Could YOU be a WINNER?? Entries close COB Friday 6 July 2012 Do you have, or know of, a project that has made your community more resilient? If so, the 2012 Resilient Australia Awards may be the perfect way to promote and recognise it. The Resilient Australia Awards is an Australian Government initiative sponsored by the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department, in conjunction with States and Territories. They recognise innovative practices and achievements across the nation that are making our communities safer, stronger, more disaster resilient and better prepared to manage any emergency situation. The Resilient Australia Awards were previously called the Australian Safer Communities Awards. It is an annual program that commenced in 2000.
Congratulations to  SA CFS Firey Women Project 2011 State Winner  and National Highly Commended Award Winner	The awards cover all aspects of community safety and resilience with an emergency  management focus including: Risk assessment Research Education and training Information and knowledge management, and Prevention, preparedness, response and recovery Inquiries to: Linda Haskins on 8463 4150 or email, or Julie Frittum on 8204 9376 or email  Click here for the full brochure

What are the Resilient Australia Awards?

The Resilient Australia Awards is an Australian Government initiative sponsored by the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department, in conjunction with States and Territories. They recognise innovative practices and achievements across the nation that are making our communities safer, stronger, more disaster resilient and better prepared to manage any emergency situation.

The Resilient Australia Awards were previously called the Australian Safer Communities Awards. It is an annual program that commenced in 2000.

The awards cover all aspects of community safety and resilience with an emergency management focus including:

•  risk assessment
•  research
•  education and training
•  information and knowledge management
•  prevention, preparedness, response and recovery

The awards are judged on two levels (excluding the Federal agencies category) - State and Territory winners are decided and recognised first, and in turn become finalists for the National Awards.

Award Categories

There are seven categories:

1.      State and Territory, including government owned business enterprises

2.      Local Government, single and collective subcategories

3.      Volunteer and community groups (where members are substantially voluntary)

4.      Private sector

5.      Education and training, including vocational training and research

6.      **Federal (projects which are cross jurisdictional and/or projects of national significance)

7.      Projects developed and/or managed by youth (under 18)

** Entries in this category are not judged at the State/Territory level. They are to be sent to the national coordinator for consideration by the national judging panel. Please contact your State Coordinator (Linda Haskins on 8463 4150 or email) if you are unsure of the most appropriate category.

Eligibility

The entries in the 2012 Awards must relate to:

•  new projects that commenced after 1 January 2010, or
•  existing projects with demonstrated significant outcomes since 1 January 2010, or
•  existing projects with demonstrated significant enhancements since 1 January 2010.

Who can enter?

Any organisation or individual can enter. Individuals who enter on behalf of their organisation should ensure the entry has the agreement of the organisation's senior authorised officer, such as the Chief Executive Officer.

If you are aware of a good project, you can nominate it for an award.

Judging Criteria

Each entry will be assessed on its contribution to community safety and/or resilience with an emergency management focus. The judging panels will assess each entry's achievement against the following criteria:

    1.  What triggered the project?

    2.  How has the project improved safety or enhanced resilience, in your community?

    3.  To what extent was the community engaged in the development of this project?

    4.  Why is the project special or innovative in your community?

    5.  How does the project contribute to disaster resilience in your community?

How to enter - Entries close COB Friday 6 July 2012

The entry form is available on the Emergency Management Australia website and below:

Click here for a pdf version

Click here for a MS Word version 

In addition to the entry form you are asked to submit Summary of the Project (max. 300 words) as well as further information addressing the five Judging Criteria. Prior to submitting your nomination, you are encouraged to contact Linda Haskins on 8463 4150 or email

Need inspiration?

For information on current and previous award winners see below or visit the Emergency Management Australia website.

South Australian 2011 Winners...... tell me more

2011 State Winner and 2011 National Highly Commended

SA Country Fire Service - Firey Women

This initiative invites women throughout the State to complete a nationally accredited unit of the Public Safety training package that addresses preparing a Bushfire Survival Plan, practical bushfire planning skills, understanding warnings and danger ratings, as well as emotional preparedness for bushfire events. This project was further recognised with a 2011 National Highly Commended Award.

