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Disaster Management

What is the PHN’s role in Disaster Management?

SNHN helps primary care organisations in the Sydney North region in emergency preparedness
and management, such as preparing for disasters and increasing community resilience.

SNHN coordinates disaster response as part of larger plans, such as the NSW State Emergency Management Plan (EMPLAN), NSLHD Health Services Plan or the Australian Government disaster response plan (COMDISPLAN) for major crises. SNHN’s disaster management activities include the following:

  • Check on our general practices, pharmacies, residential aged care homes (RACHs),
    commissioned service and community providers (or you can contact us during a
    disaster)
  • Communications to stakeholders during and after disasters
  • Stand-up of a primary healthcare team (e.g. GPs, nurses and other primary care
    clinicians) assisting in evacuation centres (as led by NSW Health).
  • Offer free disaster and emergency preparedness training programs (e.g. MIMMS by NSW
    Health and SNHN PREPARE) for our GPs, practice managers, pharmacists, nurses and
    allied health professionals.
  • Assist in increasing COVID, flu and other vaccinations in our vulnerable populations
  • SNHN Disaster Management webpage
    of Emergency Map with status of our general practices, pharmacies and RACHs –
    updated during disasters
    o Preparedness toolkits
    o Links to key organisations e.g. Hazards Near Me app, BoM, RFS, SES, Fire &
    Rescue NSW, Live Traffic NSW, NSW Health infectious disease and Australian
    Cyber Security Centre.
  • Contact the PHN Sydney North Emergency Operations Centre (sneoc@snhn.org.au) or
    call (02) 9432 8250 for advice on your emergency preparation and
    response.
  • Express your interest in emergency preparedness training
  • Express your interest in assisting in treating patients during disasters
    within an evacuation centre or within your own practice.

Disaster Management Map

Interactive maps are valuable tools for disaster response and preparedness. They allow people to visualise potential risks, track the progression of events, and plan for evacuations or resource allocation.

These maps can provide critical insights into the evolving situation, helping responders and communities make informed decisions. Interactive maps are powerful tools for disaster management, offering valuable insights into hazards, tracking events, and facilitating effective response strategies.

Key benefits:

  • Enhanced Decision-Making: Access to real-time information and visualizations allows for quicker and more informed decisions during a disaster.
  • Effective Resource Allocation: Interactive maps help responders and authorities efficiently allocate resources to the most affected areas.
  • Increased Community Resilience: By providing access to information and tools, interactive maps empower communities to prepare for and respond to disasters more effectively.
screenshot 2025 12 16 134636
Hazards near me
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Live Traffic NSW
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Emergency Plus
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ABC Radio
tga
Australian Government Department of Health
ses
State Emergency Service
bom 1
Bureau of Meteorology
afac
AFAC Seasonal Bushfire Outlook
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Fire & Rescue NSW
triple zero
Call triple 000 (Emergencies)
rfs
Rural Fire Service
nsw health
NSW Ministry of Health

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Jacqui Emery

Jacqui is a passionate advocate for equity in healthcare and an accomplished leader with over 20 years of experience across the not-for-profit, corporate, and media sectors.

Most recently, she served as CEO of Royal Far West, where she championed access to developmental, mental health, and allied health services for children in rural and remote communities. Her work has driven early intervention, education, and advocacy initiatives that have influenced policy and funding outcomes nationwide.

Jacqui’s deep commitment to creating opportunities for those who need them most aligns perfectly with SNHN’s vision:continuing to work collaboratively to help our community live their best health.

Ramon del Carmen

Ramon is a senior organisational leader with extensive experience in highly competitive and heavily regulated environments including banking and telecommunications as well as the not-for-profit health sector with over 12 years of CEO experience and 9 years of CFO experience. He combines innovation and strategic thinking with strong leadership to deliver results in challenging environments that are undergoing significant and time-critical change.

Ramon is currently a non-executive director and Treasurer of Bobby Goldsmith Foundation and held previous non-executive director positions with Your Side Australia and Primary and Community Care Services (PCCS).

Ramon has a Bachelor of Economics from The University of Sydney, an MBA and MA (Business Research) from Macquarie Graduate School of Management. He is a Fellow of Chartered Accountant Australia and New Zealand, and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Eugene McGarrell

Eugene has more than 45 years of experience in the health, social and wellbeing sectors across the UK and Australia, with roles in clinical, community development, management, and executive leadership. As CEO of Healthy Australia, he led initiatives like Safe, feedAustralia, and Thriving Together, which promoted children’s health and learning. He introduced innovative approaches in workers’ compensation, such as social prescribing, to prevent injuries and aid recovery.

A systems thinker, Eugene advocates for challenging convention and disrupting the status quo to address complex social problems. His career began as a mental health nurse, and he has worked across government and social services to tackle issues facing vulnerable communities. Notably, in 1998, he co-led a project in Kingston that reduced suicide rates by 40%.

Eugene co-designed The Collective NSW in 2013, bringing together community, government, and business to break the cycle of disadvantage, leading to successful initiatives like the Greenway Wellbeing Centre and SILC. He is dedicated to empowering communities to design their own solutions and improve health, social, and economic outcomes.

He holds a PG Dip in Care Policy and Management from London Guildhall University and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Sara Warburton

Sara is a skilled strategic leader with a wealth of experience in customer-centric leadership roles within the health and care sector. Her extensive career spans senior positions in business development, strategy, marketing communications, service innovation, and operational excellence across both the UK and Australia.

Sara has demonstrated her expertise in both for-profit and non-profit sectors, as well as within government contracts, where she has successfully driven organisational transformation programs and enhanced access and experience for patients and communities. Her dedication to excellence is further demonstrated by her volunteer roles, including serving as a Strategic Advisor to Frontline Yoga and most recently as Chief-of-Staff for a mental health startup.

Sara holds a Bachelor’s degree (Hons) in Business Management from Oxford Brookes University and has completed the MBA Essentials Course at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Additionally, she participated in the development of the McKinsey Not-For-Profit Executive Leadership Program and has informally studied behavioural economics and technology in healthcare.

Deb Pallavicini

Deborah’s general management responsibilities include teams working with and supporting primary healthcare providers across our region, including General Practitioners and Allied Health Professionals. Her strategic approach to role responsibilities provides solid direction for those teams engaged in quality improvement, chronic disease management, digital health, emergency response, improved service integration, corporate communications, and marketing. Deborah is also responsible for directing the Clinical Engagement team, ensuring our professional members’ capabilities are continually enhanced for delivering the right care to our local community at the right time and place.

With over 12 years of experience working as a Practice Manager in medium to large General Practices, Deborah has also worked with the Improvement Foundation (IF), taking part in the Australian Primary Care Collaboratives on two occasions. The experience she gained over this period has translated into a strong and practical understanding of the Primary Care environment and the importance of Quality Improvement for enhancing patient outcomes.

Deborah’s experience at SNHN is inclusive of involvement in the development and rollout of quality improvement programs inclusive of dementia management in general practice and broader chronic disease management programs; the COVID-19 response across the region’s primary care providers inclusive of RACFs, coupled with the later rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations.

Deborah holds a Master’s in Health Management focusing on Quality and Safety in Healthcare and a Graduate Certificate in Health Science.