9.10 Tsunami Operations

Purpose

To provide operational guidance for SLSSA activities during tsunami watches, warnings, tsunami response operations, and associated coastal evacuation activities.

Overview

SLS personnel remain under SLSSA command arrangements while supporting emergency service or Control Agency operations.

SLS personnel, facilities, and operational resources may be exposed to elevated risk during tsunami events due to their proximity to coastal environments and operational activities conducted within shoreline areas.

SLSSA may assist with public warning, evacuation support, shoreline observation, communications, and approved support operations where tasked or operationally required.

A tsunami warning may also affect the ability of SLS services and SLSSA facilities to maintain normal operations. Services, facilities, personnel, and resources may need to evacuate or relocate from areas exposed to tsunami or coastal inundation risks.

Procedure

Tsunami Warning Sources

The Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre (JATWC), operated jointly by the Bureau of Meteorology and Geoscience Australia, provides tsunami watches, warnings and threat advice for Australia.

Official JATWC tsunami information is published by the Bureau of Meteorology.

JATWC tsunami information may include:

• National Tsunami Watch,
• National Tsunami No Threat Bulletin,
• Tsunami Warnings for affected states or territories,
• National Tsunami Warning Summary,
• Tsunami Watch Cancellation, and
• Tsunami Warning Cancellation.

Tsunami threats are categorised as:

• No threat,
• Marine and immediate foreshore threat, or
• Land inundation threat.

SLS personnel should monitor current Bureau of Meteorology tsunami warnings and information when confirming the status and extent of a tsunami threat.

Official tsunami bulletins and warnings are available through the Bureau of Meteorology website, the BOM Weather app, and the audio warning service on 1300 878 626 (1300 TSUNAMI).

Operational instructions issued by the State Operations Centre (SOC), emergency services, or relevant emergency management authorities must also be followed.

Operational Coordination

SLSSA support activities during tsunami watches, warnings or tsunami events may include:

• Shoreline observation and monitoring,
• Public warning support,
• Evacuation support activities,
• Communications support,
• Coastal reconnaissance,
• Welfare support activities, and
• Other approved support operations as tasked.

Operational coordination should occur through the State Operations Centre (SOC) in accordance with SOP 12.1 – Command, Control and Coordination Operations.

Where SLSSA is supporting another agency, SLS personnel remain under SLSSA command arrangements while operating within the relevant Control Agency arrangements.

Operational Capability and Relocation

Tsunami warnings or coastal inundation may require SLS services, facilities, or operational resources located within affected areas to evacuate, relocate, or temporarily cease operations.

This may reduce SLSSA operational capability, including the availability of local lifesaving resources and State Operations Centre (SOC) functions.

Where relocation or evacuation is required:

• The safety of SLS personnel takes priority,
• Patrol area closure and evacuation should be undertaken in accordance with SOP 9.1 – Emergency Patrol Area Closure and Evacuation,
• Statewide operational priorities and coordination should be managed in accordance with SOP 12.1 – Command, Control and Coordination Operations,
• SOC operations should be managed in accordance with SOP 12.2 – State Operations Centre (SOC) – SURFCOM and relevant business continuity arrangements, and
• Local services should follow applicable facility evacuation, emergency management, and business continuity arrangements.

Where tsunami inundation results in floodwater operations, SOP 9.9 – Flood Operations also applies.

SLS services should recognise that normal communications, coordination, patrol coverage, emergency response, and other operational capabilities may be temporarily reduced during evacuation or relocation activities.

Immediate Response Actions

Where a tsunami warning applies to an SLS service area, or tsunami-related coastal impacts are observed, SLS personnel should:

1. Confirm current official warning information where practicable,
2. Notify or maintain contact with the SOC,
3. Conduct an immediate dynamic risk assessment,
4. Suspend supervised swimming and other shoreline operations where required,
5. Remove patrol flags where patrol operations are suspended,
6. Warn and assist beach users to evacuate affected coastal areas where safe and appropriate,
7. Move SLS personnel to a safe location where required,
8. Avoid unnecessary exposure to the shoreline, waterways, or other areas subject to tsunami impact,
9. Protect essential communications and emergency response equipment where this can be achieved without delaying evacuation or placing personnel at risk, and
10. Follow directions issued by the SOC, emergency services, or relevant emergency management authorities.