2011 Highly Commended

Adelaide City Council - Desktop Emergency Exercise

This desktop exercise resulted in clear definition of Council's role in emergency incidents, identified potential duplication with other service providers and enabled the refinement of procedures that optimise the effectiveness of all agencies with respect to their emergency management capability.

SA Ambulance Service - Automatical Vehicle and Case Tracking

Development and implementation of a customised Vehicle and Case tracking system that provides near real time information on vehicles, crews, crew status and all live cases on Google map with lines joining cases to responding crews, improving response efficiencies and resource utilisation.

Department for Water - Riverbank Collapse Hazard

Establishment and implementation of a Hazard Governance Framework, Hazard and Emergency Response Plans and Communications Strategy to increase the level of understanding and management of this risk among key stakeholders.

SA State Emergency Service - Working in the River Murray 2010-11

Stepping outside of their traditional response commitments the SES instigated cooperative working relationships between a broad range of organisational and community stakeholders to minimise the impact of predicted high river flows, resulting in no calls being received for emergency assistance throughout this event.

2011 Commended      

SA Ambulance Service - Beachport Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

Significant community engagement in this initiative successfully links both SAAS and the community to their common goal of community resilience, enabling the community to sustain a capacity to look after itself in the first instance, and manage more serious incidents in the crucial minutes before additional SAAS support can be provided from further afield.

State Recovery Office - Keeping Safe In Emergencies Guide

Development and distribution of an easy instruction guide in flip chart format, to keep on the fridge in easy reach and readily available should an emergency arise. This project specifically targeted identified vulnerable people within the community.

South Australian 2010 Winners...... tell me more

2010 State Winners

SA State Emergency Service, SA Health, Dept for Families and Communities and Bureau of Meteorology - Extreme Heat Response

The collaboration between these agencies focussed on the use of research based information and strategic management of information to inform organisations responsible for community services at times of Extreme Heat. This collaboration addressed cross-agency communication, cooperation and coordination issues to maximise the impact of collective resources beyond what any individual agency could achieve on its own and ensure no group of individuals is overlooked.

SANTOS and SA Police - Exercise Pilatus

Over an 18 months period, a trilogy of exercises was conducted at Moomba, designed to test response to a suspected terrorist incident in a remote location and in extreme weather conditions. This brought together a large and diverse group of private and public sector and more than 200 people to practice existing procedures, determine best practice and identify opportunities for innovation and effective interaction.

Mr Steven Holmes - Patient Delay Project

A one hour interactive information session outlines how to recognise heart attack symptoms and reinforces the need to dial 000 to seek immediate assistance. Mr Holmes has personally presented this information to more than 6400 participants, many of whom have acted on this information and avoided significant long term health issues. This award recognises the difference that can be made through the vision, drive and determination of a single individual.

2010 Highly Commended

Cummins Emergency Ready Committee - Cummins Emergency Ready Project

This community driven committee provides education and an emergency management functions including conducting a number of local emergency exercises and providing crucial information to the community before, during and after emergency events. This ongoing collaboration significantly enhances the effectiveness of local resources to manage all manner of emergency events as they arise.

Flinders University Centre for Disaster Resilience & Health - Staying safe and healthy at Adelaide Schoolies Festival

A broad ranging project team considered the effectiveness of current mass gathering event education programs and venue organisation and procedures with respect to the impact on the safety of youth participants. The findings have national applicability and have influenced a number of changes to pre-event education seminars and practices within the event venue to create a safety environment for young people and reduce the impact on other support agencies.

Dept for Environment and Natural Resources, Coorong Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth (CLLMM) Project, Communications and Community Engagement Team - CLLMM Drought Response

The Communications and Community Engagement Team have significantly contributed to the success of the overall CLLMM Project by developing a Communications and Community Engagement Plan and pro-actively engaging the community to embrace and assist the implementation of wide-ranging initiatives that focus on achieving a level of recovery in the future.

2010 Commended      

Royal District Nursing Service of SA Inc - Heatwave Response

During the first 2009 heat wave, RDNS recognised a need and undertook additional community visits, making more than 2000 additional phone calls to ensure their clients were safe. After the event RDNS aligned its strategies with Government and other agencies, establishing a register of vulnerable clients, an early warning system and clear client management procedures are now in place as part of daily business during heat waves.