3 Prevention

In accordance with the guiding principles of the Act, preventative measures reduce the likelihood of a disaster event occurring or the severity of an event should it eventuate.

Prevention is defined as regulatory and physical measures to ensure that emergencies are prevented, or their effects mitigated and mitigation is defined as measures taken in advance of a disaster aimed at decreasing or eliminating its impact on society and environment.

The implementation of proactive, targeted prevention and mitigation strategies designed to address likely risk factors, the vulnerability of the population and reduce or eliminate the possible impact of disasters ultimately ensures safer, more resilient and sustainable communities.

The preparedness and resilience of communities involves all individuals sharing responsibility. Disaster resilience is significantly increased by proactive planning and preparation for the protection of life, property and the environment through an awareness of hazards, associated risks and local disaster management arrangement.

3.1 Resilience

The frequency and intensity of natural disasters has increased in recent years, with further increases predicted into the future. Queensland is the most disaster impacted state in Australia. By necessity, Queenslanders are renowned for their resilience and ability to adapt, with a strong community spirit that supports those in need to withstand and recover from disasters.

In the context of disaster management, it is suitable to refer to resilience as:

A system or community's ability to rapidly accommodate and recover from the impacts of hazards, restore essential structures and desired functionality, and adapt to new circumstances.

Queensland Strategy for Disaster Resilience 2017

Disaster resilient communities are those that work together to understand and manage their risks. Disaster resilience is a shared responsibility of all sectors, including all levels of government, business, NGOs and individuals.

The Queensland Strategy for Disaster Resilience is the guiding instrument for realising the vision to make Queensland the most disaster resilient state in Australia and is underpinned by four key objectives:

• Queenslanders understand their disaster risk
• strengthened disaster risk management
• Queenslanders are invested in disaster risk reduction
• continuous improvement in disaster preparedness.

L.1.100 National Strategy for Disaster Resilience

L.1.098 Queensland Strategy for Disaster Resilience 2017

3.2 Disaster risk management

Local and district groups and the state group within Queensland's disaster management arrangements hold responsibility for managing disaster risk, for all hazards, across the four phases of a comprehensive approach: prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. This is in accordance with the main objects and principles of the Act.

Risk management is a proactive process that forms the basis for disaster management planning and helps those who hold disaster management responsibilities to provide effective, relevant and informed services to communities.

To ensure effective disaster risk management, groups at all levels are encouraged to:

• undertake risk assessment and management using an approved, recognised methodology that considers all reasonably foreseeable hazards, both natural and human-made
• support risk assessment and management with scientific data, the use of geospatial information systems, and analysis of historical and/or projected impacts to identify area specific exposures and vulnerabilities
• identify residual risk (the risk that remains in unmanaged form, even if controls are in place) from their risk management process and reach agreement between the levels of Queensland's disaster management arrangements to either accept, mitigate or transfer that risk
• clearly document and make publicly available hazard identification and risk assessments to stakeholders and community members, and review them regularly
• use risk assessments to inform mitigation, preparedness, continuity, response and recovery planning processes and documentation.

3.2.1 Understanding disaster risk

The United Nations, through the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, notes that understanding disaster risk is the first priority toward disaster risk reduction.

Hazard identification, the analysis of exposure and vulnerability and the subsequent identification of risk through this process is the cornerstone of understanding disaster risk and forms the basis for effective risk-based planning.

It is advisable that the identification of risk be regularly reviewed to ensure:

• the most current information is used to identify exposures and vulnerabilities
• there is a clear line of sight from the identified vulnerabilities to the risks the vulnerabilities specifically create to the plans that have been developed to directly mitigate the risks.

The Queensland Emergency Risk Management Framework (QERMF) was developed to enable such a literal process at all levels of Queensland's disaster management arrangements.

3.3 Prevention, mitigation and disaster risk reduction

Prevention and mitigation strategies should work towards reducing the financial and social costs to communities over time, improving the built environment, and reducing the impact on, and damage to, the environment.

Investment in disaster risk prevention and reduction enhances the economic, social, health and cultural resilience of people, communities, countries and their assets, as well as the environment.

