Section 6: Council Activities

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Emergency Management and Business Continuance

Responsibility

John Sutton (Manager Quality Assurance)

Description of service

Planning for emergencies and business continuance is a core role for any organisation and the Council does so to meet certain legal obligations and as good business practice. This activity covers:

Planning for, and managing, major or widespread emergency events (civil defence).
Planning for and managing fires (non-structural) in the rural parts of the district, other than the conservation estate.
Planning for the continuation of Council services in all circumstances.

Scale of service

This describes the size and scope of the activity.

Management of the $158,000 civil defence contract with the Taranaki Regional Council.
Management of rural fires over an area of 1.1 million hectares.
Ensuring that the Council continue to operate in all circumstances.
Annual training for three fire crews.

Rationale for activity

Planning for the unexpected makes sound business sense and reduces risks to the quality of life in the district and contributes to the environmental, economic and social well-being. The Council provides a wide range of services that are essential to life itself and include water supplies, sewage disposal and roads. It is critical that these services are not disrupted by:

Emergencies, as well as physical events such as flood, fire, volcanic eruption and earthquake.
Poor planning and management, affecting maintenance, planning, legal compliance, adequate and sustainable budgets, organisational and managerial issues.

Business Continuance, therefore, develops plans, processes and capability for reducing the risk of disruption and for service continuity in the event of disruptions arising from all causes. Managing risk in this way reduces the likelihood and severity of disruptions to council and other essential services.

Having plans in place to deal with unexpected events of a more routine nature minimises problems arising from small scale problems. This includes such things as having good data back-up.

The activity is also carried out to meet the following statutory requirements:

The Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 requires all the local authorities in a region to unite to form a Civil Defence Emergency Management Group (CDEM), the members of which are jointly and separately bound to identify, assess and manage hazards and risks which are likely to give rise to emergencies that are beyond the capacity of the emergency services. The role includes education and planning but gives wide powers of action in an emergency situation. Taranaki Regional Council is the administering authority which implements the decisions of the CDEM Group. NPDC’s role is largely that of sharing in the policy making and the funding.
The Council is the Rural Fire Authority, in terms of the Forest and Rural Fires Act 1977, for those parts of the district which are not in an Urban Fire District or in the conservation estate and adjoining fire safety margin of one kilometre. As such it is has a statutory responsibility for promoting and carrying out fire control measures in those areas. The New Zealand Fire Service deals with all building fires and the first hour of other fires. Fire-fighting after the first hour is by a contractor to the council.
The Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 requires the Council to ensure that it is able to function to the fullest possible extent, even though this may be at a reduced level, during and after an emergency. This requires planning to cover all contingencies. Each activity plans to cover contingencies affecting its ability to provide services and this activity provides overall planning, coordination and advice plus liaison with external agencies. It also provides a large portable electricity generator, the running costs for which will be a charge to the activity supported. Return to top

Contribution to Community Outcomes

The Emergency Management and Business Continuance activity contributes primarily to the Secure and Healthy Community Outcome by ensuring the protection of essential services in the event of natural and man-made disasters.

It also contributes to the Prosperous Community Outcome by providing protection of essential services to businesses and the community.

Secure and Healthy

A district that provides a safe, healthy and friendly place to live, work or visit.

S&H2 The environmental, physical and mental health of the people of New Plymouth District is maintained, enhanced, promoted and protected.

S&H6 A sustainable management approach is taken to hazards and risks across the areas of reduction, readiness, response and recovery.

Prosperous

A district that boasts a sustainable, resilient and innovative economy that prospers within the natural and social environment.

P3 Taranaki’s strengths are recognised and diversification of agriculture, business and industry is valued and encouraged.

Negative impacts on community well-being

It is sometimes necessary to restrict activities to reduce the risk of significant damage or loss. For example banning open fires, including barbecues and burn-offs, during extremely dry conditions may inconvenience or result in additional costs to businesses and the general public. Public information and awareness campaigns are undertaken to explain the reasons for restrictions etc. There is also a time and cost in planning for events which may never happen, but these costs are relatively low compared to the benefits of the risks reduction.

Facing the challenges – assumptions and risks

Assumptions

The Council will continue to work with the regional council and other local authorities to develop civil defence and emergency management strategies.
The Council will remain the rural fire authority.

Risks

Significant changes to legislation may affect the way the Council is required to manage it emergency response plans and the available funding.
An event or natural disaster occurs that the Council has not anticipated.
Need to ensure processes and plans are up to date.

Managing risks

The impacts of any changes to legislation can be mitigated by ensuring that the Council recruits and retains competent staff who have the skills and knowledge to implement any changing legislative requirements in a cost-effective manner.
The likelihood of an unanticipated event or natural disaster can be minimised by the constant updating and review of emergency management procedures.
Business continuance will continue to modify its processes and plans to keep them current with dynamic technological and work practice change, as well as other developments.

Levels of service and performance measures

The following levels of service and performance measures outline the objectives we will set and how we will measure our progress.

Levels of Service and Performance Measures

Asset information

Assets required

There are no significant assets owned by the Council that are used and controlled by this activity.

Managing improved and/or expanded services

Business Continuance must, however, modify its processes and plans to keep them current with dynamic technological and work practice change, as well as other developments.

Funding

This activity is funded by rates because its costs largely lie in maintaining a general capability for fighting rural fires across the whole district. The costs of the Business Continuance part of the activity is spread across all council activities, as it exists to ensure continued services in emergency situations and to remove or reduce threats to Council service provision. Such activities are unsuitable for user charges.