The Challenge of Resilience Against Natural Disasters in the Northern Territory

Northern Territory Emergency Service

Northern Territory Police

www.emergency.nt.gov.au

THE CHALLENGE OF RESILIENCE AGAINST NATURAL DISASTERS IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

Northern Territory Emergency Service

Northern Territory Police

www.emergency.nt.gov.au

Scope • Natural disasters in the NT • Community resilience and what this means to engineers • Communication with community and organisations • Recovery effort

Northern Territory Emergency Service

Northern Territory Police

Natural Disasters •

Cyclones – (Storm Surge)

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Floods

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Severe Storms

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Fire

www.emergency.nt.gov.au

Northern Territory Emergency Service

Northern Territory Police

www.emergency.nt.gov.au

Community Resilience • Disaster resilience is developed and enhanced through prevention, mitigation and preparedness activities and has its effect on outcomes during and after response and recovery options. In this sense, resilient communities are built through a cycle of: understanding risks and reducing exposure and vulnerabilities; preparing and building capability and capacity to respond; and learning, innovating and adapting for future risks – COAG Natural Disaster Resilience Statement

Northern Territory Emergency Service

Northern Territory Police

www.emergency.nt.gov.au

What does this mean to engineers?

Infrastructure •

There is a single rail line connecting the NT to southern Australia and this can be vulnerable to flooding;

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There are three principal highways connecting the NT, one each to southern, eastern and western Australia. Darwin is served by one of these highways. These highways can be vulnerable to flooding.

Road transport is a major source for food and other essential supplies; – Significant number of dirt roads that lead to remote communities that are continually subject to flooding and washouts – No point in building a higher bridge if the supporting roads are not raised beyond flood level as well.

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Northern Territory Emergency Service

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Northern Territory Police

www.emergency.nt.gov.au

Major airports are located at Darwin, Alice Springs and Tindal, near Katherine.

– Most remote airstrips are on the highest ground in the community, however this may not be achievable in some locations as there is no high ground. Airstrip capacity during the wet. May be restricted to rotary wing operations only

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Darwin has one major power plant and two secondary power plants, and power supplies are vulnerable to interruption in most severe storm and cyclone weather conditions; – Location considerations are high ground in community, as with airfields. Grid based supply to enable isolation of certain areas to ensure the whole community is not without power for the sake of a few.

– Fuel supplies are the main concern in the remote communities.

Northern Territory Emergency Service

Northern Territory Police

www.emergency.nt.gov.au

• Major hospitals in the NT are located at Darwin and Alice Springs, with Darwin Hospital being established and resourced as a major trauma facility; – Alternate power supplies – Vehicle and rotary wing access

• One major port facility services Darwin;

Northern Territory Emergency Service

Northern Territory Police

www.emergency.nt.gov.au

• Building codes and regulations _ Applies to new buildings constructed since Cyclone Tracy.

• Land Use Planning and Development of the Built Environment – The impacts of hazards are reduced or prevented through planning and development policies and regulations and undertaking structural mitigation measures; • A number of developments are exposed to storm surges from the sea

Northern Territory Emergency Service

Northern Territory Police

www.emergency.nt.gov.au

Communication • A disaster resilient community is one that works together to understand and manage the risks that it confronts. Disaster resilience is the collective responsibility of all sectors of society, including all levels of government, business, the non-government sector and individuals – COAG Natural Disaster Resilience Statement

Northern Territory Emergency Service

Northern Territory Police

www.emergency.nt.gov.au

• Engagement in Counter Disaster and Recover Panning • Desktop exercises • Shire Recovery Plans – Recognising their existing capabilities and how best to use them • Pre-position • Prioritise response/recovery effort

– Identify shortfalls

Northern Territory Emergency Service

Northern Territory Police

www.emergency.nt.gov.au

Continuing the Recovery Effort Community and individual involvement in recovery Where there has been positive and cooperative involvement from the community in rebuilding community infrastructure and social networks, the social and mental health of a community is likely to benefit. Where the community has been unable or unwilling to become involved (through policy, exclusion, grief or lassitude) the likelihood is that their recovery will be slower and their resilience impacted.

Northern Territory Emergency Service

Northern Territory Police

www.emergency.nt.gov.au

• A resilient based approach to disaster management‌envisages that individuals, households, businesses, governments and communities will grow to recognise and understand current and potential future risk, take action to reduce exposure and vulnerability, and be better able to respond, recover from and adapt to change from emergencies and disasters of all types. • COAG Natural Disaster Resilience Statement

Northern Territory Emergency Service

Questions

Northern Territory Police

www.emergency.nt.gov.au