Management of Critical Incidents

Approving Authority:

Executive Director of Administration

Establishment Date:

October 1999

Date Last Amendment:

October 2002

Nature of Amendment:

Change to titles

Date Last Reviewed:

October 2002

Publication Reference:

Appendix 12, Emergency Control Policy

Contact Officer:

Executive Officer to the Executive Director of Administration

1.

Preamble

1.1 For the purpose of this statement, critical incident means an unexpected and emotionally demanding event, usually outside the normal range of experience of the people affected, which has the potential to cause on going distress in individuals directly and indirectly involved in the incident.

Examples may include becoming aware of, witnessing or being directly involved in incidents such as: a fatality; a serious physical assault; a sexual assault; a major accident or fire involving serious injury; a hold up or attempted robbery; persons behaving in bizarre and distressing ways (possibly connected with drugs, alcohol or psychotic episodes); threats of violence or intimidation.

1.2 The purpose of this statement is to provide a framework which will enable: an effective approach to be taken in responding to critical incidents as they occur; appropriate support and counselling services to be made available to those affected; and appropriate training and information resources to be provided for staff.

2.

Scope

2.1 This statement forms an appendix to the University’s Emergency Control Policy and Procedures.

2.2 This statement applies to smaller scale incidents (such as those confined to an individual or small group of people) rather than larger scale emergencies (such as a natural disaster or a major fire in a building). The Emergency Control Policy and Procedures applies to the latter.

2.3 This statement applies to critical incidents which occur on University grounds and affect staff, students and visitors to the University.

2.4 The policies and procedures implemented by the Dean of University Hall for handling critical incidents which occur within the University Town Houses and University Hall shall continue to apply at the Dean’s discretion. The Dean will seek assistance from the Emergency Services Coordinator as the situation necessitates.

3.

Coordination of response to a critical incident

Responses to critical incidents will be coordinated by the Emergency Services Coordinator located in the Services Section of the Division of Buildings and Property. The Emergency Services Coordinator will:

3.1 mobilise the necessary internal and external services needed to deal with the incident. This may involve University security staff, staff in the Health Service, Counselling Service, Occupational Health and Safety Unit, International Office and Flinders Housing, and external agencies such as ambulance or police;

3.2 be responsible for providing advice and assistance to the manager of the area concerned;

3.3 be responsible for reporting the incident to the Executive Director of Administration and to the relevant Cost Centre Head, and for maintaining a record of incidents on a central file established for the purpose; and

3.4 liaise with the Head, Public Affairs Office, about public relations implications, if any, and take steps to protect those involved in the incident from unwelcome exposure to the media.

4

Coordination of public relations and debriefing

The Executive Director of Administration or delegate will:

4.1 receive advice from the Head, Public Affairs Office, about how to manage any public relations issues that have arisen;

4.2 organise operational debriefing (via internal and external agencies as appropriate) to enable discussion and assessment of the University’s actions taken in response to a critical incident, by the key staff involved, as a means of airing any issues that may have arisen and to ensure good practice; and

4.3 organise as appropriate (via internal and external agencies) access to psychological debriefing such as counselling and other forms of support provided to groups or individuals as a means of ameliorating stressful or disturbing after-effects of critical incidents.

5

Training programs and information resources

5.1 The University will provide training programs and information resources as needed to increase the level of preparedness amongst staff, recognising that these resources may need to be tailored for particular individuals and groups according to their particular roles.

5.2 Detailed guidelines for the management of critical incidents in particular situations will be developed as needed and appended to this statement once they have gained approval from the Executive Director of Administration.