Local Emergency Management

 

Effective emergency management is a shared responsibility between government agencies, local governments, organisations, businesses, and the community.

While the Shire of Yilgarn is not a frontline emergency response agency, it plays an important role in helping the community prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies.

Under Western Australia's emergency management framework, local governments have a number of key responsibilities, including:

• Establishing and supporting a Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC).
• Developing, maintaining, and reviewing local emergency management arrangements.
• Identifying and implementing risk reduction and mitigation strategies where appropriate.
• Supporting hazard management agencies and emergency services during emergency response operations.
• Coordinating and managing community recovery activities following an emergency event.
• Working with community groups, businesses, and government agencies to strengthen local resilience and preparedness.

Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC)

The Shire of Yilgarn's Local Emergency Management Committee brings together representatives from emergency services, government agencies, community organisations, and other stakeholders to support local emergency management activities.

The committee's role includes:

• Identifying local emergency risks and vulnerabilities.
• Reviewing emergency management arrangements and plans.
• Supporting emergency preparedness initiatives.
• Encouraging collaboration between agencies and community partners.
• Promoting community awareness and resilience.

The Local Emergency Management Committee consists of representatives from the Shire of Yilgarn and Westonia as well as other state government and volunteer organisation’s representatives. The aim is to discuss any emergency management issues and be prepared for an event of emergency.

The meetings are held on the 4th Thursday of February, May, August and November at the Shire of Yilgarn Council Chambers, 23 Antares Street, Southern Cross.  Please note that the meeting times and dates can be subject to change.

Please click here for the current Local Emergency Management Arrangements Plan.

Community Preparedness

While emergency services and government agencies play a vital role during emergencies, individuals, households, and businesses also have a responsibility to prepare for potential risks.

Being prepared before an emergency occurs can help reduce impacts on people, property, infrastructure, and the wider community.

The Shire of Yilgarn encourages residents and businesses to:

• Understand local hazards and risks.
• Develop emergency plans.
• Prepare emergency kits.
• Stay informed during emergency events.
• Support family members, neighbours, and vulnerable community members when it is safe to do so.

Recovery After an Emergency

Recovery begins as soon as possible after an emergency and may continue for weeks, months, or even years depending on the scale of the event.

The Shire of Yilgarn works with government agencies, emergency services, community organisations, businesses, and residents to support recovery efforts, including:

• Community wellbeing and support services.
• Restoration of local infrastructure and facilities.
• Economic recovery initiatives.
• Environmental recovery activities.
• Community engagement and information sharing.

By working together and planning ahead, the community can become more resilient and better prepared to face future emergencies.

Evacuation centres

In the event of a disaster, the Shire of Yilgarn may be requested to open an evacuation centre. The location would be advised through our website and the Emergency WA website.

Emergency Services

Fire, Ambulance or Police emergencies, please call 000.

St John Ambulance Sub Centre – Southern Cross
Address	PO Box 72, Southern Cross WA 6426
Email	SouthernCross@stjohnambulance.com.au
Committee contacts (not to be called in an emergency) Chairperson	Bryan Close - 0457 001 264

Bush Fire Brigades

The Shire of Yilgarn has eight volunteer bush fire brigades covering the following areas:

• Bodallin/Noongaar
• Bullfinch
• Marvel Loch
• Miners Settlement
• Moorine Rock
• Mt Hampton/Dulyalbin
• Southern Cross/Central
• South Yilgarn

CONTROL AREA	Contact Details
Chief Bush Fire Control Officer	Leigh Dal Busco 0427 491 601
Deputy Chief Bush Fire Control Officer - South	Corey Hilder (Moorine Rock) 0427 671 228
Deputy Chief Bush Fire Control Officer - North	John Roberts (Bullfinch) 0427 495 068

Fire control officers
Kelvin Kent (Bodallin) 0400 198 051
David Maddock
Wayne Della Bosca (Central) 0427 957 206
Ron Burro
Tony (Spud) Dal Busco (Town) 0427 491 297
Jon Pollard
Adrian Wesley
Anthony Carnicelli
Graham Maddock
Glen Nicholson
Steve Rose
Will Harvey
Linda Rose
Trevor Major
Rod Jackson
Andrew Zweck
John Roberts (Bullfinch) 0427 495 068
Jeff Taylor
Jamie (Frog) Taylor

Please contact the shire administration office for general information and contact details.

Fire & Rescue	The Southern Cross Fire & Rescue Service is located on the corner of Canopus and Altair Streets, Southern Cross and is run by volunteer brigade members.
Station Telephone	08 9049 1350 (not to be called for emergencies)
Station Fax	08 9049 1867

Police
Address	75 Canopus Street, Southern Cross WA 6426
Phone	08 9081 2100 (not to be called for emergencies)
Fax	08 9049 1017

Southern Cross Police Station covers an area of 30,720 square kilometres and provides Police services to a population of approximately 3,000 community members.

Police initiatives provided to the community include the following:

• School Interaction: Liase with students and teachers in local schools.
• Crosswords Article: Provide the community with an update of local crime prevention and police issues within their local community.
• Highway Patrols: Reducing road trauma and promoting safe driving habits by maintaining a high visibility on the main highway and arterial roads.
• Town Patrols: Actively liaising with the general community, encouraging interaction and feedback on issues of interest.

The Station prides itself in being active in the community and striving to maintain Southern Cross as a safe environment for all community members.