitigate against the
impacts of disasters on our
communities, emergency service
personnel, infrastructure and
provision of services.
What can we learn from our
international colleagues and the
research being undertaken in
Australia.
The conference will address these
issues and more.
Join our Australian and
International delegates, more
than 100 speakers, our exhibitors
and partners at this must attend
event for people working in and
with the emergency and disaster
management sector.
Topics discussed at the conference
include:
• Technology and Operations
• Multi-Agency Response
• Understanding and Enhancing
Resilience
• Emerging Technology and
Capability Needs
• The Recovery Process
• Crisis Leadership
• Volunteers in Emergencies
• Psycho-Social Implications of
Disaster Management
• International Response to
Disasters
• Consequence Management
• Open Topics
Confirmed Speakers:
Mr Rod Young, National
Emergency Response Manager,
Telstra
Mr John Yates QPM, Director of
Security – Scentre Group, Australia
and New Zealand, Westfield
Corporation – US, UK & Europe
Ms Judy Slatyer, CEO, Australian
Red Cross
Dr Susie Burke, Senior Psychologist,
Public Interest, Environment and
Disaster Response, Australian
Psychological Society
Dr Paul Barnes, Head, Risk &
Resilience, Australian Strategic
Policy Institute
Associate Professor Peter Aitken,
Senior Director, Health Disaster
Management Unit, Queensland
Health
To reserve your place at the
conference or to exhibit visit:
www.anzdmc.com.au
5

THIS ANZAC DAY WE
REMEMBER OUR
EMERGENCY SERVICE
VOLUNTEERS
This ANZAC Day we look back
at the role the emergency services
played during WW2.
The National Emergency Services
NSW (NES) helped to protect,
educate and provide aid on
the home front. The NES was
established in 1939 and by the
end of World War II 115,418
people had volunteered with the
organisation.
Nearly half of these volunteers
were enrolled as wardens. During
the War, from the Hunter to the
Illawarra, there were 464 air raid
sirens, 70,000 feet (21,336 m) of
trench shelters, 36,000 ft (10,972
m) of covered trenches and 139
pillbox air raid shelters.
Australian Commonwealth and
State Ministers agreed in 1936,
that for civil defence purposes,
they would train key personnel
in preparation for gas attacks,
provide equipment, manuals,
technical information and advice.
This was the very beginning of
Australia’s Civil Defence Service.
During WWII, many Australians
were volunteers, appointed as Air
Raid Wardens by the National
Emergency Services, monitoring
air raid security and breaches
of blackout regulations. In cities
and towns around the country,
evacuation procedures were
planned and practised.
After the war, around the late
1940s, the Commonwealth
reactivated the Civil Defence
Service, and during the 1950s
the States accepted responsibility
for civil defence organisations.
Each State formed a headquarters
and volunteer units at local
government level.
6

This was the beginning of the SES
that we know today.
In 1942, a famous advertisement
featuring the Prime Minister John
Curtin called on all Australians
to assist in the war effort. Men,
women and children were called
upon to support and protect their
homes from the enemy.
“What are you doing for Australia
in her darkest hour?” was the
slogan used.
Anticipating Japanese air and
submarine attacks, blackout
restrictions were introduced and
air raid warning instructions
issued. Families dug air raid
shelters in their backyards and
barbed wire was strung across
beaches.
Many men who were unable to
enlist because of their age or their
essential war occupations joined
home defence organisations.
Members of the Volunteer
Defence Corps (VDC) and the
Volunteer Air Observers Corps
(VAOC) helped to erect and patrol
coastal defences or spot aircraft
and shipping.
Others joined the Naval Auxiliary
patrol, a voluntary organisation
attached to the Royal Australian
Navy. Many of the volunteers
provided their own vessels, from
dinghies to luxury yachts, to patrol
Sydney Harbour and coastal areas.
The possibility of Japanese
invasion prompted the Australian
Government to assume
extraordinary wartime emergency
powers. Prime Minister John
Curtin was able to invoke defence
powers under the Constitution
which allowed the government
broad, wartime authority and
which gave Curtin probably the
most power of any Australian
Prime Minister.
A standard wooden alarm rattle
was used by Air Raid and Civil
Defence Wardens to warn local
residents of potential air raids or
gas attacks. The rattle made a very
loud, sharp clacking sound that
was designed to attract attention.
The government also introduced
strict censorship of the media.
Any information that might
damage public morale such
as explicit details of enemy
attacks, Australian losses or
even unexploded bombs on
Australian soil was censored by
local authorities on the instruction
of the Chief Publicity Censor in
Canberra.
To honour those men and women
who bravely fought and volunteered
within the community and
those who are still engaged in war
overseas attend a local ANZAC
ceremony in your local area.
Check your local council website
for information or contact your
local RSL club.
7

