Strengthen our use of data, analytics and intelligence to improve decision making
What success will look like: Delivery of up-to-date technology that will help the sector predict, plan for, and promptly respond to, future emergencies. Data that the emergency management sector has is secure, meaningful, and is used in a way that fosters community trust. Forecasting and predictive analysis to understand hazards and potential impacts allow the sector to strengthen understanding of communities needs and improve the quality of decision-making during emergencies.
Achievements from the 2022-25 SAP:
- Strengthened emergency management digital systems and technology to ensure the systems are secure, fit-for-purpose and maximise efficiency and effectiveness.
- Victoria enhanced the State’s community warning capability through upgrades to the national Emergency Alert telephony platform and delivered upgrades to the VicEmergency App to better service Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities.
Please note: SAP numbers with an asterisk (*) are new actions.
2.1. Maintain the information and warnings capability to the sector and community in support of emergency preparedness, response and recovery
Negotiate with the Commonwealth and states and territories to determine the future of Emergency Alert systems. This action will also deliver a pilot of the Vic Emergency App to better service Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities and commence a discovery phase for the next generation of the Emergency Management Common Operating Picture (EM-COP).
Delivery date: August 2025
Lead agency: Emergency Management Victoria (EMV)
This action relates to:
- Sector outcome 1: Victoria’s emergency management system reduces the risk and impact of emergencies on business, industry, and our environment.
- Sector outcome 2: Victorians are empowered to proactively manage their own emergency risks.
- Sector outcome 3: Victorians are actively involved in decisions that affect them.
- Sector outcome 7: Victoria’s emergency management system is timely and responsive.
2.2. Make better use of public health data to generate intelligence and agile decision making and ensure that the investment delivers outcomes that matter to Victorians
This action will build on the Department of Health’s Syndromic Surveillance program which provides epidemiological community trends, observation data and other Emergency Management related data sources including state-based observation and reporting data, real time hospital admissions and ambulance data.
Delivery date: December 2025
Lead agency: Department of Health (DH)
This action relates to:
2.3. Implement the sector’s Emergency Management Operational Communications Program, with the longer-term aim of transitioning communications to a national Public Safety Mobile Broadband service to improve emergency response and sector interoperability
This action will see the continued delivery of the State’s Emergency Management Operational Communications Program which delivers communications (radio, paging, data) upgrades to first responder agencies that are contemporary, resilient, fit-for purpose and affordable.
Delivery date: December 2025
Lead agency: Department of Health (DH)
This action relates to:
2.4. Upgrade VicTraffic to support transport users and emergency response units to move around the road network safely and confidently during an emergency
This action will upgrade current systems and operational processes under the VicTraffic initiative to provide accurate information during disruptions and state-of-emergency situations and contribute to community resilience. It will address findings from the Inspector-General for Emergency Management’s Inquiry into the 2019-20 Victorian fire season – Phase 1 report, and the recommendations of the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements.
Delivery date: June 2024
Lead agency: Department of Transport and Planning (DTP)
This action relates to:
- Sector outcome 1: Victoria’s emergency management system reduces the risk and impact of emergencies on business, industry, and our environment.
- Sector outcome 2: Victorians are empowered to proactively manage their own emergency risks.
- Sector outcome 4: Victoria invests in the resilience of our infrastructure.
*2.5. Further enhance our data and analytics capabilities to improve emergency management decision making through the ongoing implementation of the Emergency Management Data Strategy
This action relates to the implementation of the Emergency Management Data Strategy. It aims to strengthen the data and analytics capabilities across the emergency management sector. It will foster improved collaboration and information flow by leveraging the data sources, technology and techniques available to enhance the speed and quality of decision-making processes in the sector.
Delivery date: 2027
Lead agency: Emergency Management Victoria (EMV)
This action relates to:
*2.6. Understanding current inadequacies in existing road infrastructure - Flood disasters
The project will identify key roads and drainage structures on the road network which have exacerbated flood impacts from high intensity rainfall events, to inform key infrastructure modifications in the future.
Delivery date: June 2026
Lead agency: Department of Transport and Planning (DTP)
This action relates to:
*2.7. Planning and Investigation of key flood prone transport routes in North Central Victoria
This project will identify key transport routes affected by flooding within the North Central Catchment Authority and the Department of transport - Loddon Mallee Region. The mapping and reports produced will improve our understanding of the flood risk to the transportation network and update our processes.
Delivery date: July 2026
Lead agency: Department of Transport and Planning (DTP)
This action relates to:
The department acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past and present.