Council’s role during an emergency event

Council’s role during a local emergency is to:

• Serve as a conduit for key information on the emergency event from the Emergency Service Providers for example; State Emergency Service, Fire and Rescue, Rural Fire Service, Police Force, Health, etc.
• Support the lead Emergency Service Provider with the resources, people and equipment they need to manage the emergency and any follow-up recovery actions (as per legislative requirements of the Central Coast Local Emergency Management Plan (EMPLAN 2023)
• Continue our constant and close monitoring of Council managed open spaces, reserves, facilities and roads for any impacts. 
• Mobilise our own resources, people and equipment to respond to any identified impacts.
• Provide key information to the community and relevant stakeholders about how Council’s services or facilities are impacted such as Water and Sewer Services, Waste Collection and availability of Child Care Centres, Libraries and Community Halls.
• Drive community-led approaches to coping with the emergency. 

Council works closely with the Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC) to ensure that all aspects of Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery are well supported and resourced.

Following a natural disaster, a Local Recovery Committee is led by Council, working with NSW Government and other state agencies to provide cohesive support in the recovery and clean up phase. This includes offering face-to-face recovery support and information to impacted residents at recovery assistance points (recovery hubs) and through various other channels. 

Council’s priority during an emergency 

Emergency events are a quick changing situation and Council’s focus is on community safety and distributing key information as quickly as possible.

Council works closely with the NSW Rural Fire Service throughout the bush fire season and during period of increased bush fire activity and emergency situations, NSW SES and other emergency service providers during storm and flood events, and emergency events.

During an emergency event, Council constantly monitors Council managed reserves and open spaces, facilities, and roads for any impacts, whilst mobilising crews on the ground as required.

Council’s communication channels during an emergency 

During an emergency event, Council will regularly post on Council’s Facebook and Twitter social media pages with important news on the impacts to Council facilities, services, assets and managed public spaces, and shares key information on the emergency event from the leading Emergency Service Providers (for example the SES and RFS).

Key information is also posted on Council's website and included in our weekly eNewsletter (sign up to eNews), in addition to other communication channels such as print advertising, community brochures, and through local media such as ABC Central Coast (as the local emergency broadcaster).  

Emergency Operations Centre (EOC)

The Central Coast Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) may be activated (or stood up) during an emergency event at the discretion of the Local Emergency Operations Controller (LEOCON) who is the local Commander of the NSW Police Force. 

If the EOC is activated during an Emergency event, Council will:

• Ensure that the EOC is functional and adequately resourced to support an emergency response.
• Provide a Local Emergency Management Officer (LEMO) to support coordination of the emergency response, a Liaison Officer (LO) to act as a conduit between the EOC and Council’s Incident Management Team (IMT), and provide other support staff such as communications officers, technicians, administration staff, and subject matter experts