Victoria should not rush in on
bail reform
The horrifying event in Melbourne’s
CBD on the 20th January was yet
another episode where a person
used a vehicle as a weapon of
destruction. It left five people,
including a baby boy, dead. Another
30 people were injured, many
seriously.
The alleged perpetrator, Dimitrious
Gargasoulas, was revealed to be on
bail in relation to another alleged
offence six days before the attack,
despite opposition from Victoria
Police prosecutors. A bail justice (an
out-of-hours volunteer honorary
justice, like a justice of the peace)
had granted Gargasoulas bail on
January 14.
In response, Victorian Premier
Daniel Andrews has announced
that magistrates, rather than bail
justices, will be exclusively deployed
to hear bail applications in serious
matters. Andrews has also directed
the former director of public
prosecutions, Paul Coghlan, to
review Victoria’s bail system.
Does the bail justice system work?
Faced with cries to “do something”
when a crisis erupts, governments,
understandably, become risk-averse.
So, it was quite predictable that the
Andrews government’s first target in
this case was the bail justice system.
This uniquely Victorian initiative
has drawn praise for more than two
decades.
While one can sympathise with
those who are calling for review and
change, we need to exercise caution
before overhauling the operation of
bail laws on the basis of one, albeit
horrendous and tragic, case.
The bail justice system is one of the
reasons usually given to explain
why Victorians continue to enjoy
the lowest remand-in-custody rates
in Australia.
There is no evidence that that
achievement has compromised
safety for Victorians generally.
Moreover, police officers actually
make 90% of bail decisions;
magistrates or bail justices are only
called in to adjudicate in the event
of police denying bail.
8

There is also no reason to suspect
that a magistrate would not have
reached the same bail conclusion
as the bail justice did in relation to
Gargasoulas on January 14.
Denying bail fills our prisons
The denial of bail is also a
significant factor in the seemingly
unstoppable rise in Australia’s
prisoner numbers.
There was yet another significant
rise in numbers last year. In the
September quarter of 2016, the
average number of full-time
prisoners was 38,998. Of these, 32%
(12,332) were unsentenced – that is,
denied bail.
This takes Australia, for the first
time in its modern history, out
of the 15-30% range – which
includes, for example, the UK, the
US, Canada, Russia, Israel, Poland,
New Zealand and Germany – and
puts it into the 30-50% range found
in Brazil, Thailand, Papua New
Guinea, France, Kenya and Mexico.
The number of unsentenced
prisoners in Australia increased
by 22% from 2015 to 2016. This
followed a 21% increase from 2014
to 2015. Over the last five years,
unsentenced prisoner numbers in
Australia have increased 81%. The
trend is financially and socially
irresponsible and unsustainable.
Australians need to be a little more
forgiving regarding the decisions of
bail authorities when their decisions
turn out to be ill-fated. Thousands
of accused persons are granted bail
each year over police objections
with few adverse consequences.
Australia needs to be very
careful not to allow the bail
system – whether it is overseen
by magistrates or lay justices – to
become a political scapegoat at the
hands of commentators exercising
20/20 hindsight.
Finally, we must be very careful not
to rush to judgement and pretend
that by tightening certain justice
processes the problem will go
away. Simply putting (and keeping)
behind bars for months at a time
everyone whom someone has
deemed to be a risk to their family’s
safety, their own safety or public
safety is not the answer.
This article has been amended to display
the date the incident occured.
First published on The Conversation
Rick Sarre
University of South Australia
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9

EMERGENCY KIT
ESSENTIALS
HAVING AN EMERGENCY KIT IS AN IMPORTANT STEP TO
PREPARE FOR, SURVIVE AND COPE WITH EMERGENCIES.
Know
All householders need to
know where your
Emergency Kit is kept.
On this page is a list of items which should be in your
kit at all times. There is also a list of extra items which
if you do not keep at all times you should add to your
kit during storm or cyclone season.
FOOD AND WATER
COMMUNICATIONS
Check
and update the contents
of your kit regularly, to
ensure everything is in
working order and has
not expired.
Discuss
your Emergency Kit
with all householders
and make sure everyone
knows what to do in an
emergency.
KNOW YOUR
EMERGENCY
CONTACTS
Range of non-perishable
MEDICAL AND
SANITATION
food items
Bottled water
First Aid Kit and manual
Essential medications,
prescriptions and dosage
Toilet paper
Toothbrush/toothpaste
Soap/shampoo
Personal hygiene items
LIGHT
Flashlight/torch with
extra batteries
Battery powered lantern
Battery powered radio with
extra batteries
Traditional wired telephone
Prepaid wired telephone
Prepaid phone cards and
coins for phone calls
CLOTHING AND
FOOTWEAR
Warm jumper, waterproof
jacket, hat and gloves
for everyone
Closed-toed shoes or
boots for everyone
TOOLS AND SUPPLIES
Whistle, utility knife,
duct/masking tape
10

Plastic garbage bags, ties
Safety glasses and sun glasses.
MISCELLANEOUS
Special items for infants
(nappies, formula etc)
Special items needed by
elderly or people with
special needs
Spare house and car keys
Pet food, water and
other animal needs
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
Keep original or certified copies of
these documents in your Emergency
Kit.
Scan copies of them and save the
files on a USB memory stick or CD
to include in your kit. Keep all these
items in sealed plastic bags.
Insurance papers for your
house and contents, cars
and for valuable items
Inventory of valuable
household goods
Wills and life insurance documents
House deeds/mortgage documents
Birth and marriage certificates
Passports/visa details
Stocks and bonds
Medicare, pension cards,
immunisation records
Bank account and credit card details
A back-up copy of important
computer files
Household Emergency Plan with
emergency contact numbers
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO DOWNLOAD AN
EMERGENCY PLAN FOR YOUR HOUSEHOLD GO TO:
www.qld.gov.au/emergency/dealing-disasters/emergency-kit
11

