1. Leadership
Leadership is essential at all levels of emergency response — from executing site safety protocols to directing rescue teams during high-risk incidents. This capability assesses your ability to lead by example, influence team performance, and maintain a safety-first mindset under pressure.
Key focus areas include:
- Working safely under WHS policies and procedures
- Conducting fire team operations
- Leading, managing and developing response teams
- Making informed decisions in dynamic environments
- Building team capability and supporting others to perform
At the ERL level, this includes supervising large-scale incidents and managing the overall performance of your emergency team.
2. Risk Management
Effective emergency response relies on the ability to anticipate, assess, and manage risks in high-stakes situations. This capability focuses on your ability to evaluate hazards, apply control measures, and continuously monitor risk in the workplace and in the field.
Key focus areas include:
- Applying structured risk management processes
- Identifying and responding to unacceptable risks
- Managing hazardous materials incidents
- Developing and implementing risk controls
- Auditing risk management systems and reporting findings
At the leadership level, you will be expected to carry out broader organisational risk assessments and oversee the application of safety systems.
3. Response
This is the technical core of emergency response work. It covers your ability to respond to a range of emergencies, including medical incidents, fire, technical rescues, and site-based emergencies. It assesses how well you can apply procedures, use specialist equipment, and work as part of a coordinated team.
Key focus areas include:
- Responding to site incidents quickly and safely
- Participating in and leading rescue operations
- Performing road crash, vertical, and confined space rescues
- Coordinating incident response operations
- Managing scene safety and casualty extraction
Leadership-level candidates will demonstrate the ability to coordinate entire response operations, including planning and reviewing response effectiveness.
4. Communication
In an emergency, clear and timely communication saves lives. This capability assesses your ability to communicate effectively with your team, other site personnel, and external services — both verbally and in writing.
Key focus areas include:
- Using communication systems and equipment
- Giving and receiving instructions under pressure
- Leading team briefings and operational updates
- Completing logs, reports, and incident documentation
- Managing communication flow across multiple stakeholders
Communication is also essential for leadership roles, particularly when managing multiple teams or liaising with site management or emergency services.
5. Mental Wellbeing
Responders often operate in high-stress, high-trauma environments. This capability focuses on psychological resilience — both supporting others in distress and maintaining your own wellbeing.
Key focus areas include:
- Providing Psychological First Aid during and after incidents
- Supporting team members affected by traumatic events
- Maintaining mental resilience in high-adversity roles
- Recognising signs of burnout, fatigue, or distress
- Undertaking structured resilience training (e.g. HART, RFA)
All candidates must complete at least one approved mental wellbeing program. This is a standalone requirement that recognises the importance of psychological safety alongside physical safety.
6. Medical
This capability ensures that you can provide advanced medical care as a first responder. It includes both formal first aid qualifications and the practical ability to assess, treat, and stabilise casualties until professional medical assistance arrives.
Key focus areas include:
- Performing advanced first aid and resuscitation
- Managing injuries and trauma in remote environments
- Coordinating medical response activities on site
- Holding a Certificate IV in Health Care (or higher qualification)
Medical competence is critical in emergency response and must be current at the time of application and recertification.
7. Capability
This final capability recognises the importance of practical, on-the-ground experience. It validates that you’ve not only completed training, but also applied your skills in real-world settings — across all seven capabilities.
Key focus areas include:
- Logging relevant hours against each capability
- Demonstrating recent experience in emergency roles
- Completing a Verification Assessment
- Meeting minimum work experience requirements. 12 months FTE + 80 logbook hours ERO and 24 months leadership FTE + 160 logbook hours (split between ERO/ERL)
The Capability component brings together your qualifications, on-site experience, and performance under assessment to confirm your readiness for certification.