Planning and Capability Requirements for Catastrophic and Cascading Events

This project, currently under development, will begin on 1 July 2017. It will aim to better understand the nature of catastrophe and identify ways to improve management approaches in the Australian context. Catastrophic disasters are different from every day disasters. Response strategies that routinely work in smaller events will be quickly overwhelmed and ineffective. The role of emergency management agencies becomes focused on providing leadership, facilitation, subject matter expertise, public information and warnings, and specialist resources. In the United States a government-centric approach has been recognised as being insufficient to meet the challenges posed by large disasters. Government is only one part of the overall team; and that arrangements must leverage all of the resources available.