Response skills tested ahead of cyclone season
Published Monday, 08 October, 2012 at 11:17 AM
Minister for Police and Community Safety
The Honourable Jack Dempsey
Disaster management agencies across north Queensland will test their response plans as part of a large-scale exercise that will simulate a mass evacuation scenario.
Minister for Police and Community Safety Jack Dempsey said Exercise ‘Good Neighbour’ will commence today and continue to Thursday, incorporating local and district disaster management groups from the Townsville, Burdekin, Hinchinbrook, Flinders, Richmond and Charters Towers districts.
“The exercise scenario will be based around a tropical cyclone crossing the coast, when excess rainfall has already resulted in widespread flooding across north Queensland,” Mr Dempsey said.
“Agencies will also have to manage the impact of the storm surge cause by the cyclone.”
Mr Dempsey said the real-time exercise would test current disaster management plans, standard operating procedures, supporting documentation and local knowledge and networks.
“Throughout the exercise, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) will challenge agencies and their current operating procedures by producing various warnings and weather summaries which they would need to act upon to prepare their communities,” he said.
“This will test the effectiveness of the arrangements in place at both a local and district level for moving hundreds of residents, as countless homes become inundated and communities are isolated.
“As part of the scenario, responding council areas will also be directly affected, forcing their centres to close down and move operations to alternative areas.”
Emergency Management Queensland (EMQ) Assistant Director-General Bruce Grady said the exercise would be a valuable learning experience in determining the capacity and capability of the region to manage such an event through to the recovery stages.
“As a result, local and district disaster management arrangements could also be reviewed and enhanced if necessary to ensure agencies are able to respond adequately should a real-life event occur,” Mr Grady said.
“This type of event was faced during Tropical Cyclone Yasi in February 2011, which makes it vital to ensure this scenario is readily tested ahead of the upcoming cyclone season.
“Importantly, emergency authorities should not be the only ones preparing ahead of the cyclone season. I encourage all local residents to research how they can ‘Get Ready’ for storm and cyclone season with resources available online at http://www.disaster.qld.gov.au/getready/ .”
[ENDS] 8 October 2012
Media Contacts: Danny Donald 0439 719 116 or Lea Emery 0417 226 114
Minister for Police and Community Safety Jack Dempsey said Exercise ‘Good Neighbour’ will commence today and continue to Thursday, incorporating local and district disaster management groups from the Townsville, Burdekin, Hinchinbrook, Flinders, Richmond and Charters Towers districts.
“The exercise scenario will be based around a tropical cyclone crossing the coast, when excess rainfall has already resulted in widespread flooding across north Queensland,” Mr Dempsey said.
“Agencies will also have to manage the impact of the storm surge cause by the cyclone.”
Mr Dempsey said the real-time exercise would test current disaster management plans, standard operating procedures, supporting documentation and local knowledge and networks.
“Throughout the exercise, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) will challenge agencies and their current operating procedures by producing various warnings and weather summaries which they would need to act upon to prepare their communities,” he said.
“This will test the effectiveness of the arrangements in place at both a local and district level for moving hundreds of residents, as countless homes become inundated and communities are isolated.
“As part of the scenario, responding council areas will also be directly affected, forcing their centres to close down and move operations to alternative areas.”
Emergency Management Queensland (EMQ) Assistant Director-General Bruce Grady said the exercise would be a valuable learning experience in determining the capacity and capability of the region to manage such an event through to the recovery stages.
“As a result, local and district disaster management arrangements could also be reviewed and enhanced if necessary to ensure agencies are able to respond adequately should a real-life event occur,” Mr Grady said.
“This type of event was faced during Tropical Cyclone Yasi in February 2011, which makes it vital to ensure this scenario is readily tested ahead of the upcoming cyclone season.
“Importantly, emergency authorities should not be the only ones preparing ahead of the cyclone season. I encourage all local residents to research how they can ‘Get Ready’ for storm and cyclone season with resources available online at http://www.disaster.qld.gov.au/getready/ .”
[ENDS] 8 October 2012
Media Contacts: Danny Donald 0439 719 116 or Lea Emery 0417 226 114