Students

PICT213 – National Resilience: Crisis Response and Emergency Management

2017 – S2 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Lecturer
Dr Layla Branicki
Level 2. Australian Hearing Hub
By appointment
Vincent Hurley
Layla Branicki
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
PICT111 or PICT110
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit explores the concept of national resilience. It identifies the role of government in preparing for, managing and recovering from a broad range of crises. The unit begins with an overview of risk reduction strategies and introduces the concept of contingency planning. It then examines the various kinds of crisis response capabilities that government develop, including interagency and state-federal coordination procedures, interoperability of equipment and ADF domestic counterterrorism capabilities. The unit then discusses emergency coordination and management in a variety of contexts, including natural disasters, a large-scale mass transit accident, a nuclear, chemical or biological incident, a viral epidemic, a terrorist attack and critical infrastructure failure. Finally, the unit examines planning for national resilience capacity, the ability to recover from unexpected and debilitating crises. These potent threats to national security are outside the threat-centric concept of homeland security and require a more risk-based approach to planning and preparation. This unit complements PICT210, which covers the operational aspects of homeland security, and PICT211, which focuses on government and private sector national security strategy and policy

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Explain the concept of resilience as it applies to national security, preparedness planning, crisis response and emergency management
  • Identify key threats to and vulnerabilities of critical national infrastructure
  • Apply risk analysis models to a range of crisis response options available to government or business organisations
  • Prioritise resilience planning tasks in accordance with business continuity principles appropriate to private and public sector organisations
  • Critically evaluate coordination mechanisms between levels of government, across public and private organisations and among private sector organisations
  • Employ emergency management principles to assess the applicability of coordination methods for different crisis scenarios.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Snowy Hydro Scheme 20% No 11.55pm. Sunday 3.9.17
Essay 50% No 11.55pm Sunday 13.10.17
Group Presentation 30% No Essay 11.55pm Sun 12.11.17

Snowy Hydro Scheme

Due: 11.55pm. Sunday 3.9.17
Weighting: 20%

This assessment task has 2 parts and is a hypothetical exercise.

Part 1

Use the Risk Management Matrix to help you to assess the risk posed to the Snowy Hydro Scheme from 1 or 2 types of emergencies / disasters. You can focus on any type of human induced emergency/disaster, AND/OR any type of environmentally induced emergency/disaster. However, you are NOT to use a terrorist attack as an example of a human induced emergency/ disaster. An example Risk Management Matrix, and some basic information about Snowy Hydro can be found on ILearn.

You simply answer this part, Part 1, under a heading somewhere in your essay, Risk Management Matrix Determination. 

Part 2

Draw upon the academic literature to evaluate the following:

  1. How was completing the Risk Management Matrix helpful in evaluating the risk faced by the Snowy Hydro Scheme?

  2. What are the limitations of using a Risk Management Matrix?

This part of the assignment is to be written in essay style.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain the concept of resilience as it applies to national security, preparedness planning, crisis response and emergency management
  • Identify key threats to and vulnerabilities of critical national infrastructure
  • Apply risk analysis models to a range of crisis response options available to government or business organisations
  • Prioritise resilience planning tasks in accordance with business continuity principles appropriate to private and public sector organisations
  • Critically evaluate coordination mechanisms between levels of government, across public and private organisations and among private sector organisations
  • Employ emergency management principles to assess the applicability of coordination methods for different crisis scenarios.

Essay

Due: 11.55pm Sunday 13.10.17
Weighting: 50%

Answer only 1 of the 6 essay questions available via iLearn

Guidance:  Assignment to be written in essay style. 1500 word limit (not including reference list or appendices). Appendices are only to include supplementary material; anything vital to your answer should appear in the main body of the essay. Your assignments must be fully and consistently referenced. 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain the concept of resilience as it applies to national security, preparedness planning, crisis response and emergency management
  • Identify key threats to and vulnerabilities of critical national infrastructure
  • Apply risk analysis models to a range of crisis response options available to government or business organisations
  • Prioritise resilience planning tasks in accordance with business continuity principles appropriate to private and public sector organisations
  • Critically evaluate coordination mechanisms between levels of government, across public and private organisations and among private sector organisations
  • Employ emergency management principles to assess the applicability of coordination methods for different crisis scenarios.

Group Presentation

Due: Essay 11.55pm Sun 12.11.17
Weighting: 30%

This assessment item consists of 2 parts also.

Part 1: Group Presentation (20%)

In your tutorial class you will be assigned to a presentation group. Presentations will occur during week 12 and 13 tutorials. In your group, you will be asked to:

Apply concepts, models and frameworks introduced during the Unit to assess the risks faced by a ‘real-world’ company, organization or government of your choice. Suggest how your selected entity could better deal with your identified risks.

All group members must equally contribute to the presentation, but not all group members need to present. If someone in the group doesn’t present then they must answer class questions. Who does what role within the group, this is a matter for the group. Those presenting will do so for a total of 10 minutes. Those answering questions will do so for 5 minutes.