UNDERSTANDING
THUNDERSTORM
ASTHMA
12
On the 21st and 22nd of November
2016, thousands of Victorians were
affected by a thunderstorm asthma
event which sadly contributed to the
death of nine people.
The rapid onset of this emergency
and the scale of its consequences
were unprecedented. The event tested
the ability of Victoria’s emergency
management system to consider and
respond to Class 2 emergency health
consequences arising from a Class 1
emergency – in this case, a storm.
Never before have the Emergency
Services Telecommunications
Authority, Ambulance Victoria or
Victorian hospitals experienced this
level of demand in such a condensed
time period and dispersed over such
a large geographical area.
As a result a review was conducted
into how this emergency was
managed in order to better help the
community and improve services and
outcomes for all.
Understanding what thunderstorm
asthma is, how to manage it and
what to do during such an event is
a key to better management. One
of the first outcomes of the review
was that thunderstorm asthma is not
well understood and neither is the
ability to predict when such a storm
will contain the right factors that will
affect people in an adverse manner.

The thunderstorm asthma event
of 21–22 November 2016 had
consequences that were not typical of
a thunderstorm.
The unique characteristics that
differed from the more commonly
occurring emergencies such as
bushfire, flood and thunderstorm
included:
• being largely invisible
• being geographically dispersed
and widespread
• having a rapid onset
• being unfamiliar or unknown,
with less practiced response
protocols.
Allergy, asthma and allergic rhinitis
(AR) are different conditions that
often co-occur, and research is
ongoing to fully understand the
immune system interaction with
allergens.
In simple terms, allergies result from
hyper-sensitivity to an allergen (for
example dust, pollen, mould) whereas
AR is associated with inflammation
of the nose in response to an allergen.
Asthma on the other hand is a
chronic inflammatory condition
located in the lower airways. There
are several types of asthma, among
which allergic asthma is the most
common.
Notwithstanding the rarer occurrence
of epidemic thunderstorm asthma,
as occurred in Melbourne on a much
smaller scale in 2010, many people
with asthma are regularly affected
by the combination of elevated
pollens and thunderstorms. The
numbers of people affected, and the
severity of their asthma are not well
documented.
Although there are uncertainties
about the specific mechanisms
involved, thunderstorm asthma
is likely triggered by small sized
airborne allergens, such as those from
pollen and mould spores that are
carried by thunderstorm downdrafts
and outflows and then inhaled by
allergen-sensitive individuals.
Some of these small-sized allergens
are caused by rupturing pollen grains
as a result of climatic conditions
associated with the storm activity.
There are four proposed conditions
for a thunderstorm asthma epidemic:
• high concentrations of allergenic
material (for example grass
pollen or fungi)
• thunderstorm outflow that
sweeps up bio-aerosols and
suspends them near ground level
in population centres
• formation of respirable-sized
particles (

One example of how thunderstorm
asthma occurs and affects those with
respiratory conditions is outlined in
the figure above.
Thunderstorm asthma epidemics
occur when allergen- sensitive
individuals inhale air that is carrying
a high concentration of airborne
allergens. Notably, not all asthmatics
are affected by thunderstorm asthma,
and many people affected do not have
a known history of asthma17.
Where allergy testing of
thunderstorm asthma subjects has
occurred, many have had hypersensitivity
to certain types of fungi
and/or pollen18 19. In addition,
many thunderstorm asthma subjects
have reported a history of hay fever,
but not asthma20 21 22.
It is hypothesised that sensitive
individuals are ‘primed’ by
environmental factors prior to the
thunderstorm so that their airways
are already hyper-responsive, and
that this causes the acute and severe
reaction to the amount of allergens
carried by the thunderstorm23 24.
A potentially key priming factor is
exposure to airborne allergens such
as pollen or fungal spores prior to the
thunderstorm.
Other priming factors that may
be relevant include exposure to
air pollution, viral infections
(particularly respiratory)25 26 and
weather factors that are known to
affect asthmatics more generally, such
as sudden temperature changes and
high humidity27.
Thunderstorm asthma is a significant
public health issue because of its
potential to affect large numbers
of people (including those with no
known history of asthma), and to
overwhelm emergency department
(ED) resources and pharmaceutical
suppliers. The most severe impact of
thunderstorm asthma is the sudden
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14

increase in asthma cases to the
point of an epidemic. This includes
general practitioner (GP) visits, ED
presentations, and in extreme severe
acute cases, hospital admissions.
PREDICTING THUNDERSTORM
ASTHMA
Thunderstorm asthma involves
interactions between meteorological
factors, airborne allergens, and
human factors, therefore prediction
is complex. Four conditions must be
considered in order to understand the
potential for thunderstorm asthma
prediction.
1. High concentrations of alergenic
material.
2. Thunderstorm outflows
3. Respirable-sized aeroallergens.
4. Exposure of sensitive people.
Factors that appear important for
predicting thunderstorm asthma
include:
• seasonal factors: rainfall during
winter, pollen season (start, peak,
and end)
• in the preceding days:
temperature, humidity, pollen
count, fungal spore count
• on the day: temperature,
humidity, wind direction, wind
speed, pollen forecast
• about the thunderstorm:
thunderstorm type, direction of
movement, wind speed
• exposure: time of day, location of
the gust front.
It is important to note that there are
likely other variables involved and
that thresholds and triggers (for
example required pollen count) are
unknown.
WHAT TO DO
• If you already have asthma
discuss an action plan with your
GP during pollen season
• Dont ignore symptoms of asthma
even if you have never had it
before.
• Be aware of when thunderstoms
are forecast
• Stay indoors and close all
windows and doors until the
storm has passed.
• If your condition worsens contact
000 immediately
You can stay informed of pollen
forecast through this website
provided by Deakin University:
www.deakin.edu.au/students/
faculties/sebe/les-students/airwatch
Keep informed of weather forecasts
through BOM and stay tuned to all
radio and tv broadcasts.
www.bom.gov.au
Australian Emergency Service Magazine with
reference to:
© State of Victoria 2017
Review of response to thunderstorm asthma
Australia Ltd
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15

