Bushfires, floods, storms and other hazards can significantly impact communities.
We work to reduce the impact of emergencies on the health and wellbeing of communities and individuals, especially for Victorians who face greater risk in emergencies.
Preparedness
We aim to help people to make informed decisions before, during and after emergencies.
Insuring your home is one of the best things you can do to prepare for bushfires and floods. To help understand the basics of home and contents insurance, view Insure It. It’s Worth It.
Response and relief
Response is the action taken immediately before, during and in the first period after an emergency to:
- meet basic human needs
- reduce the effects and consequences on people, their livelihoods, wellbeing and property, and the environment.
As a response support agency, we lead the Personal Hardship Assistance Program.
Social recovery
Social recovery is the longer-term provision of assistance, and access to services that allows individuals, families and communities to achieve an effective level of functioning after an emergency event. This includes a range of social and community services to support the safety, security, shelter, health and psychosocial wellbeing of people, and the re-establishment of those elements of society necessary for well-being.
For more information on this, including our Emergency Management Psychosocial Services Panel, visit Disaster and emergency recovery.
Emergency management arrangements across the Victorian Government
Victoria's emergency management arrangements are set out in the Emergency Management Act 1986 and the Emergency Management Act 2013. They are supported by the State Emergency Management Plan (SEMP) and other regulatory instruments.
Together these documents establish the 'all hazards, all agencies' approach underpinning Victoria's emergency management arrangements.
The State Emergency Management Plan nominates our department as the Recovery Lead Agency and a Response Support Agency for emergencies, including bushfires, floods and storms.
To meet our obligations to the SEMP, we take action to build resilience and coordinate relief payments and recovery programs for natural disasters.
For more information on our responsibilities outlined under the SEMP, visit our Role statement on the Emergency Management Victoria website.