Department of Human Services 2009 Victorian Emergencies January Heatwave and Black Saturday Bushfires Craig Lapsley Director, Emergency Management.

Department of Human Services

2009 Victorian Emergencies 2009 Victorian Emergencies

January Heatwave and Black Saturday BushfiresJanuary Heatwave and Black Saturday Bushfires

Craig LapsleyDirector, Emergency Management

WeatherWeatherLate January early February 2009Late January early February 2009

Victoria experienced warmer than average temperatures over a short but intense period in late January / February 2009.____________________

Land surface temperatures between 25 Jan to 1 Feb 2009 compared to the average mid-summer temperatures between 2000-2008.

Image: Jeff Schmaltz MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC

Temperatures were: •warmer than average in red, •near-normal temperatures in white,•temperatures were cooler than average in blue.

Heatwave 2009Heatwave 2009

Exceptional heatwave conditions affected south-eastern Australia during late January & early February 2009. – extreme conditions occurred in northern & eastern

Tasmania, Victoria and adjacent border areas of New South Wales, southern South Australia with maximum temperatures 12-15°C above normal.

– records set for both day and night time high temperatures

– as well as for the duration of extreme heat

Two major episodes of exceptional high temperatures, from 28-31 January and 6-8 February 2009.

Keeping CoolKeeping Cool

• 25% of all hospitals had some type of issue with air conditioning/cooling systems

• Severe impact on the public transport systems with 20-30 trains cancelled during peak hours

• On Friday 30th J an 500,000 households were without power for several hours

Victorian Heatwave MortalityVictorian Heatwave Mortality• Victorian Coroner confirm reportable deaths for

those over 65 years old were 2.31 times the deaths in that age group for the same period in 2008.

• Ambulance Victoria indicate a 25% increase in total presentations in Melbourne, with a significant increase in heat-related conditions and cardiac arrests.– 514 attendances for heat stress, heat stroke and

dehydration compared to 15 for the same period in 2008. – 67 attendances for cardiac arrest compared to 30 for the

same period in 2008.– 40% of the cardiac arrests were 75+ yrs old.

Friday Friday 30 January 200930 January 2009

• Extreme weather event• Major fires in Gippsland• 30 houses destroyed• Boolara township impacted.

Black Saturday Black Saturday 77thth February 2009 February 2009

• Predicted temperature to break record. Melbourne 46°C+.

• Strong hot, dry North West wind shifting to Easterly by afternoon with low humidity

• Fire Danger Extreme• Major fires at Horsham,

Coleraine, Bendigo, Kilmore, Murrindindi, Churchill, Beechworth, Bunyip, Wilsons Promontory NP.

• Extensive loss of life and property over a 12 hrs period.

Black Saturday Black Saturday 77thth February 2009 February 2009

• Extreme weather event• Major fires in all parts of Victoria.• 173 people dead• 2059 house destroyed• 78 townships impacted• Thousands displaced

Largest disaster in Australia’s history……Many dead, families displaced, communities destroyed.

The consequences / impactsThe consequences / impacts

Many vehicles destroyed2700 agricultural structures burnt90 community buildings destroyed

Destroyed:500,000 ha’s burnt 11,000 ha’s plantations13,000 stock 12,000 km fencing1,000,000 wildlife

Primary HealthPrimary HealthField Primary Care Clinics establishedwith Paramedics, Nurse & Doctors toSupport community & emergencyservices.

Clinics in Traralgon, Whittlesea,Kinglake & Kinglake West.

Presentations for lacerations &wounds, immunisations, respiratory &eye problems, mental health andprescriptions.

Two still operating in Kinglake &Flowerdale, issues are changing tomore usual Primary Health Careneeds.

Health Impacts & ResponseHealth Impacts & Response• 822 hospital presentations• 133 admissions• Health support

– Ambulance Victoria– St John Ambulance– FEMO– VMAT– Rural Workforce Agency & GPDV – GPs– RDNS– Pharmacy Guild– Nurse On-Call– Community Health Services – HACC,– Environmental Health Officers

Black Saturday Black Saturday 77thth February 2009 February 2009

Recovery system activated and built upon..• Individual / Family support systems activated:

– Case Management Service– Psychological support program– Outreach program– Health & Medical program– Material Aide

• Neighbourhood / Community support systems activated:– Community Development Program– Community Service Hubs– Community Recovery Committees

Emergency Co OrdinationEmergency Co Ordination

• State Integrated Emergency Co Ordination Centre operating.

• DHS Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC) was already in operation.

• Ambulance Emergency Operations Centre operating.

• DHS Region Emergency Operations Centres operating.

• Immediate escalation & activation of further departmental & sector resources.

• Engagement of senior management at Secretary, Executive Director and Director levels.

• Establishment of structure, roles and responsibilities.

DHS Emergency Management StructureDHS Emergency Management Structure

DHS Executive

State Incident ManagerCraig Lapsley

Health and MedicalProf Chris Brook

Psychological Support / CMH

Gill Callister

Case ManagementMike Debinski

Emergency Coordination

Jeff Supple

Executive Director OperationsPam White

SecretaryFran Thorn

Housing / Accommodation &

SupportMargaret Crawford

ADF LiaisonNeil Greet

Ministers

Immediate Human Impacts Immediate Human Impacts

Material needs – clothing etc.Access to financial assistancePsychological support

Food ShelterWater Sanitation

OutreachOutreach

22,500 NRIS registrations

Relief / Recovery / Hubs:– 13 Relief centres– 16 Recovery Centres– 8 Community Service Hubs

1000’s deployed fromHealth & Community Services and Local Gov’t sectors.

HousingHousing

• 10,084 offers of accommodation• 5,244 total suitable offers• As at 10th March 942 households assessed for

accommodation needs• Households accommodated

– 79 in public housing– 14 in community housing– 234 in emergency accommodation– 235 in private rental– 38 private caravans– 179 other shared accommodation

Major Fires across VictoriaMajor Fires across Victoria

Proximity to MelbourneProximity to Melbourne

Pheasant Creek (South of main township) - BeforePheasant Creek (South of main township) - Before

Pheasant Creek (South of main township) - AfterPheasant Creek (South of main township) - After

South of Traralgon South - BeforeSouth of Traralgon South - Before

South of Traralgon South - AfterSouth of Traralgon South - After

Marysville - BeforeMarysville - Before

Marysville - AfterMarysville - After

Questions…?Questions…?