The effective prevention of disaster events includes multiple strategies to reduce or remove the impact of hazards and increase the resilience of the community. Disaster managers at all levels of Queensland's disaster management arrangements are responsible for using a proven risk management process to identify prevention and mitigation options.

All mitigation measures are important as they save lives and reduce the cost of response to and recovery of the community.

In Queensland, multiple publications prepared by state government agencies for local governments, businesses and individuals assist and enhance planning and the development of prevention and mitigation strategies to reduce disaster risk.

L.1.105 State Planning Policy 2017

L.1.106 Queensland Betterment Fund

L.1.108 Rebuilding a stronger, more resilient Queensland

L.1.109 Planning for stronger more resilient floodplains

L.1.110 Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction

L.1.111 2017-19 Local Government Grants and Subsidies Program

L.1.112 2017-19 Works for Queensland Program

L.1.267 Strategic Policy Framework for Riverine Flood Risk Management and Community Resilience

3.4 Mitigation and improvement strategies

The development of mitigation strategies should flow from the risk management process with clear links to functional lead agencies, as identified in the SDMP, to ensure each risk and strategy is coordinated and managed by the responsible agency.

Prevention and mitigation strategies should be based on the risk assessment and can be considered in relation to:

• land use planning and building codes
• essential infrastructure
• structural works
• landscape and environment.

Examples of mitigation strategies include:

• hazard specific control activities such as flood levees or bushfire mitigation strategies
• design improvements to infrastructure or services
• land use planning and design decisions that avoid developments and community infrastructure in areas prone to hazards
• community awareness campaigns to increase knowledge of how to prepare for disaster events
• community education programs to build knowledge of the appropriate actions to prepare for and respond to a disaster event
• capital works such as levee bank construction to reduce the impacts of flooding
• resilience activities including partnership building and engagement between sectors
• annual programs (e.g. vegetation management around essential services and essential infrastructure such as power lines).

The concept of betterment, often considered predominantly within post-disaster recovery and reconstruction, should also form a key consideration pre-disaster through proactive mitigation strategies which aim to enhance and harden infrastructure to a more disaster resilient standard.

For more information refer to Chapter 7: Financial arrangements.

3.4.1 Land use planning and building codes

Land use planning can be an effective method to reduce the impact of natural hazards and, where possible, avoid risk to life, property and environmental systems from natural hazards.

The State Planning Policy (SPP) is a key component of Queensland’s planning system. The SPP expresses the state’s interests in land use planning and development, including the avoidance or mitigation of the risks associated with natural hazards. Promoting this avoidance or mitigation through plan making and development decisions of state and local government can significantly reduce the likelihood and severity of impacts of certain natural hazards including flood, bushfire, landslide, storm tide inundation and coastal erosion.

Regulatory frameworks for buildings (e.g. Acts, Regulations, Codes) ensure buildings and infrastructure are designed and constructed to standards that minimise the likelihood of injury during a disaster event.

Most levels of government implement requirements that control land use planning and building design and construction and reduce risks from natural hazards.

L.1.113 Planning Act 2016

L.1.268 Building Act 1975

L.1.114 National Construction Code

L.1.115 Queensland Development Code

L.1.105 State Planning Policy 2017

L.1.116 Local Government Planning Instruments

L.1.117 Planning Safer Communities Land Use Planning for Natural Hazards – Manual 7

3.4.2 Essential Infrastructure

A community's social and economic wellbeing relies upon the continuity of essential services provided by critical infrastructure. This critical infrastructure supports the most basic needs: safe drinking water, food, reliable transport, accessible public health services, energy for homes and industry, access to banking, finance and government services, and communications networks to connect us socially and in business.

Critical infrastructure includes those physical facilities, supply chains, systems, assets, information technologies and communication networks which, if destroyed, degraded or rendered unavailable for an extended period, would significantly affect the social or economic wellbeing of the community.

The importance of the reliability of this infrastructure highlights the need to build and strengthen its resilience. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) describes resilience as the ability of a system, community or society exposed to hazards to resist, absorb, accommodate to and recover from the effects of a hazard in a timely and efficient manner, including through the preservation and restoration of its essential basic structures and functions.

