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Overview

 

The State Emergency Management Committee (SEMC) is the peak emergency management body in Western Australia. 

The Committee has existed in various forms since the 1970s.  The State Counter Disaster Advisory Committee was established in 1985 following a review of emergency services. It later became known as the State Emergency Management Advisory Committee and then the State Emergency Management Committee. 

When the Emergency Management Act 2005 was proclaimed on 24 December 2005, the State Emergency Management Committee was established by legislation.

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Function​

​The SEMC manages the Emergency Management Act 2005 and the Emergency Management Regulations 2006. As indicated in the Emergency Management Act 2005, the Committee has the following functions: 

  • To advise the Minister on emergency management and the preparedness of the State to combat emergencies
  • ​To provide a forum for whole of community coordination to ensure the minimisation of the effects of emergencies
  • To provide a forum for the development of community-wide information systems to improve communications during emergencies
  • To develop and coordinate risk management strategies to assess community vulnerability to emergencies
  • To arrange for the preparation of State emergency management policies and plans
  • To prepare an annual report on its activities
  • To monitor and review the Emergency Management Act 2005 and its regulations.


Membership

The Emergency Management Act 2005 makes provision for the Minister for Emergency Services to appoint a chair, deputy chair, an executive officer of the SEMC, a representative of local government and up to seven other members from key Western Australian government agencies that have an essential role in the state's emergency management arrangements.  

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Meetings

The 2018 SEMC meeting dates are scheduled for: 9 March, 4 May, 3 August, 5 October and 7 ​December. A SEMC Communiqué is published after every ordinary meeting summarising key discussion areas. ​View Communiqué​s.

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Contact

The Department of Fire & Emergency Services (DFES) provides secretariat services that support the SEMC and facilitate the operations of emergency management in Western Australia. All enquiries for the SEMC should be directed to: info@semc.wa.gov.au.