- Why – During the Victorian floods of 2022-2023, EPA was tasked with (amongst many other things) measuring impacts to public and environmental health across the state. As a result of the floods, it was recognised that EPA could deliver an enriched service if they had greater regional science capabilities. The State of Victoria provided funds to deliver the program.
- What – EPA delivered a state-wide science capability uplift in Victoria’s regions. Our team reviewed best-practice scientific equipment to monitor and screen the environment rapidly to inform the community of human and environmental risks. We procured an array of equipment and custom designed vehicles to act as mobile laboratories capable of navigating safely through emergencies.
- Learnings – The project enhanced the way EPA Victoria conduct in-field screening for air, water, and soil contaminants to rapidly understand environmental impacts following natural and man-made disasters. The project delivered a fleet of emergency response 4x4 vehicles (mobile laboratories) with fit-for-purpose screening and monitoring equipment at 7 regional locations across Victoria. The project also delivered training to over 135 field staff - providing greater coordination between science and regional units whilst improving and implementing field safety and equipment practices.
- Implications – EPA Victoria are now able to rapidly deploy trained staff into emergencies with the ability to screen and monitor the environment for impacts of major emergencies. The new enhanced capability allows EPA to deliver timely public communications backed by scientific evidence.
Authors: Chris Garland and Aaron Driscoll, EPA Victoria
Chris Garland is Water Operations Lead at the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) in the Sciences Division. His career at EPA has seen him sample over 300 of Victoria's’ inland waterways and all major coastal embayments. Delivering long term monitoring projects in macroinvertebrate monitoring and currently EPA’s Marine Fixed Sites Network across Victoria. Chris is also a highly experienced ‘Science Response Officer‘ responsible for screening and monitoring the environment in response to emergencies across the state.
Aaron Driscoll is a Senior Environmental Protection Officer at the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) in the Regulatory Operations Division. Aaron has a background in Pathology working first in microbiology before coming to the EPA to initially work in the Science Division’s Incident Monitoring Team delivering the Flood Response Program. Aaron now works in the ‘frontline’ regulation side of EPA whilst also operating as a Science Response Officer responsible for screening and monitoring the environment in response to emergencies across the state.