The call comes as the government released a discussion paper on ways to ensure the Australian Defence Force is not over-stretched when tackling floods, bushfires and other crises.
The government has agreed in principle for the ADF to be used as a last resort for disaster response, except in the most extreme emergencies.
The defence strategic review, released this year, found the ADF's ability to protect the nation had been undermined by its ongoing use in emergencies.
The Public Safety and Training Response Group said there was an acknowledged over-reliance on the military to provide personnel and capabilities during disasters.
"Developing civil capability in most cases provides a cost benefit when civil operators are engaged in place of the military," the group told AAP.
Veteran-led organisation Disaster Relief Australia told a parliamentary inquiry into the issue trained volunteers should play a bigger role, but lacked the mechanisms to do so.
"It is our experience that there is no shortage of volunteers, but rather a lack of infrastructure that allows them to participate," the organisation said.
Australia Defence Association's Neil James said the government's first reaction in disasters was to reach for the military.
He said a new emergency services reserve could be established.
"What they need to do is raise some form of a (Rural Fire Service) equivalent to the army reserve in the major cities," Mr James told the ABC.
Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said there would always be disasters of such scale the defence force was needed.
"But there are civilian options out there around aircraft, shipping and around personnel and what we need to do as a federal government is make sure that we've got a national solution," he said.
Public consultation closes in mid-September.
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