To ensure fairness of work ethic and contribution within each group, each person must submit: 

1 copy of your PowerPoint slides to iLearn by 09:00 on the day of the presentation. 

2 printed copies of your slides to your tutor at the start of your allocated presentation session with the name & student number of the individual who researched and authored specific issues on the each ppt side.  This allows the tutor to see who contributed to what, and to what degree,  as part of the groups presentation.

Your tutor will assess your presentation

 

Part 2: Reflexive Exercise (10%) As an individual, you will submit a short (500 words) Reflexive Exercise about your Group Presentation to ILearn.

You are asked to consider:

  1. How well your group worked together?

  2. What you have learnt from working in your group?

This essay is about you reflecting on your adult learning. 

DUE DATE FOR THIS PART IS   11.55pm Sunday 12th November 2017


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain the concept of resilience as it applies to national security, preparedness planning, crisis response and emergency management
  • Identify key threats to and vulnerabilities of critical national infrastructure
  • Apply risk analysis models to a range of crisis response options available to government or business organisations
  • Prioritise resilience planning tasks in accordance with business continuity principles appropriate to private and public sector organisations
  • Critically evaluate coordination mechanisms between levels of government, across public and private organisations and among private sector organisations
  • Employ emergency management principles to assess the applicability of coordination methods for different crisis scenarios.

Delivery and Resources

UNIT REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS

  • You should spend an average of 12 hours per week on this unit. This includes listening to lectures prior to seminar or tutorial, reading weekly required materials as detailed in iLearn, and preparing assessments.
  • Internal students are expected to attend all seminar or tutorial sessions, and external students are expected to make significant contributions to on-line activities.
  • In most cases students are required to attempt and submit all major assessment tasks in order to pass the unit.

 

REQUIRED READINGS

There is no prescribed text for this unit.  The citations for all the required readings for this unit are available to students through this unit iLearn site and at Macquarie University's library site.  Electronic copies of required readings are attached as pdf files and may be accessed through the library also All required reading are attached as pdf files in the relevant week. However, you are expected to read beyond the attached readings using your own initiative. Additionally, useful websites have been included in ilearn to assist you with this. You are expected to read beyond the attached readings using your own initiative.

 

SUBMITTING ASSESSMENT TASKS

  • All text-based assessment tasks are to be submitted, marked and returned electronically.  This will only happen through the unit iLearn site. 
  • Assessment tasks must be submitted as a MS word document by the due date.
  • Most assessment tasks will be subject to a 'TurnitIn' review as an automatic part of the submission process.
  • The granting of extensions of up to one week are at the discretion of the unit convener or nominated delegate such as a tutor.  Any requests for extensions must be before the due date for the submission of the assessment task.  Extensions beyond one week are subject to the university’s Disruptions Policy 

 

 LATE SUBMISSION OF ASSESSMENT TASKS

  • If an assignment is submitted late, 5% of the available mark will be deducted for each day (including weekends) the paper is late.
  • For example, if a paper is worth 20 marks, 1 mark will be deducted from the grade given for each day that it is late (i.e. a student given 15/20 who submitted 4 days late will lose 4 marks = 11/20).
  • The same principle applies if an extension is granted and the assignment is submitted later than the amended date.

 

WORD LIMITS FOR ASSESSMENT TASKS

  • Stated word limits include footnotes and footnoted references, but not bibliography, or title page.
  • Word limits can generally deviate by 10% either over or under the stated figure.
  • If the number of words exceeds the limit by more than 10%, then penalties will apply. These penalties are 5% of the awarded mark for every 100 words over the word limit. If a paper is 300 words over, for instance, it will lose 3 x 5% = 15% of the total mark awarded for the assignment. This percentage is taken off the total mark, i.e. if a paper was graded at a credit (65%) and was 300 words over, it would be reduced by 15 marks to a pass (50%).
  • The application of this penalty is at the discretion of the course convener. 

 

TECHNOLOGY REQUIRED

Computer and internet access are essential for this unit. Basic computer skills and skills in word processing are also a requirement. This unit has an online presence. Login is via: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/.  Students are required to have regular access to a computer and the internet. Mobile devices alone are not sufficient.

 

REASSESSMENT OF ASSIGNMENTS DURING THE SEMESTER

Macquarie University operates a Grade Appeal Policy in cases where students feel their work was graded inappropriately 

Unit Schedule

Week

                Lecture

Lecturer

       Case

     Tutorial

    1

Introduction to the Unit

VH

 

Nil

    2

State & National Coordination for Emergency Management Response

VH

 

State & Federal Government EM Arrangements

    3

Legislative Responsibilities of Combat Agencies in Crisis Response

VH

Who’s in charge at a bushfire?

Case discussion

    4

What is Critical National Infrastructure? What is Risk Assessment?

VH

Snowy Hydro Scheme

Case discussion

    5

Disaster Preparation

 

VH

Response to Ebola outbreak in 2013

Case discussion

    6

What do Emergency Managers do?