Mitigating the effects of disaster events and ensuring the reliability of essential services and infrastructure requires a variety of strategies including compliance with building planning regulations, land use planning and an all hazards approach to risk identification and management.

Strong networks between infrastructure owner/operators, local and state government agencies and communities are key for critical infrastructure resilience.

L.1.117 Planning Safer Communities Land Use Planning for Natural Hazards – Manual 7

L.1.118 Critical Infrastructure Resilience Strategy Plan

L.1.256 Critical Infrastructure Emergency Risk Management and Assurance Handbook

3.4.3 Structural Works

Structural disaster mitigation strategies involve the application of engineered solutions as disaster mitigation strategies including physical structures which are constructed or modified to reduce or eliminate disaster impacts.

Structural works to mitigate natural hazards can include but are not limited to levees, rock walls, drainage works, improved road infrastructure and flood mitigation dams. Where structural mitigation strategies are implemented, asset owners need to consider funding to support ongoing operation and maintenance. The community should also be educated on the limits of structural mitigation works and the appropriate action required should breaches occur.

The application of structural works as a form of mitigation is not necessarily the most cost-effective approach and may transfer the problem. Therefore structural works form one option in a suite of mitigation strategies including natural landscape and environmental approaches.

L.1.004 State Disaster Management Plan 2017

L.1.119 Queensland Flood Mapping Program, Flood mapping implementation kit

L.1.120 Natural assets for flood and cyclone resilience

L.1.267 Strategic Policy Framework for Riverine Flood Risk Management and Community Resilience

3.4.4 Landscape and environment

The appropriate management and protection of landscapes and the environment is important. All organisations, including governments at all levels, must consider the effects of development relative to the landscape and environment.

Climate change predictions should be considered when planning for mitigation of natural hazards. Climate change is predicted to influence the magnitude, frequency and severity of natural disaster events including increasing sea levels, intensity of cyclones and storms and other changes to weather patterns. In Queensland, low lying coastal areas and associated coastal environments and landscapes will be most vulnerable to the impacts of these hazards.

Assessment of coastal based development is undertaken to ensure development protects and conserves coastal resources. This also enhances the resilience of coastal communities.

L.1.105 State Planning Policy 2017

L.1.004 State Disaster Management Plan 2017

L.1.120 Natural assets for flood and cyclone resilience

L.1.113 Planning Act 2016

3.5 Queensland Emergency Risk Framework (QERMF)

The QERMF was endorsed by the QDMC as Queensland's approach to disaster risk management in August 2017 and complements existing and widely recognised risk management standards. Disaster management stakeholders may use this approach in conducting their risk assessments.

The QERMF provides a risk assessment methodology that can be used within disaster management planning at all levels of Queensland's disaster management arrangements. The process applies a standardised and internationally recognised approach to the prioritisation, mitigation and management of risk. This includes the consistent identification and passage of residual risk between levels of Queensland's disaster management arrangements to directly inform planning and resource allocation and to promote active communication, cooperation and coordination.

The successful foundation for disaster risk management lies in clearly identifying and understanding the level of exposure and vulnerability to a community and its assets against particular hazards. Accepted definitions of these three key concepts are:

• Hazard – a source of potential harm or a situation with a potential to cause loss.[1]
• Exposure – the elements within a given area that have been, or could be, subject to the impact of a particular hazard. Exposure is also sometimes referred to as the 'elements at risk'.3
• Vulnerability – the characteristics and circumstances of a community, system or asset that make it susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard.[2]

The QERMF approach integrates a range of assessment elements to assist in risk-based planning by:

• evaluating the effect of a hazard manifesting, based on the assessment of the severity of exposure and the level of vulnerability
• informing risk prioritisation, treatment, resource allocation and planning, and measuring this against the capability and capacity to manage the identified vulnerabilities.

The model shown in Figure 3.1 presents the four clear steps to ensuring the identification, analysis and management of risk. Once the strategies have been identified, planned or put into place, it is important then to consider the residual risk.

Figure 3.1 Queensland Emergency Risk Management Framework

3.5.1 Residual risk and risk-based planning

One of the key features of the QERMF within Queensland’s disaster management arrangements is the passage of residual risk from local governments to disaster districts to the state. This is shown in Figure 3.2.