CLIMATE CHANGE
AFFECTING OUR
WEATHER
Climate change doubled the likelihood of the New South Wales heatwave
16
The heatwave that engulfed
southeastern Australia at the end
of last week has seen heat records
continue to tumble like Jenga blocks.
On Saturday February 11, as New
South Wales suffered through the
heatwave’s peak, temperatures soared
to 47° in Richmond, 50km northwest
of Sydney, while 87 fires raged across
the state amid catastrophic fire
conditions.
On that day, most of NSW
experienced temperatures at least
12° above normal for this time of
year. In White Cliffs, the overnight
minimum was 34.2°, a new record for
the state’s highest observed minimum
temperature.
On Friday, the average maximum
temperature right across NSW hit
42.4°, beating the previous February
record of 42.0°. The new record
stood for all of 24 hours before it was
smashed again on Saturday, as the
whole state averaged 44.0° at its peak.
At this time, NSW was the hottest
place on Earth.
A degree or two here or there
might not sound like much, but
to put it in cricketing parlance,
those temperature records are the
equivalent of a modern test batsman
retiring with an average of over 100 –
the feat of outdoing Don Bradman’s
fabled 99.94 would undoubtedly be
front-page news.
And still the records continue to fall.
Mungindi, on the border of NSW and
Queensland, broke the Australian
record of 50 days in a row above
35°, set just four years ago at Bourke
Airport, with the new record now at
52 days.
Meanwhile, two days after that
sweltering Saturday we woke to find
the fires ignited during the heatwave
still cutting a swathe of destruction,
with the small town of Uarbry, east
of Dunedoo, all but burned to the
ground.
This is all the more noteworthy when
we consider that the El Niño of 2015-
16 is long gone and the conditions
that ordinarily influence our weather
are firmly in neutral. This means we
should expect average, not sweltering,
temperatures.
Since Christmas, much of eastern
Australia has been in a flux of
extreme temperatures. This increased
frequency of heatwaves shows a
strong trend in observations, which
is set to continue as the human
influence on the climate deepens.

It is all part of a rapid warming
trend that over the past decade has
seen new heat records in Australia
outnumber new cold records by 12
to 1.
Let’s be clear, this is not natural.
Climate scientists have long been
saying that we would feel the
impacts of human-caused climate
change in heat records first, before
noticing the upward swing in average
temperatures (although that is
happening too). This heatwave is
simply the latest example.
What’s more, in just a few decades’
time, summer conditions like these
will be felt across the whole country
regularly.
ATTRIBUTING THE HEAT
The useful thing scientifically about
heatwaves is that we can estimate
the role that climate change plays
in these individual events. This is a
relatively new field known as “event
attribution”, which has grown and
improved significantly over the past
decade.
Using the Weather@Home climate
model, we looked at the role of
human-induced climate change in
this latest heatwave, as we have for
other events before.
We compared the likelihood of such
a heatwave in model simulations
that factor in human greenhouse
gas emissions, compared with
simulations in which there is no
such human influence. Since 2017
has only just begun, we used model
runs representing 2014, which was
similarly an El Niño-neutral year,
while also experiencing similar levels
of human influence on the climate.
Based on this analysis, we found that
heatwaves at least as hot as this one
are now twice as likely to occur. In
the current climate, a heatwave of
this severity and extent occurs, on
average, once every 120 years, so is
still quite rare. However, without
human-induced climate change, this
heatwave would only occur once
every 240 years.
In other words, the waiting time for
the recent east Australian heatwave
has halved. As climate change
worsens in the coming decades, the
waiting time will reduce even further.
Our results show very clearly the
influence of climate change on this
heatwave event. They tell us that
what we saw last weekend is a taste
of what our future will bring, unless
humans can rapidly and deeply cut
our greenhouse emissions.
Our increasingly fragile electricity
networks will struggle to cope, as
the threat of rolling blackouts across
NSW showed. It is worth noting that
the large number of rooftop solar
panels in NSW may have helped to
avert such a crisis this time around.
Our hospital emergency departments
also feel the added stress of heat
waves. When an estimated 374
people died from the heatwave that
preceded the Black Saturday bushfires
the Victorian Institute of Forensic
Medicine resorted to storing bodies
in hospitals, universities and funeral
parlours. The Victorian heatwave of
January 2014 saw 167 more deaths
than expected, along with significant
increases in emergency department
presentations and ambulance callouts.
Infrastructure breaks down during
heatwaves, as we saw in 2009 when
railway lines buckled under the
Maximum temperature anomalies across NSW on February 11, the peak of the heatwave. Bureau of
Meteorology, Author provided
17