LB

UK Tourism & Leisure

Case discussion

    7

What is Resilience?  What is a High Reliability Organization?

LB

Cheap-Fly

Case discussion

    8

Public-Private Partnerships & Emergency Management

LB

Wal-Mart & Hurricane Katrina

Case discussion

    9

Why does Emergency Management & Response Fail?

LB

The Deep Horizon Oil Platform Disaster

Case discussion

   10

Technology & Emergency Management

LB

Twitter & Australian 2010-11 Floods

Case discussion

   11

Assessed Presentation Workshop

VH & LB

 

Tutor-led Assessed Presentation Preparation

   12

No Lecture

Assessed Presentation Preparation

 

VH & LB

 

Assessed Presentations

   13

Conclusions to the Unit

(including Essay Q&A)

VH & LB

-

Assessed Presentations

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html

Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Explain the concept of resilience as it applies to national security, preparedness planning, crisis response and emergency management
  • Critically evaluate coordination mechanisms between levels of government, across public and private organisations and among private sector organisations
  • Employ emergency management principles to assess the applicability of coordination methods for different crisis scenarios.

Assessment tasks

  • Essay
  • Group Presentation

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Identify key threats to and vulnerabilities of critical national infrastructure
  • Apply risk analysis models to a range of crisis response options available to government or business organisations
  • Prioritise resilience planning tasks in accordance with business continuity principles appropriate to private and public sector organisations
  • Critically evaluate coordination mechanisms between levels of government, across public and private organisations and among private sector organisations
  • Employ emergency management principles to assess the applicability of coordination methods for different crisis scenarios.

Assessment tasks

  • Snowy Hydro Scheme
  • Group Presentation

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Identify key threats to and vulnerabilities of critical national infrastructure
  • Apply risk analysis models to a range of crisis response options available to government or business organisations

Assessment tasks

  • Essay
  • Group Presentation

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Explain the concept of resilience as it applies to national security, preparedness planning, crisis response and emergency management
  • Identify key threats to and vulnerabilities of critical national infrastructure
  • Apply risk analysis models to a range of crisis response options available to government or business organisations
  • Critically evaluate coordination mechanisms between levels of government, across public and private organisations and among private sector organisations
  • Employ emergency management principles to assess the applicability of coordination methods for different crisis scenarios.

Assessment tasks

  • Snowy Hydro Scheme
  • Essay
  • Group Presentation

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Explain the concept of resilience as it applies to national security, preparedness planning, crisis response and emergency management
  • Identify key threats to and vulnerabilities of critical national infrastructure
  • Apply risk analysis models to a range of crisis response options available to government or business organisations
  • Prioritise resilience planning tasks in accordance with business continuity principles appropriate to private and public sector organisations
  • Critically evaluate coordination mechanisms between levels of government, across public and private organisations and among private sector organisations
  • Employ emergency management principles to assess the applicability of coordination methods for different crisis scenarios.

Assessment tasks

  • Snowy Hydro Scheme
  • Essay
  • Group Presentation

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Explain the concept of resilience as it applies to national security, preparedness planning, crisis response and emergency management
  • Identify key threats to and vulnerabilities of critical national infrastructure
  • Apply risk analysis models to a range of crisis response options available to government or business organisations
  • Prioritise resilience planning tasks in accordance with business continuity principles appropriate to private and public sector organisations
  • Critically evaluate coordination mechanisms between levels of government, across public and private organisations and among private sector organisations
  • Employ emergency management principles to assess the applicability of coordination methods for different crisis scenarios.

Assessment tasks

  • Snowy Hydro Scheme
  • Essay
  • Group Presentation

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Explain the concept of resilience as it applies to national security, preparedness planning, crisis response and emergency management
  • Identify key threats to and vulnerabilities of critical national infrastructure
  • Apply risk analysis models to a range of crisis response options available to government or business organisations
  • Prioritise resilience planning tasks in accordance with business continuity principles appropriate to private and public sector organisations
  • Critically evaluate coordination mechanisms between levels of government, across public and private organisations and among private sector organisations
  • Employ emergency management principles to assess the applicability of coordination methods for different crisis scenarios.

Assessment tasks

  • Essay
  • Group Presentation

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Prioritise resilience planning tasks in accordance with business continuity principles appropriate to private and public sector organisations
  • Employ emergency management principles to assess the applicability of coordination methods for different crisis scenarios.

Assessment task

  • Group Presentation

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Explain the concept of resilience as it applies to national security, preparedness planning, crisis response and emergency management
  • Apply risk analysis models to a range of crisis response options available to government or business organisations
  • Prioritise resilience planning tasks in accordance with business continuity principles appropriate to private and public sector organisations
  • Critically evaluate coordination mechanisms between levels of government, across public and private organisations and among private sector organisations
  • Employ emergency management principles to assess the applicability of coordination methods for different crisis scenarios.

Assessment tasks

  • Snowy Hydro Scheme
  • Group Presentation