Describing roles and responsibilities by task
The description of roles and responsibilities by task is of value to:
- those who want a quick overview of who is supposed to do what;
- those who are responsible for controlling or coordinating emergency management activities.
The description is simply based on a list of tasks with the organisations assigned to the tasks in the appropriate place. The list of tasks could be organised alphabetically, or by the aspect of emergency management to which they pertain, i.e. prevention, preparedness, etc.
Following are three examples. The first shows tasks (and events) alphabetically and is from a small part of an emergency management plan that covers a State; the second is from an oil pollution plan and has the tasks listed by the aspect of emergency management (the example shows response and recovery); the third is from a hazardous materials emergency plan, and shows tasks and organisations.
Another way of describing roles and responsibilities is to list them by task within a given hazard. Section 6.05 in Chapter 6 of the AEM: Community Emergency Planning Guide shows how this can be done.
Describing roles and responsibilities by task - from a State emergency plan
| Task/Event | Organisation |
Accommodation (temporary) |
Department of Community & Health Services, local government |
| Air accident |
Police, Civil Aviation Safety Authority |
Ambulance services (triage, transportation, patient care, rescue) |
Ambulance Service, St John Ambulance, 10th Field Ambulance |
Animal health emergencies |
Animal Industries Division, Department of Primary Industry & Fisheries |
Appeal management |
State Personal Services Committee, Affected Area Recovery Committee |
Blood supplies |
Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service |
Bomb threat |
Police |
Child care (temporary) |
Department of Community & Health Services, local government |
Civil defence |
Director of Emergency Services |
Clothing/household items |
Society of St Vincent de Paul, Red Cross Society, Salvation Army, Seventh Day Adventist Church, Department of Community & Health Services |
Commonwealth assistance (request coordination) |
Director of Emergency Services, State Emergency Service |
Communications (planning) |
Communications Committee |
Communications (supply of additional equipment) |
State Emergency Service |
Community counselling |
Department of Community & Health Services, Department of Social Security, Life Line, Council of Churches |
Coronial investigation |
Department of Justice, Coroner's Clerks |
Describing roles and responsibilities by task - from an oil pollution plan
| Task | Responsible Agency |
RESPONSE AND RECOVERY |
|
alert others of oil spill |
relevant Marine Board/Oil Pollution Control Officer/Emergency Service |
appoint On-Scene Coordinator (Category 1) |
relevant Marine Board |
appoint On-Scene Coordinator (Category 2 & 3) |
Marine Pollution Committee |
control oil spill response |
On-Scene Coordinator |
oil spill sample collection |
Environment Department through Oil Pollution Control Officer |
advice to On-Scene Coordinator technical meterological environmental current/tidal occupational health and safety |
Environment Department/Maritime Safety Authority/Petroleum Institute Bureau of Meterology Environment Department/Sea Fisheries Marine Board/Sea Fisheries OHS Branch |
fire-fighting |
Fire Service |
first aid |
Ambulance Service |
traffic and crowd control |
Police |
mobile HQ vessel |
Police |
resources absorbent/containment/dispersent equipment coordination communications catering and accommodation transport protective clothing human resources |
Oil Pollution Control Officer/ Petroleum Institute/ Emergency Service Emergency Service Emergency Service Emergency Service Emergency Service Emergency Service/Fire Service Emergency Service/ Marine Board/ municipality |
animal welfare |
Environment Department |
Describing roles and responsibilities by task - from a hazardous materials emergency plan
| Task | Organisation |
|
Fire Service |
|
Dangerous Goods Inspectorate (Department of State Development & Resources) |
|
Mines Inspection Division (Department of State Development & Resources) |
|
Engineering & Groundwater Division (Department of State Development & Resources) |
|
Statewide Health Services (Department of Community & Health Services) |
|
Poisons Information Centre (Department of Community & Health Services) |
|
Occupational Health & Safety Branch (Department of State Development & Resources) |
|
Department of Primary Industry & Fisheries |
|
Police |
|
State Emergency Service |
|
Marine Boards |