extreme conditions, stranding
thousands of commuters. It can also
strain Australia’s beloved sporting
events, as the 2014 Australian Open
showed.
These impacts have led state
governments and other bodies to
investigate heatwave management
strategies, while our colleagues at
the Bureau of Meteorology have
developed a heatwave forecast service
for Australia.
These are likely to be just the
beginning of strategies needed to
combat heatwaves, with conditions
currently regarded as extreme set to
be the “new normal” by the 2030s.
With the ramifications of extreme
weather clear to everyone who
experienced this heatwave, there is no
better time to talk about how we can
ready ourselves.
We urgently need to discuss the
health and economic impacts of
heatwaves, and how we are going to
cope with more of them in the future.
We would like to acknowledge
Robert Smalley, Andrew Watkins
and Karl Braganza of the Australian
Bureau of Meteorology for providing
observations included in this
article. This article was amended on
February 16, 2017, to include updated
weather observations.
This article was first published on ‘The
Conversation’
Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick
Research Fellow UNSW
Andrew King
Climate Extremes Research Fellow
University of Melbourne
Matthew Hale
Research Assistant UNSW
18

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19

In support of national
volunteer week we look at
ways you can volunteer in
your local community and why
volunteering is so rewarding
In recognition of National Volunteer
Week this year on the 8th-14th
May, we thought we would take
the moment to discuss why
volunteering is so important in the
community and different ways you
can get involved.
There is obviously many ways you
can volunteer within your local
community, depending on what
your passion is. Here at Australian
Emergency Services Magazine
we obviously have a passion for
our volunteers who work in the
emergency sector. There are many
roles within this sector to suit a
wide range of people.
Your local council and state
government websites contain lots
of information about these different
roles and how to apply.
Rather than spending time surfing
the net we have brought you all the
latest information state to state and
links to get in contact with these
organisations.
If you want to volunteer but are not
sure where to start here are some
broad suggestions:
GoVolunteer is an online tool that
enables you to search different
positions across the country. You
can search by organisation, position
or post code.
www.govolunteer.com.au
Contact your local volunteering
centre
These services offer you the
opportunity to make an
appointment and talk to somebody
about volunteering and the
opportunities available to meet your
requirements.
Contact your local council
Many municipal and shire councils
• Produce community directories
that include not-for-profit
organisations needing volunteers, or
• Include lists of volunteering
opportunities on their website, or
• You could get in touch with the
community services department
in the council, as these people
may have knowledge of local
opportunities.
Look at your local newspaper
Often there are articles about
volunteering and community
service advertisements that inform
people about local volunteering
roles.
20

Contact your local neighbourhood
house or community centre
Ask for information about their
volunteering opportunities or
information about other volunteer
involving organisations in the area.
Interested in a specific cause?
You might like to search on the
internet for organisations that
address or respond to issues related
to that cause. You might also like
to ask at your local library for
information on groups that try
to effect change in society such
as advocacy, human rights or the
environment.
Interested in volunteering in a
specific sector?
If you have decided on the sector
where you might like to volunteer,
you could consider the following
options:
• Health: You might like to phone
a local hospital or community
health service and ask about their
volunteering opportunities.
• Education: Enquire at schools and
other education institutions.
• Environment: Enquire at
your local council and other
environmental organisations both
locally and nationally.
• Sport and recreation: Contact
your local council for information
on sporting clubs and groups, or
visit the websites of state bodies for
particular sports.
• Arts/culture: Enquire at local
museums, libraries and not-forprofit
galleries and heritage centres.
• Emergency: Using either the
phone book or website look for
volunteer based fire, emergency,
surf life saving, first aid, ambulance
or coast guard/patrol groups.
• Business/professional/union:
Contact your local chamber of
commerce or a professional body
or union you belong to or are
interested in supporting.
• Law/justice/political: Enquire at
the head office in your state for the
contact details of local branches or
political parties.
Another option would be to
contact the Department of Justice
in your state for information about
volunteer programs that support
people dealing with the justice
system.
21

Emergency Service Volunteering
State by State:
STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE
The State Emergency Service (SES)
is a volunteer-based organisation
empowering people to help
themselves and others in times of
emergency and disaster.
The SES responds at local and
national levels in disasters and
emergencies, and is the primary
response agency for storms and
floods.
SES volunteers are ‘ordinary
people doing extraordinary things’.
Volunteering with the SES is a
challenging and rewarding way to
give back to your community.
Queensland SES
New South Wales SES
ACT SES
Victorian SES
South Australia SES
Tasmania SES
Western Australia SES
Northern Territory ES
RURAL FIRE SERVICE
The Rural Fire Service (RFS) needs
all types of people, with a wide
range of skills, to keep brigades
running and communities safe. The
purpose of rural fire brigades is to
operate in areas not covered by State
and Territory Fire and Emergency
Services urban (town) services.
Queensland RFS
New South Wales RFS
ACT RFS
Victoria CFA
South Australia CFS
Tasmania TFS
Western Australia BFS
Northern Territory FES
AMBULANCE SERVICE
There are many ways volunteers
can assist in the ambulance service.
In some states volunteers are
trained and acredited and also have
volunteers who are considered first
responders before the ambulance
service arrives. These services are
particularly important in rural
areas where services are limited and
distances are great.
QLD Ambulance Service
NSW Ambulance Service
ACT St John Ambulance Service
Victorian Ambulance Service
South Australian Ambulance
Service
Tasmania Ambulance Service
Western Australian St John
Ambulance Service
Northern Territory St John
Ambulance Service
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EXTREME WEATHER (CREW)
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CREW, where you can volunteer to
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22

