NSW to tap private sector for disaster readiness

NSW Public Works has launched a new initiative to improve the state’s preparedness to deal with major emergencies that exceed the public sector’s capabilities.

The government body will work with emergency management consultancy Tigertail Australia to open a dialogue between NSW state and local governments, contract engineering and consulting firms and industry associations.

Through the dialogue the body aims to identify opportunities for coordinated assistance during catastrophic emergencies.

As part of the initiative, NSW Public Works and Tigertail recently completed an emergency planning exercise involving simulating a 6.2 magnitude earthquake in central and eastern Sydney.

Police, Fire and Rescue, and Engineering emergency services bodies worked with industry leaders from associations and companies including Engineers Australia, Consult Australia, Master Builders Association, Lendlease, John Holland, SMEC, Arup and Beca to identify the procedures and resources available to respond to such a simulation.

NSW Public Works chief emergency engineer Martin Dwyer said such preparedness initiatives are critical to maintaining the state’s ability to respond well in the face of emergencies.

“Sometimes we need to contemplate an emergency so big that the old rule book no longer works and we must write a new one,” he said.

Image courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region under CC