Where evacuation is required, personnel should not remain in an exposed coastal area solely to maintain patrol or operational capability.

Shoreline Observation

SLS services should remain aware of unusual coastal conditions which may indicate tsunami activity, including:

• Rapid water retreat,
• Sudden changes in sea level,
• Unusual currents or wave activity,
• Significant surging water movement,
• Unusual ocean behaviour, or
• Coastal inundation or unexpected water movement.

Any significant observations should be reported to the SOC as soon as reasonably practicable.

SLS personnel must not enter or remain within an unsafe coastal area for the purpose of observing or confirming tsunami activity.

Public Safety

Where safe and operationally appropriate, SLS personnel may assist with public warnings and evacuation messaging.

Members should not place themselves at risk to conduct warnings, evacuations, or shoreline observations.

Operational priorities should include:

• Preservation of life,
• Safety of SLS personnel,
• Rapid evacuation from hazardous coastal areas,
• Clear public safety messaging, and
• Coordination with emergency services and Control Agency arrangements.

Members of the public should be encouraged to follow official emergency warnings and directions issued by emergency services and relevant authorities.

Marine and Immediate Foreshore Threat

A Marine and Immediate Foreshore Threat may result in dangerous waves, currents, surges, and unusual water movement within coastal waters and the immediate foreshore.

Where this threat applies:

• Water-based and shoreline activities should be reviewed and suspended where required,
• SLS personnel should remain clear of exposed shoreline areas where unsafe,
• The public should be discouraged from entering the water or approaching the shoreline,
• Rescue and operational resources should be relocated where required for personnel and asset safety, and
• SLS personnel should follow current operational directions from the SOC and relevant authorities.

Personnel should not enter hazardous water solely to protect or recover equipment.

Land Inundation Threat

A Land Inundation Threat may result in significant coastal flooding and presents a serious risk to people, facilities, vehicles, equipment, and infrastructure located within affected areas.

Where a Land Inundation Threat applies:

• SLS personnel within affected areas should prepare to evacuate or relocate as directed,
• Patrol and other coastal operations should be suspended where required,
• Personnel should move away from threatened coastal areas and to a safe location,
• Equipment should only be relocated where this can be completed safely and without delaying evacuation,
• Personnel should not return to an evacuated area until advised that it is safe to do so, and
• Floodwater operational requirements within SOP 9.9 – Flood Operations apply where inundation has occurred.

Resumption of Operations

Patrol or other coastal operations must not resume solely because the initial tsunami wave or surge has passed.

Tsunami activity may continue for an extended period and may involve multiple waves, surges, or changes in coastal water conditions.

Operations should only resume when:

• Relevant tsunami warnings have been cancelled or downgraded sufficiently for the activity,
• Emergency services or relevant authorities have advised that access is safe where applicable,
• Local hazards have been assessed,
• Sufficient personnel, equipment, communications, and operational capability are available, and
• The Patrol Captain, service lead, Duty Officer, or other relevant operational authority is satisfied that activities can recommence safely.

Reporting

Significant tsunami-related observations, operational impacts, evacuations, closures, deployments, and actions should be recorded within relevant operational systems.

Incidents requiring operational reporting should be recorded in accordance with SOP 13.2 – Incident Reporting and Recording.

References

• SOP 9.1 – Emergency Patrol Area Closure and Evacuation
• SOP 9.9 – Flood Operations
• SOP 12.1 – Command, Control and Coordination Operations
• SOP 12.2 – State Operations Centre (SOC) – SURFCOM
• SOP 13.2 – Incident Reporting and Recording
• Bureau of Meteorology – Tsunami Warnings
• Bureau of Meteorology – Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre
• Bureau of Meteorology – Current Tsunami Warnings and Bulletins
• State Emergency Management Plan, Part 3: Guidelines and Frameworks, Annex A: Evacuations
• Public Safety and Aquatic Rescue training manual, 35th Edition, Module 4 – Surf Awareness, Tsunamis
• Public Safety and Aquatic Rescue training manual, 35th Edition, Module 10 – Patrol Operations, Working with other emergency services