Ramsay Health provided a PPE donning and doffing demonstration which highlighted the critical role of a ‘spotter’ in maintaining infection control.  Rita Gatenby, State Relationship Manager Opal Aged Care also shared the heartbreaking journey of their Victorian aged care facility.

Aged Care and Independent Living Facilities, and Home and Community Care Providers, then joined Police, DFES, WA Health, Ramsay Health, St Johns Ambulance and City of Mandurah staff in discussing a range of hypothetical, COVID-19 related scenarios. 

All eight scenarios were based on questions or concerns identified at the local, district or state level, with topics including Residential Aged Care Facility Outbreak, Health Intervention/Security, PPE supply, Patient Transfer, Food Security, Cohorting and Accommodation, Bushfire and COVID and Waste Management. The exercises were designed to provoke thought and shared learning. 

The luncheon encouraged open and honest discussion between sectors, providing all participants with a greater understanding of how a Residential Aged Care outbreak may be managed in Western Australia. 

The City of Mandurah have two aged care facility managers on their LEMC and encourage all Local Governments to consider whether their most vulnerable groups are represented.

  

Goals
The BEN sign program goal is to have more than 1300 signs in place from Geraldton to Esperance with most installed by summer/autumn 2020.

Twenty eight (of 31) Local Governments have now applied for funding through the scheme with all of the remaining three engaged with the Government.

Manjimup, Harvey, Carnamah and Wanneroo recently installed their signs with Rottnest and Gingin signs to be erected very soon. 

Key preparedness messages for the public:

An update to the 2015 Guidelines for Preparing a Bushfire Risk Management Plan has been published. The Guidelines for preparing a Bushfire Risk Management Plan – 2020 (Guidelines) include a minor update to the 2015 Guidelines and bring the document into alignment with the current processes and risk assessment methodology being applied in the development of Local Government Bushfire Risk Management (BRM) Plans.

The supporting templates have also been updated to make them more user friendly and support Local Government’s development of their Bushfire Risk Management Plans (BRM Plans). This update does not change the current practices in risk assessment or BRM Plan development.

Following this release, the Office of Bushfire Risk Management (OBRM) will be leading DFES’s evaluation of the Guidelines. This evaluation will look at the processes described in the Guidelines, implementation of the 2015 Guidelines, the outcomes of the BRM planning process and the experience of those involved in the program. The evaluation will inform a comprehensive review and update of the Guidelines and processes.

DFES are aware that Local Governments, their community and stakeholders will have feedback on the process, outcomes and experiences of the BRM planning processes and associated tools. In the coming months we will be providing opportunities for them to have input into the evaluation.

This round sets out to distribute $1.4 million to WA to deliver projects that reduce identified risks, and close capability gaps, reducing future post-disaster funding needs and supporting the priorities of both the State and Commonwealth governments.

Eligible organisations capable of implementing sustained resilience programs or disaster mitigation strategies that will directly benefit the WA community, are strongly encouraged to submit an application.  

Projects to enhance natural disaster resilience for at risk communities, including Indigenous and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse and disability communities, and projects designed to attract, support and retain volunteers are encouraged.

Organisations are eligible to apply if they work within the WA Emergency Management framework, including Local and State Governments and not-for-profit organisations.

Applications must be received by 12:00pm, Friday, 16 October.

These courses have been constructed specifically to address the fundamental skills required to operate effectively in the Local Government Emergency Management environment.

Due to the current emergency we are experiencing, WALGA is offering these eLearning courses free of charge from now until Thursday, 31 December.
 
Emergency Management Fundamentals (eLearning)
Available now online
 
AIIMS Awareness (Australasian Inter-Service Incident Management System)
Available now online.