Maritime emergencies

We are the control agency for level 1 maritime casualties (non-search and rescue) of all vessels in coastal waters, not in commercial and local port waters. We are also a support agency for level 2 and level 3 maritime emergencies.

For the purpose of delineating roles and responsibilities, maritime emergencies are divided into four categories: maritime casualty, oil spills, hazardous and noxious substance spills, and wildlife affected by marine pollution events.

The consequences of major maritime emergencies may include:

the loss of marine habitats and wildlife, from oil and chemical spills or other pollutants
economic losses due to impacts on shipping, tourism and fisheries
loss of cargo
social impacts through the loss of amenity and access to coastal areas.

State Emergency Management Plan

The Victorian State Emergency Management Plan (SEMP), available on the Emergency Management Victoria website, is prepared within the context of the Emergency Management Act 2013 objectives to:

foster a sustainable and efficient emergency management system that minimises the likelihood, effect and consequences of emergencies; and
establish efficient governance arrangements that

clarify the roles and responsibilities of agencies; and
facilitate cooperation between agencies; and
ensure the coordination of emergency management reform within the emergency management sector; and

implement an ‘all communities, all emergencies’ approach to emergency management; and
establish integrated arrangements for emergency management planning in Victoria at the state level.

In accordance with the legislation, the SEMP is prepared by the Victorian Emergency Management Commissioner and endorsed by the State Crisis and Resilience Council.

The SEMP outlines the emergency management arrangements for Victoria to inform all levels of planning – state, regional and municipal. The SEMP provides a coordinated and comprehensive approach to emergency management at the state level, containing provisions for the mitigation of, response to and recovery from emergencies and specifies the roles and responsibilities of agencies in relation to emergency management.

Levels of incidents

Incident	Typical features
Level 1	The region and/or state tiers are not activated for control: the response is day-to-day business and the incident is managed by a control agency’s incident management team the response is in the incident area only the response duration is less than or a single shift there is little to no potential for escalation. The region and/or state tiers are not activated for coordination: there is a single or limited multi-agency response resources can be sourced from one local government district. The regional and state tiers are not activated for recovery coordination: there is little or no impact on the community and infrastructure.
Level 2	The region and/or state tiers are activated for control: the incident is of medium complexity the response duration is multiple shifts there are one or two incident areas the incident could potentially become an emergency the incident involves multiple hazards. The region and/or state tiers are activated for coordination: a limited multi-agency response is required the resources of more than one agency must be coordinated there is a medium-term impact on critical infrastructure resources are sourced from the district or state levels there is a medium impact on the community.
Level 3	The region and/or state tiers are activated for control: the incident is of high complexity the response duration is protracted there are multiple incident areas the incident could likely become a state of emergency or lead to the declaration of a state of disaster. The region and/or state tiers are activated for coordination: there is significant impact on critical infrastructure there is actual or potential loss of life or multiple, serious injuries there is major impact on the routine functioning of the community, which needs the establishment of relief services.

Incident

Typical features

Level 1

The region and/or state tiers are not activated for control:

the response is day-to-day business and the incident is managed by a control agency’s incident management team
the response is in the incident area only
the response duration is less than or a single shift
there is little to no potential for escalation.

The region and/or state tiers are not activated for coordination:

there is a single or limited multi-agency response
resources can be sourced from one local government district.

The regional and state tiers are not activated for recovery coordination: there is little or no impact on the community and infrastructure.

Level 2

The region and/or state tiers are activated for control:

the incident is of medium complexity
the response duration is multiple shifts
there are one or two incident areas
the incident could potentially become an emergency
the incident involves multiple hazards.

The region and/or state tiers are activated for coordination:

a limited multi-agency response is required
the resources of more than one agency must be coordinated
there is a medium-term impact on critical infrastructure
resources are sourced from the district or state levels
there is a medium impact on the community.

Level 3

The region and/or state tiers are activated for control:

the incident is of high complexity
the response duration is protracted
there are multiple incident areas
the incident could likely become a state of emergency or lead to the declaration of a state of disaster.

The region and/or state tiers are activated for coordination:

there is significant impact on critical infrastructure
there is actual or potential loss of life or multiple, serious injuries
there is major impact on the routine functioning of the community, which needs the establishment of relief services.

Maritime emergencies

State Emergency Management Plan

Levels of incidents

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