For organisations with emergency management obligations, a Part 7A Emergency Management Audit is more than a compliance exercise; it is an opportunity to demonstrate that emergency management capability is embedded across the organisation.

While having documented plans and procedures is essential, auditors also want to see evidence that these documents are supported by effective governance, trained personnel, tested arrangements and a commitment to continuous improvement. Organisations that leave audit preparation until they receive notification often find themselves scrambling to update documentation or locate evidence that should have been maintained throughout the audit cycle.

Preparing early not only improves audit outcomes but also strengthens organisational resilience and ensures your emergency management arrangements are ready when they are needed most.

What Is a Part 7A Emergency Management Audit?

A Part 7A Emergency Management Audit is a mandatory regulatory review required under the Victorian Emergency Management Act 2013. The audit assesses whether an organisation has established and maintained appropriate emergency management arrangements in accordance with legislative and regulatory requirements.

Rather than focusing solely on written documentation, these audits provide assurance that emergency management systems are effective, current and capable of supporting an appropriate response during an emergency.

The audit process encourages organisations to adopt a continuous improvement approach, where emergency management is regularly reviewed, tested and strengthened. Organisations that treat audit readiness as an ongoing business process, and not as a one-off event, are typically better positioned to respond to incidents while maintaining regulatory compliance.

Why Audit Preparation Matters

Preparing well before an audit delivers benefits that extend far beyond compliance.

Early preparation can help organisations:

• Reduce the risk of non-compliance findings
• Improve emergency preparedness and response capability
• Strengthen governance and executive oversight
• Increase confidence across leadership teams and operational staff
• Demonstrate accountability to regulators, stakeholders and the community
• Identify improvement opportunities before they become audit findings

Ultimately, organisations with mature emergency management systems are generally more resilient, better coordinated and more capable of responding effectively when emergencies occur.

What Auditors Typically Look For

Successful audits demonstrate that emergency management is supported by effective governance, operational capability and evidence of continual improvement.

Governance

Governance establishes the foundation for an effective emergency management program.

Auditors typically look for:

• Executive oversight and leadership commitment
• Clearly defined responsibilities
• Accountability across the organisation
• Regular governance meetings and reporting
• Documented decision-making processes

Strong governance demonstrates that emergency management is actively managed rather than treated as a compliance obligation.

Emergency Management Framework

An organisation’s emergency management framework should provide a structured approach to managing emergencies.

Auditors may review:

• Emergency management policies
• Supporting procedures
• Defined emergency roles and responsibilities
• Coordination arrangements
• Alignment between organisational systems

The framework should clearly demonstrate how emergency management operates across the organisation.

Emergency Management Plans

Emergency management plans should be current, practical and accessible.

Auditors often assess whether plans:

• Reflect current organisational operations
• Address site-specific risks and requirements
• Are readily available to personnel
• Have documented review cycles

Plans that have not been reviewed for several years may indicate weaknesses in governance and continual improvement.

Risk Assessments

Risk assessments provide the basis for emergency planning.

Auditors generally expect evidence that organisations have:

• Identified relevant hazards
• Performed risk evaluations
• Implemented appropriate control measures
• Reviewed risks following operational changes or incidents

Risk assessments should remain aligned with organisational activities and changing operating environments.

Training

Training demonstrates that personnel understand their emergency management responsibilities.

Evidence may include:

• Emergency role-specific training
• Competency assessments
• Refresher training programs
• Leadership development for incident management roles
• Training attendance records

Training should support both compliance and operational capability.

Emergency Exercises

Exercises provide evidence that emergency arrangements have been tested under realistic conditions.

Auditors commonly look for:

• Tabletop exercises
• Functional exercises
• Validation of emergency procedures
• Exercise reports
• Lessons identified and improvements implemented

Regular exercising helps confirm that plans remain practical and effective.

Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement is a key indicator of emergency management maturity.

Auditors may assess whether organisations:

• Conduct After Action Reviews
• Record lessons learned
• Implement corrective actions
• Review emergency management arrangements on an ongoing basis

An organisation that can demonstrate continual improvement is often viewed more favourably than one with static documentation.

Documentation and Evidence

Having policies and procedures is only part of the picture. Organisations should also be able to produce evidence that demonstrates emergency management activities have occurred.