help your community in disasters
and emergencies.
Volunteers lend a hand – when
it’s safe to do so, before and after
disasters – with preventative
measures, immediate clean-up and
large-scale, long-term recovery
projects.
The difference that you can make
to a disaster-affected family,
community group or organisation is
immeasurable.
Volunteering Australia CREW
COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS
Each state will have its own
particular organisations that you
can volunteer in. Visit your local
government or state website for
further details. However we have
compiled a list of the major ones
that you should be able to find
nationally.
Australian Volunteer Coast Guard
Surf Life Saving
Volunteering Australia
Australian Red Cross
Lifeline
Salvation Army
St Vincent de Paul Society
References:
volunteeringaustralia.org
Queensland & NSW Government
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23

Recovering from disasters: Social networks
matter more than bottled water and
batteries
24
Standard advice about preparing
for disasters focuses on building
shelters and stockpiling things
like food, water and batteries.
But resilience - the ability to
recover from shocks, including
natural disasters - comes from our
connections to others, and not from
physical infrastructure or disaster
kits.
Almost six years ago, Japan faced a
paralyzing triple disaster: a massive
earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear
meltdowns that forced 470,000
people to evacuate from more than
80 towns, villages and cities. My
colleagues and I investigated how
communities in the hardest-hit
areas reacted to these shocks, and
found that social networks - the
horizontal and vertical ties that
connect us to others - are our most
important defense against disasters.
The 2011 catastrophe
At 2:46 pm on Friday, March 11,
2011, a massive 9.0 earthquake
struck off Japan’s northeastern coast.
The quake was bigger and lasted

3, which experienced nuclear
fuel meltdowns. Over 160,000
people were forced to evacuate
from Fukushima prefecture. The
radiation exclusion zone initially
covered more than 5,400 square
miles, but has slowly decreased
as decontamination efforts have
progressed.
In total, more than 470,000 people
evacuated during the disaster. The
nuclear accident paralyzed national
politics, made many survivors
anxious and depressed, and
changed the landscape of energy
policy in Japan by pushing local
residents to pursue non-nuclear
options. Many communities have
started electricity cooperatives
where they use geothermal, solar
and wind to produce their power.
What saved lives during the
tsunami?
A Japanese colleague and I hoped
to learn why the mortality rate from
the tsunami varied tremendously. In
some cities along the coast, no one
was killed by waves which reached
up to 60 feet; in others, up to ten
percent of the population lost their
lives.
We studied more than 130 cities,
towns and villages in Tohoku,
looking at factors such as exposure
to the ocean, seawall height,
tsunami height, voting patterns,
demographics, and social capital.
We found that municipalities
which had higher levels of trust
and interaction had lower mortality
levels after we controlled for all of
those confounding factors.
The kind of social tie that mattered
here was horizontal, between
town residents. It was a surprising
finding given that Japan has spent
a tremendous amount of money
on physical infrastructure such as
seawalls, but invested very little in
building social ties and cohesion.
Based on interviews with survivors
and a review of the data, we believe
that communities with more ties,
interaction and shared norms
worked effectively to provide help to
kin, family and neighbors. In many
cases only 40 minutes separated the
earthquake and the arrival of the
tsunami. During that time, residents
literally picked up and carried many
elderly people out of vulnerable,
low-lying areas. In high-trust
neighborhoods, people knocked on
doors of those who needed help and
escorted them out of harm’s way.
What helped cities bounce back?
longer than the hundreds of quakes
which rattle the nation annually,
but did little damage to homes and
businesses. Unfortunately, however,
the danger was far from over.
Mareeba
Cairns
Innisfail
Within 40 minutes massive waves
of water, some as high as six
stories, smashed down on coastal
communities in the Tohoku region
in northeastern Japan. Some 18,500
lives were lost, primarily to the
tsunami.
Damage from the earthquake and
tsunami shut down the cooling
systems at the Fukushima Daiichi
nuclear power plants 1 through
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25

