Emergency Management Act 2005 (WA)

Western Australia

Western Australia

Emergency Management Act 2005

An Act to provide for prompt and coordinated organisation of emergency management in the State, and for related purposes.

[Long title amended: No. 33 of 2022 s. 4 and 28.]

This is the Emergency Management Act 2005.

• (1)

  This Act comes into operation on a day to be fixed by proclamation.

• (2)

  Different days may be fixed under subsection (1) for different provisions.

In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears —

authorised officer means —

• (a)

  the State Emergency Coordinator; and

• (b)

  a person authorised under section 61;

combat agency has the meaning given by section 6(1);

district emergency management committee means a district emergency management committee established under section 31(1);

emergency means the occurrence or imminent occurrence of a hazard which is of such a nature or magnitude that it requires a significant and coordinated response;

emergency area means the area to which an emergency situation declaration or a state of emergency declaration applies;

emergency management means the management of the adverse effects of an emergency including —

• (a)

  prevention — the mitigation or prevention of the probability of the occurrence of, and the potential adverse effects of, an emergency; and

• (b)

  preparedness — preparation for response to an emergency; and

• (c)

  response — the combating of the effects of an emergency, provision of emergency assistance for casualties, reduction of further damage, and help to speed recovery; and

• (d)

  recovery — the support of emergency affected communities in the reconstruction and restoration of physical infrastructure, the environment and community, psychosocial and economic wellbeing;

emergency management agency means a hazard management agency, a combat agency or a support organisation;

emergency management district means an emergency management district established under section 28;

emergency situation means an emergency situation declared under section 50;

emergency situation declaration means a declaration made under section 50;

hazard means —

• (a)

  a cyclone, earthquake, flood, storm, tsunami or other natural event;

• (b)

  a fire;

• (c)

  a road, rail or air crash;

• (d)

  a plague or an epidemic;

• (e)

  a terrorist act as defined in The Criminal Code section 100.1 set out in the Schedule to the Criminal Code Act 1995 of the Commonwealth;

• (f)

  any other event, situation or condition that is capable of causing or resulting in —

• (i)

  loss of life, prejudice to the safety, or harm to the health, of persons or animals; or

• (ii)

  destruction of, or damage to, property or any part of the environment,

and is prescribed by the regulations;

hazard management agency has the meaning given by section 4;

hazard management officer means a person authorised under section 55;

hazardous substance means —

• (a)

  a chemical, biological or radiological substance; or

• (b)

  any other substance,

that is capable of causing loss of life, injury to a person, or damage to the health…