Lifelines coordination in response

Lifelines coordination streamlines activities. It also ensures effective information flow between lifelines and Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM).

CDEM Groups coordinate local lifeline utilities within affected regions during response. The National Emergency Management Agency coordinates lifeline utility sectors at the national level.

Lifeline utilities coordinate between themselves at the local or national level (or both) depending on the emergency, response and their industry structure. Lifeline Utility Coordinators help broker relationships and solutions between Lifelines and the response.

During emergencies, lifeline utilities do the following.

• Contact with CDEM Group Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC).
• Tell the ECC the status of their network.
• Receive and action CDEM Group reports.
• Provide information where possible, including:
  • the scale and extent of impact on networks;
  • major disruptions experienced, including location and number of users affected;
  • estimated restoration times for known disruptions;
  • priority areas of response actions;
  • alternative solutions available;
  • precautions and public information to be shared; and
  • requests for support or specific information.

The National Emergency Management Agency and CDEM Groups:

• analyse information supplied by lifeline utilities,
• give advice to the Controller,
• provide lifeline utility information for media releases, situation reports and central government reports,
• coordinate requests for resources from lifeline utilities, and
• enable transition to recovery.