In another study I worked to
understand why some 40 cities,
towns and villages across the
Tohoku region had rebuilt, put
children back into schools and
restarted businesses at very different
rates over a two-year period. Two
years after the disasters some
communities seemed trapped
in amber, struggling to restore
even half of their utility service,
operating businesses and clean
streets. Other cities had managed
to rebound completely, placing
evacuees in temporary homes,
restoring gas and water lines, and
clearing debris.
To understand why some cities
were struggling, I looked into
explanations including the impact
of the disaster, the size of the city,
financial independence, horizontal
ties between cities, and vertical
ties from the community to power
brokers in Tokyo. In this phase of
the recovery, vertical ties were the
best predictor of strong recoveries.
Communities that had sent more
powerful senior representatives
to Tokyo in the years before
the disaster did the best. These
politicians and local ambassadors
helped to push the bureaucracy
to send aid, reach out to foreign
governments for assistance, and
smooth the complex zoning and
bureaucratic impediments to
recovery.
While it is difficult for communities
to simply decide to place more
senior representatives in Tokyo,
they can take the initiative to make
connections with decision makers.
Further, they can seek to make sure
that they speak with a unified voice
about their community’s needs and
vision.
Social ties, not just sandbags
The Tohoku disasters reinforce past
evidence about the importance of
social networks and social capital in
disaster recovery around the world.
While climate change is making
some disasters more devastating
over time, there is good news from
our findings. Governments, NGOs
and private citizens have many tools
available to foster horizontal and
vertical connections.
Nonprofits like the Australian Red
Cross, BoCo Strong in Boulder,
Colorado, and New Zealand’s
Wellington Regional Emergency
Management Organization now
take social capital seriously as they
work to build resilience. In these
programs local residents work
alongside civil society organizations
to help strengthen connections,
build networks of reciprocity, and
think about the needs of the area.
Rather than waiting for assistance
from the government, these areas
are creating their own plans for
mitigating future crises.
How to build resilience
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Communities can build cohesion
and trust in a variety of ways.
First, residents can emulate Mr.
Fred Rogers and learn about their
neighbors, who will serve as first
responders during any crisis.
Next, whole communities can
seek to deepen interactions and
trust by organizing sports days,
parties, religious festivals and other
community events that build trust
and reciprocity.
For example, San Francisco
provides funds to local residents
to hold NeighborFest, a block
party open to all. City planners
and urban visionaries can learn to
think like Jane Jacobs, an advocate
for living cities and third spaces
- that is, places beyond work and
home where we can socialize. By
designing what advocates call
“placemaking public spaces,” such
as pedestrian-friendly streets and
public markets, they can reshape
cities to enhance social interaction.
Finally, communities can increase
volunteerism rates by rewarding
people who volunteer their time
and providing concrete benefits
for their service. One way to do
this is by developing community
currencies — local scrip which is
only accepted at local businesses.
Another strategy is time banking, in
which participants earn credits for
their volunteer hours and redeem
them later for services from others.
After 3/11, one organization in
Tohoku has sought to bring these
kinds of programs - social capital
creation and design - together by
providing a communal space run by
elderly evacuees where neighbors
can connect.
As communities around the
world face disasters more and
more frequently, I hope that my
research on Japan after 3.11 can
provide guidance to residents
facing challenges. While physical
infrastructure is important for
mitigating disaster, communities
should also invest time and effort in
building social ties.
Daniel P. Aldrich
Professor of Political Science, Public
Policy and Urban Affairs and Director,
Security and Resilience Program,
Northeastern University
Original Article
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27

NATIONAL ROLL OUT OF ‘THINK
YOU KNOW’
Victoria Police has become
the final state law enforcement
agency to formally sign-up to the
ThinkUKnow cyber safety education
program, finalising the national rollout
of the program across Australia.
All Australian police forces are now
part of the ThinkUKnow cyber
safety program to deliver cyber
safety messages in communities
and schools within each state and
territory.
Victoria Police Crime Command
Assistant Commissioner Stephen
Fontana said that while Victoria
Police has been actively educating
school children, parents and
teaching staff in relation to cyber
safety for several years, the signing
of a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) to join the program, is a
positive step in formalising the
national approach with partner
agencies.
“With technology rapidly expanding
well beyond what we can predict, the
safety of children when accessing
the internet – including social media
sites – is paramount,” he said.
On Safer Internet Day, the
announcement provides a timely
reminder of the importance of
cyber safety, and the need for
ongoing education about safe online
practices.
AFP National Manager Crime
Operations Deborah Platz said the
ThinkUKnow program brings law
enforcement and industry partners
together to educate and keep
Australian children safe, by raising
awareness of the risks presented by
technology.
“Victoria Police’s commitment to the
ThinkUKnow program highlights
the ongoing importance that all law
enforcement agencies have placed on
ensuring young people are provided
with the tools needed to navigate the
online environment, and educating
parents and teachers about how they
can best support their children to
stay safe,” Assistant Commissioner
Platz said.
ThinkUKnow Australia is a
28

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TUNE INTO
WARNINGS
Emergency Services use a range of
methods to warn the community
about severe weather and
other emergencies that require
preparation and action at the
household level.
When warnings are issued you may
be directed to:
Finalise preparations
Secure items around your home
Activate your Emergency Plan
Shelter in place, or Commence
evacuation to your predetermined
safer location
Warnings are urgent—you will
need to act immediately on the
information provided.
1. Tune in:
Tune your battery powered radio to
your local radio station to listen for
weather and warning updates.
Turn your television to your local
station to watch and listen for
warning updates.
2. Log on:
Bureau of Meteorology website for
weather updates, weather warning
and tsunami warning information.
Your state Disaster Management
Services website for information on
preparing, Emergency Alerts issued
and current information on disaster
events.
Your local council website for local
emergency management plans and
evacuation information and routes.
Find your local council.
3. Listen out:
For the Standard Emergency
Warning Signal (SEWS) used at the
beginning of serious warnings.
For Emergency Alert voice
messages to your landline and text
messages to your mobile telephone.
For local community safety
30