As per the Act, local governments are responsible for disaster planning and operations within their area, with support provided from the district, state and national levels as requested.

The provision of support to local governments – and planning for it – depends on a clear understanding of what aspects of risk mitigation may be beyond their capability (ability to achieve a specific and desired effect either in preparation or response) and capacity (how long the capability can effectively be sustained).

Active, clear communication of residual risk becomes pivotal when multiple LGAs are affected by the same or similar risks and/or event and require support in a compressed timeframe, as this has implications for the prioritisation and mobilisation of limited resources.

The QERMF informs risk-based planning by shaping the focus of risk management to a fit-for-purpose approach to manage identified risk. To achieve this, the process ensures four key outcomes:

• shifts risk assessment and management from a 'one size fits all' approach to a tailored methodology that prioritises local characteristics
• embeds risk identification, assessment and management in proven, consistent, science-based methodologies that can be applied consistently across local, district and state levels
• allows clarity and transparency in communication and decision-making at all levels of Queensland's disaster management arrangements
• improves the identification of an area's capability and capacity to manage the disaster risks within that area, thereby informing resource planning for Queensland's disaster management arrangements.

Figure 3.2 Risk Based Planning Equation

This in turn will create multiple benefits, including:

• improved risk governance through the strengthening of transparency and accountability in the acceptance, mitigation and/or transfer of residual risk between and across the three levels of Queensland's disaster management arrangements
• specific areas can prioritise their resources, based on localised assessed risks
• robust, scientifically-based risk assessments can be used for applications for resources and funding towards mitigation strategies and betterment projects
• all levels of government and community will have greater assurance through and confidence in scientifically underpinned risk-based planning
• stakeholders will have improved confidence in state level coordination and support across all levels of Queensland's disaster management arrangements, supported by state government guidance and prioritisation of risk
• disaster management networks will be strengthened and better aligned.

A full risk assessment or a review of existing risk assessments should form part of annual disaster management planning and reviews.

3.5.2 Alignment between the QERMF and situational awareness

QERMF risk assessments use scientific hazard data, mapping and modelling combined with local knowledge to identify exposures, vulnerabilities and risk when specific hazards manifest. This includes historical analysis as well as climate science projections to cover the spectrum of most likely to credible worst case scenarios using geospatial intelligence.

The risk-based plans and geospatial intelligence developed in accordance with the QERMF assessments amount to what is referred to in planning methodology as deliberate planning (discussed further in Chapter 4, section 4.3: Planning).

The information contained within QERMF risk assessments is directly useful for pre-impact analysis in the face of an impending and/or imminent disaster event. The characteristics and hazard data of the event itself, including the exposures, vulnerabilities and risks previously identified in assessments, can be compared and contrasted against the manifesting event to proactively develop situation awareness and identify critical focal points to monitor. Situation awareness plays a critical role in planning and decision making, particularly in complex and dynamic environments.

Situation awareness is defined as: the perception of key elements in the environment within a volume of time and space, the comprehension of their meaning and the projection of their status into the near future. The assessment process leading to situation awareness allows decision makers to:

• identify and focus on the most important elements of a current or emerging event
• understand why those elements are so important in the particular area of interest
• project their status into the future to predict what may happen in order to plan, prioritise and take decision action if required.

The QERMF assessments and geospatial intelligence when shared across all levels of QDMA enable situation awareness to be more rapidly acquired. This is due to the ey elements, exposures and potential vulnerabilities of the area of interest already being identified which can lead to a reduction in the requests for – and the subsequent workload in providing – broad information requests from state to local levels during disaster events.

Links between the three key steps in identifying risk and the three steps involved in developing situational awareness are shown in Figure 3.3.

Figure 3.3 Identify Risk and Situational Awareness Processes

3.5.3 QERMF risk-based planning resilience

The QERMF risk-based planning methodology directly contributes to the implementation of the Queensland Strategy for Disaster Resilience and aligns with its four guiding principles:

• shared responsibility
• an integrated risk-based approach
• evidence-based decision making
• continual learning.

