IGEM Report 1: 2017-18 - THE CYCLONE DEBBIE REVIEW

The Cyclone Debbie Review

The second was a lack of effective fatigue management strategies. The fatigue meant that when deployed staff returned they were tired and could not be used immediately which continued to impact the available capacity for groups. Fatigue did not only affect those pre- deployed to assist with Debbie. It affected members of local, district and state groups, coordination centre staff, government departments, and not-for-profits alike. We heard comments from every level and type of agency, affecting all from CEO-level to volunteers. In some instances and areas staff members worked for 10 days straight. They were also contacted on their time off as there was a limited number of trained staff available to replace them. The Queensland Government issued Directive 10/14 Critical Incident Response and Recovery 131 to support a flexible workforce ready to assist with critical incident response and recovery. This directive includes fatigue management. The Public Safety Business Agency (PSBA) has written Guidelines on Critical Conditions and Entitlements (V2 May 2015) 132 which specifies hours of work during a critical incident and how to manage fatigue, including accessing fatigue leave. Fatigue management is a shared responsibility between the employee, the deploying agency and the supervisor. 133 One reason for the high levels of fatigue was the reliance in many places on one person in the key position. Often it is a decision-maker, or disaster management expert who has the knowledge or the extra responsibility of the event placed on them. Due to these circumstances there is a tendency for others to continually contact them, even whilst they are off duty, exacerbating issues of fatigue. Fatigue issues are inherently connected to capacity. This is particularly so in regional and rural local government areas. The Mackay disaster district, including local groups, had identified through planning that they were likely only to have enough human resourcing capacity to manage disaster operations effectively for three days.

Pressure was particularly evident on councils’ disaster management officers or positions such as the QPS District Executive Officer – positions that possess disaster management expertise and local knowledge. Additionally, there are some positions who do not have a deputy posi- tion including district disaster coordinators. The State Disaster Coordinator has no explicit deputy under legislation, making effective leadership by example, in fatigue arrangements, better trained and more knowledgeable delegates, a “Plus One” backup with the same information to assist effective handovers, succession planning, formal fatigue management plans, guidelines to limit work hours, improved workforce planning, on call arrangements with other states, and better support arrangements for critical accountable officers. The issue is particularly important for the upcoming season, due to the possibility of the Commonwealth Games coinciding with a similar event. Fatigue management among volunteers was also a challenge. The State Emergency Service identified some local volunteers could operate within a culture that encourages individuals “to push themselves beyond fatigue”. However, the SES noted when volunteers were deployed to locations to assist, there was more control over fatigue management. Volunteering Queensland advised they attempt to manage fatigue by ensuring “volunteers are well organised and have rigid times and number of days they can volunteer.” management terms, difficult. Suggestions to improve fatigue management include: different shift

Themes

Finding Fatigue significantly impacted the

Finding Disaster groups and state agencies that plan for human resourcing requirements during operations are more likely to deliver expected outcomes sustainability of critical roles during Debbie. This is especially evident at all levels of the system where disaster management expertise, combined with contextual knowledge is relied upon. In prolonged events fatigue may impact on critical decision-making.

Recommendation Fatigue management strategies and guidance should be improved to ensure sustainable staffing practices are incorporated into disaster management planning.

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6 THEMES

Capability: Deployment • Sustainability