announcements (radio and
television) for updates.
For sirens and loud—hailer
announcements, that Emergency
Services may use in certain
circumstances.
For Emergency Services personnel
who may door—knock your area to
pass on warnings.
4. and Act:
• Act immediately on the advice
provided
• Ensure all householders are
aware of the warning and advice
provided. Check on neighbours
and friends who may need
special assistance
• Activate your Household
Emergency Plan
• Locate and collect your
Emergency Kit
• Activate your evacuation
arrangements if required.
Emergency Alert. Be Warned. Be
Informed.
Emergency Alert is a telephone
warning system that authorities
can use to provide warnings to
communities.
Emergency Alert can be used
to send voice alerts via landline
telephones based on the location
of the handset, and test alerts to
mobile phones based on the billing
address.
It is for use in a range of emergency
situations, including extreme
weather events and bushfires. You
are not charged and will not have
to pay for the alert. Importantly,
you cannot opt out of receiving
emergency alerts.
If you receive an Emergency Alert,
you need to listen carefully to the
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02 9635 0889
Stephen Young Lawyers is a boutique law firm situated in the heart of Parramatta.
Our practice specialises in personal injury law, commercial law and conveyancing.
We are dedicated in providing a personal, professional and friendly service.
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www.stephenyounglawyers.com.au
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advice provided. You may be directed to
finalise prepartions, secure items around
your home, shelter in place or commence
evacuation to your predetermined safer
location. For more information, visit the
Disaster website.
Stop & Listen: Standard Emergency Warning
Signal
When warnings are issued for major
emergencies, relevant authorities may use
the Standard Emergency Warning Signals
(SEWS) prior to providing information on
the emergency.
SEWS is a wailing siren sound used
throughout Australia for serious emergency
events such as severe cyclone, bushfire, flood
and storm.
When you hear the signal on radio,
television or over the phone via Emergency
Alert messages, pay careful attention to
the information that follows and act
immediately on the advice given.
MINCHINBURY
At Guardian Funerals we offer a range of services to
honour and remember the person who is gone
to help you say ‘goodbye’ in a personal way
Bringing together the city of Botany Bay
and Rockdale City councils
CHAPEL - Easily seats 70 with standing room for another 30
Modern audio-visual facilities
Organ available for services
PARKING - Ample parking at funeral home and within the grounds
CATERING AREA
COFFIN SHOWROOM
ARRANGEMENT ROOM
PREPAID FUNERAL SERVICES AVAILABLE
02 9625 8500
www.guardianfunerals.com.au
Situated within the grounds of Pinegrove Memorial Park
KINGTON STREET MINCHINBURY NSW
fboulous@guardianfunerals.com.au
1300 581 299
www.bayside.nsw.gov.au
council@bayside.nsw.gov.au
Rockdale Customer Service Centre
Mon-Fri 8:30am - 4:30pm
Sat - 9am-1pm
02 9562 1666
Mascot Customer Service Centre
Mon-Fri 8:30am - 4:30 pm
02 9366 3666
32

APPS TO HELP
YOU IN AN
EMERGENCY
TECHNOLOGY IS FOREVER CHANGING AND IN MOST CASES TRYING
TO IMPROVE OUR ACCESS TO INFORMATION. WE HAVE PUT
TOGETHER THE TOP APPS IN AUSTRALIA THAT ARE FOCUSED ON
KEEPING YOU SAFE AND INFORMED DURING THIS COMING SUMMER.
Fires Near Me App - Developed by the NSW Rural Fire Service it will
provide information about bushfires from participating fire agencies across
Australia. The app finds your location using a map and will give relevant information
around you. It also allows you to choose a location. The app also
provides information on total fire bans.
The Emergency+ app is a free app developed by Australia’s emergency
services and their Government and industry partners.
The app uses GPS functionality built into smart phones to help a Triple Zero
(000) caller provide critical location details required to mobilise emergency
services
Emergency AUS App - delivers warning and incident information issued
by official agencies across Australia. Providing you with real-time access to
official warnings, incident reports and public Sensory Observations to aid
in better decision making during emergencies and disasters. By bringing
together emergency information from over 25 emergency service agencies
and accessing observations submitted by the public
Triple Zero Kids Challenge App - Start playing and learn about what happens
when you call Triple 000. The online game is designed for children of
kindergarten and primary school age and consists of a number of safety scenarios.
The game is available in seven languages including English, Arabic,
Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai, Hindi and Dinka.
33

EMERGENCY
CONTACTS
For Police, Fire & Ambulance across Australia dial 000
SES PoliceLink Crimestoppers
131444 132500 1800 333 000
13HEALTH Health Direct Australia Bureau of Meteorology
1343 2584 1800 022 222 1300 659 213
International Incident Emergency Helpline
1300 555 135
Victorian Country Fire Authority
1800 240 667
FOR LOCAL NUMBERS OR INFORMATION PLEASE REFER TO YOUR STATE OR
LOCAL GOVERNMENT WEBSITE
34

35

IF IT DOESN’T ADD UP,
SPEAK UP.
CALL THE
NATIONAL SECURITY HOTLINE
1800 123 400
Even if you think it’s probably nothing, the smallest piece of information
can be valuable. Calls to the National Security Hotline have already
contributed to investigations. If something doesn’t add up, speak up
by calling the National Security Hotline.
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Authorised by the Australian Government, Capital Hill, Canberra.