Statewide Natural Disaster Risk Assessment

L.1.098 Queensland Strategy for Disaster Resilience

H.1.102 Queensland Emergency Risk Management Framework – Risk Assessment Process Handbook

3.6 Climate Risk

Climate change refers to any significant change in the measures of climate lasting for several decades or longer, such as temperature, rainfall or wind patterns. It is different from weather, which is short-term and variable. Climate change is attributed to numerous natural and human-induced factors. Climate modelling indicates that climate change is likely to have transformative impacts across Queensland’s disaster management system, with impacts relevant across varied industries, demographics and ecosystems.

Queensland’s climate is already changing, which has impacted Queensland’s society, economy and environment in a myriad of ways. Average temperatures across the state are currently 1°C higher than they were 100 years ago. Recent decades have shown a clear warming trend. Our climate is already highly variable, but climate change is leading to shifts beyond this natural variability, which is exposing Queensland to an increase in disaster related risks.

Potential risks arising from climate change vary across the State. The 2021/22 State Disaster Risk Report highlights the key projected climate change trends for Queensland, including:

• Higher temperatures
• Hotter and more frequent hot days
• Harsher fire weather
• Significant changes in rainfall including large reductions in rainfall in some parts of the State, and more intense downpours in others
• Less frequent but more intense tropical cyclones, that can extend further south than commonly observed in the historical record
• A rising sea level, including more frequent sea extremes
• A warmer and more acidic sea.

These effects of climate change pose direct risks to quality of life, the economy and the environment in Queensland. Climate change also creates risks for Government assets (infrastructure and investments); staff health and retention; ability to provide services; and current and future policies and financial position (revenue and costs).

Future climate projections and potential impacts per region can be found on the Queensland Government’s climate change science resources page, the Queensland Future Climate Dashboard and within the 2021/22 State Disaster Risk Report. (PDF, 19.4 MB)

3.6.1 Climate Change Adaptation

Climate risk reduction activities undertaken at all levels of Queensland’s disaster management arrangements can be designed and implemented within a framework of climate change adaptation.

The objectives and implementation of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation are closely aligned.[i] However, a major challenge in combining disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation is that they occur on different scales. [ii] The effects of disaster events tend to be localised to a particular place, and so disaster risk reduction occurs at a local level. Meanwhile, climate change adaptation is informed by data at the state, national and international levels, and driven by policy direction at higher levels. There are also differences in timescales, with disaster events requiring more immediate action, and adaptation for climate change is based on a longer-term future timeframe. This can prove challenging where focus tends to be on the more immediate problem – the disaster event and not the longer-term change in climate. Alignment of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation activities can also be hindered in contexts with unclear governance arrangements,[iii] and a lack of funding.[iv]

In Queensland, these issues can begin to be addressed through alignment of disaster risk reduction activities with state-level climate change adaptation policies, under the framework of state development. Consideration of broader sustainability and climate change adaptation goals needs to be undertaken when planning, designing and executing disaster risk reduction activities, to avoid the risk of maladaptation over the longer term.[v] Policies such as the State Planning Policy[vi] , and building policies such as the National Construction Code for example, can provide a practical guide for marrying the two approaches, as well as broader development frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals.[vii]

Queensland’s disaster management arrangements, through disaster management groups at the local and district level, can act as a mechanism for ensuring that disaster risk reduction activities that are informed by disaster risk assessments are undertaken to contribute to the goals of the Q-CAS. Designing disaster risk reduction activities in line with Q-CAS will ensure that activities address both current and future disaster and climate risks.

The Emergency Management sector, across both government agencies and non-government organisations, recognise the importance of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation through the Emergency Management Sector Adaptation Plan (EM-SAP). The EM-SAP details eight priorities which seek to further engrain climate change into sector strategic investment and disaster management planning at all levels (refer Section 4.2.2, Table 1). Each priority within EM-SAP has a rationale, identified actions, desired outcomes and associated challenges. The eight priorities and identified actions specific to consider during the prevention phase can be found within the EM-SAP.

Toolkit

• Factsheet: Emergency Management Sector Adaptation Plan for Climate Change (PDF, 415.4 KB)
• Factsheet: Climate Change in Queensland (PDF, 352.7 KB)
• Emergency Management Sector Adaptation Plan (EM-SAP) for Climate Change (PDF, 3.3 MB)

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