# Presentation: 061407

## A Risk Management Approach to Emergency Management In New Zealand  
Higher Education Project Conference, Emmitsburg, June 2001

- Higher Education Project Conference, Emmitsburg, June 2001

## Context for hazards in New Zealand

- Relatively small and isolated island nation
- Geologically active – widespread volcanic, earthquake and tsunami hazards
- Temperate climate, rapid weather changes, orographic wind & rainfall patterns
- Population 3.8 million
- GDP approx. US$43 billion

## Vulnerability to natural hazards

## Other major hazards

- Lifeline utility failure:
- 	eg: Auckland electricity outage:
- affected 6500 residents & 60,000 workers
- business losses of US$250 million
- Biosecurity - agricultural pests & public health
- 	eg: current concerns
- foot & mouth
- disease carrying mosquitoes

## Why EM reform based on risk mgt:

- Limited response capability means:
-  focusing on other solutions
-  prioritizing resource use
- Building on wider government reforms:
- integration with other legislation
- structural reform of key agencies
- Applying international EM concepts

## New Legislation: General Purpose Statement

- Improve and promote sustainable management of hazards in a way that contributes to the social, economic, cultural and environmental well-being and safety of the public, and the protection of property
- Encourage and enable communities to achieve acceptable levels of risks, including:
- identifying, assessing and managing risks
- consulting and communicating about risks
- identifying and implementing cost-effective risk reduction
- monitoring and review
- Provide for planning and preparation for emergencies, and for response and recovery in the event of an emergency.

## Establish the context

- Identify risks

- Analyse risks

- Evaluate risks

- Treat risks

- Communicate and consult

- Monitor and review

- Assess risks

- The Risk Standard – AS/NZS 4360:1999

## Other key requirements in the Bill:

- Regional groupings of local councils & emergency services providing:
- political accountability and executive support
- a strategic focus
- links to other planning  processes
- Nationally integrated planning framework:
- National strategy & guidelines
- Regional group plans (covering 4 Rs)
- National response plan
- Business continuity planning for lifeline utilities &
- 	government agencies
- Cautionary approach to managing risks permissible where uncertain about them

## In summary: 

- Why a risk based approach?
- hazards risks are of national significance
- practical means to apply EM concepts
- fits other recent reforms
- enables better use of limited resources and capability
- How to go about it?
- a risk standard emphasizing ‘full’ management
- clear purpose and planning requirements in law
- structural arrangements that support integrated approaches across agencies and the 4Rs

## EM Professional Development Strategy:

- Established inter-agency strategy and committee process
- Response training focuses on inter-agency operational procedures:
- Coordinated Incident Management System (CIMS)
- Urban Search & Rescue
- Encouraging at-distance learning to national standards through ‘train the trainers’ programs and packaging training resources

**Notes:**
1999 the Ministry lead a process involving local government and national emergency services agencies to gain a agreement on a common vision and goals for professional development in the EM sector

This led to establishment of an inter-agency steering committee of training executives and an advisory group to oversee joint projects.

Key focus has been response skills – CIMS based on IEMS concepts. It is being developed to university level based around crisis management competencies.

Encouraging core basic training being delivered ‘at home’ but to national standards. Still building up trainers – issues center on motivation of volunteers and part-timers to participate

## Higher Education:   Who is an emergency manager?    One profession or multi-disciplinary team? 

- Want EM concepts built into specialist programs
- Risk management & inter-agency co-ordination requires general business skills:
- 	-  project & risk management
- 	-  communication/stakeholder relationship mgt
- 	-  policy development & planning
- Existing personnel needs differ to future needs
- Creating teaching & research opportunities – issues of scale & competition between universities

**Notes:**
These questions are I believe important in terms of how may go about offering higher learning.

We are tending towards the team approach. This suits our emphasis on risk management as the key here is recognizing and harnessing specialist skills and interests. The competencies needed for that are primarily general business skills.

An issue we face is that current ‘emergency management’  personnel come with a more limited background (response operations and not managing reduction strategies). They will remain in a response role, while new staff and secondments are being employed to oversee EM planning within our new regional groupings. 

We are looking to develop EM courses that can be slotted into general science and arts   programs (at under-graduate and graduate level).  Also within specialist programs - such as for paramedics.

A number of universities are looking at offering core EM programs – though question is whether there are enough students to justify such programs. 

This raises a wider issue of competition between tertiary institutions spreading resources and expertise too thinly.  Govt. looking to address this through Centers of Excellence. Current proposal in the pipeline.