Local Safety & Emergency Services
Western Australia is subject to a wide variety of hazards which have the potential to cause loss of life and damage to infrastructure and the environment.
The Emergency Management Act 2005 was proclaimed 'to provide for prompt and coordinated organisation of emergency management in the State, and for related purposes'. Local government have an important part to play in planning for, responding to and assisting local communities to recover for an emergency event.
The Shire of Chapman Valley has formed an alliance with its neighbouring local government authorities (City of Greater Geraldton and Shire of Northampton) to for the Batavia Regional Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC). This Group also include many and varied external emergency organisations and meets regularly with an aim to have a regional approach to emergency management and recovery, rather than doing this at an individual local government level. Some of the other aims of the Batavia Regional LEMC are to:
- have an active and well prepared community that is resilient to emergencies
- collaboratively liaise with the all members of the Batavia Regional LEMC to develop local emergency management arrangements and recovery plans; and
- provide effective recovery services to our community if affected by disaster.
Harvest and Vehicle Movement Bans are issued by local governments. These bans are put in place when conditions are such that the use of engines, vehicles, plant or machinery constitute high bushfire risk activities.
Bans are declared when readings of the following conditions are above a certain level:
- Wind
- Wind Gusts
- Humidity
- Temperature
- Fuel Load/Curing
Bureau of Meteorology
DFES
Harvest Ban/Total Fire Ban