Examples include:

• Training records
• Exercise reports
• Governance records
• Review histories
• Action registers
• Risk assessment records
• Emergency management committee minutes

Well-maintained evidence provides confidence that emergency management systems are functioning as intended.

Common Audit Findings

Many audit findings relate to organisational processes rather than major compliance failures.

Common observations include:

• Outdated emergency management plans
• Missing review or approval dates
• Inconsistent documentation across sites
• Limited emergency exercising
• Insufficient evidence supporting compliance
• Weak governance arrangements
• Unclear emergency management responsibilities
• Outstanding corrective actions that remain unresolved

These findings often present valuable opportunities to strengthen emergency management capability and improve organisational resilience.

Practical Steps to Prepare

Organisations can improve audit readiness by taking a proactive approach. Some practical steps to take in preparation for a Part 7A Emergency Management Audit include:

Review Emergency Documentation

• Confirm policies and plans are current
• Verify document approvals and review dates
• Ensure site-specific documentation remains accurate

Confirm Governance Arrangements

• Review committee structures
• Confirm executive oversight
• Ensure responsibilities remain clearly assigned

Update Risk Assessments

• Review hazard identification
• Update risk evaluations where operational changes have occurred
• Confirm control measures remain appropriate

Complete Recent Exercises

• Conduct tabletop or functional exercises
• Document outcomes and lessons learned
• Validate emergency procedures

Close Outstanding Actions

• Review corrective action registers
• Finalise overdue improvement actions
• Record evidence of completed actions

Gather Evidence

• Assemble governance records
• Collect exercise reports
• Confirm training records are complete
• Organise review documentation

Review Training Records

• Confirm mandatory training has been completed
• Schedule refresher training where required
• Verify competency records

Engage Independent Reviewers

Independent audit readiness reviews or gap assessments can identify weaknesses before a formal audit, allowing sufficient time to implement improvements and strengthen evidence.

Signs Your Organisation May Not Be Audit Ready

There are several indicators that may suggest additional preparation is required before an audit.

These include:

• Emergency management plans older than two years
• Emergency exercises not completed
• No documented After Action Reviews
• Undefined emergency management responsibilities
• Missing or incomplete evidence
• Outdated emergency contact lists
• Governance meetings not documented
• Corrective actions remaining open for extended periods

Addressing these issues early can significantly improve both audit readiness and emergency management capability.

How Resilient Services Can Help

Preparing for a Part 7A Emergency Management Audit requires more than reviewing documents shortly before an audit. Building an effective emergency management capability takes planning, governance, training and continuous improvement.

Resilient Services supports organisations through every stage of the audit readiness journey, including:

• Audit readiness reviews
• Independent gap assessments
• Emergency management consulting
• Emergency planning
• Exercise design and facilitation
• Emergency management training
• Governance reviews
• Continuous improvement programs

Whether your organisation is preparing for an upcoming audit or looking to strengthen its emergency management capability over the long term, an independent review from the experienced team at Resilient Services can help identify gaps, prioritise improvements and support you through every stage of the audit readiness journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Part 7A Emergency Management Audit?

A Part 7A Emergency Management Audit assesses whether an organisation’s emergency management arrangements meet applicable legislative and organisational requirements while demonstrating effective emergency management capability.

How often should emergency management documentation be reviewed?

Emergency management documentation should be reviewed regularly, particularly following organisational changes, emergency events, exercises or changes in legislation. Formal review cycles should also be documented and consistently followed.

What evidence should organisations keep?

Organisations should retain records such as training attendance, exercise reports, governance meeting minutes, risk assessments, document review histories, corrective action registers and evidence that identified improvements have been implemented.

Do emergency exercises support audit readiness?

Yes. Emergency exercises provide practical evidence that emergency management plans have been tested, validated and improved. Exercise reports and documented lessons learned are commonly reviewed during audits.

Why is governance important during an audit?

Governance demonstrates executive oversight, accountability and organisational commitment to emergency management. Strong governance provides confidence that emergency management is actively maintained rather than existing solely as documentation.

Can external consultants help prepare for an audit?

Yes. Independent consultants can conduct audit readiness reviews, perform gap assessments, facilitate exercises, review governance arrangements and assist organisations in strengthening both compliance and emergency management capability before a formal audit.