Emergency Management – Catholic School

Schools’ Support for Students and Staff

Schools have a requirement to ensure that students and staff had a “safe and supportive environment”. In the current NESA manual, this now includes “security, with specific reference to… evacuation procedures” (3.62 and 5.62 respectively). Obligations under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 are an additional, separate legislative requirement. To keep up to date, please scroll below.

Emergency Management Services provided to Dioceses and Schools by CSNSW

The CEC Emergency Management System (CECEMS), soon to be replaced by the Catholic Schools Emergency Management System (CSEMS) transmits time sensitive alerts to dioceses. CECEMS is supported by email and phone contact lists which are also used for emergency communication.
For all schools an Emergency Planning Manual and Plan Template has been developed, regularly updated and is currently provided on the CSNSW website:
http://designbymouse.com.au/csnswschool/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/CSNSW-EMP-Manual-V3-Feb-2018_pdf21082018.pdf
http://www.csnsw.catholic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/CSNSW-EMP-Template-Feb-2018_Word.docx
Training and additional services are provided:
- Full day workshops in dioceses and schools for school leadership teams. These workshops cover the nature of emergencies, the roles of combat agencies, decision-making and risk assessment.
- Three-hour desktop exercises with school staff, using scenarios based on the school’s site to support school leaders in the emergency planning.
- Two-hour evacuation scenario-based exercises in schools and after-action reviews with staff.

Please contact Tony McArthur at CSNSW for further information by email:
tony.mcarthur@csnsw.catholic.edu.au, or mobile: 0421 647 811.

To keep up to date:

For any emergency where life and/or property are threatened, ring 000, i.e. triple zero.
For information about different kinds of emergencies and for monitoring emergencies: