Acts of terrorism, fires, floods and utility failures are emergencies of such magnitude that special skills are required to manage physical impacts and ameliorate human impact. The number, nature and scope of emergencies is increasing. This research will analyse 20 years of Australian judicial and semi-judicial reports to discover the role of human capacity in emergency management. Human capacity in this research will refer to contextual expertise, experience, skills and qualifications of the emergency manager. Gadamerian Philosophical Hermeneutics will explicate human capacities of the emergency manager based on inquiry reports and purposive interviews with 8-12 report authors. The use of a hermeneutic spiral, building on Gadamer’s hermeneutic circle, will support interpretation of the data. The research will contribute to and advance elements of human capacity in Australian emergency managers to reduce the effects of emergencies upon the community.