Building resilience: Leveraging Local Buy for Effective Disaster Response and Recovery

By Debbie Spann, Category Manager – Civil, Roads and Engineering Portfolio
Assisted by Daniel O’Donnell, Category Manager – ICT, Telecommunications and Libraries

Queensland is no stranger to natural disasters, from cyclones and floods to bushfires. These events disrupt lives, damage infrastructure, and harm the environment, highlighting the critical need for robust disaster preparation and recovery strategies. Beyond addressing immediate needs, disaster management must focus on building resilience to withstand future challenges. Local councils are uniquely positioned to spearhead these efforts, with Local Buy Arrangements offering streamlined procurement processes to enhance disaster response and recovery.

Disaster recovery is most effective when led locally, supported by higher levels of government and relevant entities. The Queensland Recovery Plan acknowledges that recovery efforts must be community-driven, leveraging inherent local strengths, assets, and resources. Flexible policies and adaptive planning are vital to meet the evolving needs of affected communities.

Resilience in disaster management is the capacity of communities to prepare for, respond to, recover from, and adapt to adverse events. Effective resilience goes beyond repairing damage; it incorporates learning from past experiences to strengthen future responses, ensuring communities remain sustainable and liveable.

Building resilience requires a multifaceted approach, encompassing infrastructure repair, community engagement, and support services. By utilising Local Buy Arrangements, councils can efficiently address these complexities, ensuring they are equipped to meet the demands of disaster management.

Local governments play a pivotal role in emergency and disaster management due to their deep knowledge of local environments and strong community networks. Each council operates within a unique context shaped by its history, cultural diversity, environmental factors, and specific risks.

Local governments, in partnership with state and territory governments, contribute significantly to community safety and wellbeing. Their responsibilities include:

• Representing community interests in emergency management and decision-making processes before, during, and after disasters
• Undertaking and regularly exercising local emergency planning and preparedness measures
• Ensuring adequate local emergency response capabilities, including resources for volunteers
• Establishing actions for emergency relief and recovery services
• Continuously providing essential municipal services, such as waste management, water supply, and stormwater drainage, during crises
• Participating in post-emergency assessments, debriefs, and lessons management to improve future responses

Local governments, in partnership with state and territory governments, contribute significantly to community safety and wellbeing.

A major advantage of utilising Local Buy Arrangements is a streamlined procurement process. During disasters, councils must act swiftly to mobilise resources. Local Buy simplifies this process by providing access to pre-qualified suppliers and services, enabling councils to bypass lengthy procurement timelines.

Local Buy has pre-qualified suppliers on 54 Arrangements so that councils and other organisations who leverage these arrangements, can access a range of goods and services through a quotation rather than a lengthy tender process saving you both time and money.

Key benefits of Local Buy Arrangements include:

• Fast engagement of prequalified suppliers
• Pre-determined scopes of service
• Agreed maximum pricing
• Pre-agreed contracts and insurance
• Easy access to statewide pre-qualified suppliers with proven capabilities
• Ensuring compliance with local government regulations and procurement policies

These Arrangements are particularly critical when local suppliers in disaster-affected areas are unavailable. They allow councils to:

• Repair vital infrastructure using Arrangements like LB313 (Road & General Civil Construction) and LB314 (Water, Sewerage & Stormwater Infrastructure)
• Conduct damage assessments through LB312 (Engineering & Environmental Consultancy Services)
• Restore public amenities using LB329 (Building & Construction Commercial Fit-out), LB303 (Sport & Recreational Facilities), and LB304 (Parks & Amenities)
• Facilitate debris removal and landscaping with LB305 (Landscape, Gardening & Arboriculture Services)

In the aftermath of disasters, councils must prioritise community health, safety, and wellbeing. Local Buy Arrangements enable this by providing essential resources for:

• Asset inspections and damage audits using LB280 (Asset Management Services) and LB335 (Planning, Surveying, Design & Architectural Services)
• Enhancing security through LB289 (Security Services, Equipment & Maintenance)
• Managing traffic post-disaster with LB325 (Traffic Management Services), as demonstrated during Cyclone Jasper recovery efforts

These services support financial recovery by expediting insurance claims and funding processes, ensuring communities can rebuild quickly and effectively.

While it is impossible to prevent natural disasters, councils can shift from reactive measures to proactive planning. Comprehensive disaster management plans, informed by lessons from past events, are key to mitigating future impacts.

Local Buy Arrangements empower councils to develop resilience by ensuring rapid access to pre-qualified services and resources. These Arrangements foster efficient disaster response and recovery, enabling councils to restore vital services, support community wellbeing, and promote long-term sustainability.

By leveraging the capabilities of Local Buy, councils can effectively lead their communities through the challenges of disaster management, transforming adversity into an opportunity for growth and resilience.By enhancing our resilience, we can create communities that are not only prepared for future challenges but thrive in their aftermath. In a world where the unpredictability of nature is a constant, building resilience is not just a necessity; it's an investment in the future of our communities. An investment that Local Buy can support Queensland Communities in maintaining and enhancing.

Councils seeking assistance in disaster response and recovery, our dedicated Engagement Team is always available to help. Contact our Head of Engagement, Emma Peters epeters@localbuy.net.au