All State, Territory and Commonwealth jurisdictions (and industry) have a shared interest in ensuring that an Emergency Animal Disease (EAD) is brought under control as quickly as possible, wherever the location of the outbreak.

The Rapid Response Team (RRT) was initially developed to assist smaller jurisdictions such as Northern Territory, South Australia and Tasmania, in the initial establishment of a Local Disease Control Centre (LDCC) and State Disease Control Headquarters (SDCHQ) during the response to an EAD.

The RRT was developed and trialed throughout the 2003/2004 financial year, during this time it was identified that the RRT is a significant incident response asset that could be used in all states and territories, should the need arise

Membership of the RRT

RRT members are employees of government primary industry/agriculture departments and are nominated by their Chief Veterinary Officer. Collectively, they have expertise in establishing the key components of an LDCC/SDCHQ in a recipient jurisdiction.

RRT members are sponsored to participate in annual exercises, induction and other training as well as RRT specific workshops.

Maintaining the vibrancy of the RRT is an important consideration and Animal Health Australia seeks nominations from the jurisdictions on an annual basis.

Management of the RRT

Animal Health Australia has responsibility for the management of the RRT except during EAD response activities where the RRT is called out by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Training

RRT members are encouraged to participate in a range of training and professional development activities each year, these include induction for new members; professional development workshops and an annual RRT exercise held in conjunction with a jurisdiction.

This year's RRT annual exercise was held in the Northern Territory. The exercise, known as Exercise Wild Boar, as conducted from 17 to 21 November 2008.

The exercise simulated an outbreak of Classical Swine Fever. Its aim was to evaluate the Department of Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines arrangements for managing an emergency animal disease response in the Northern Territory.

The exercise was a functional exercise focusing on the activities to be undertaken by a mini State Control Headquarters and a Local Disease Control Centre. These activities took place in an operational environment and required exercise participants to actually perform the functions of their response roles. There were no field operations or deployments during the exercise.

The 2009/10 annual exercise is planned to be held in Victoria and the 20010/11 exercise in Queensland.

Further Information

For further information about the RRT please contact:

Jenny Arkle
Manager, Training Services
Animal Health Australia

Email: jarkle@animalhealthaustralia.com.au

To access the RRT Management Extranet please click here.

Page Updated: 28 November 2008