Queensland receives national safety honour

Queensland has been recognised as being at the forefront of community safety initiatives after two projects developed in the State were recognised at today’s prestigious National Safer Communities Awards in Canberra.

A total of 16 community safety projects from across Australia were recognised in the Emergency Management Australia (EMA) awards, with recipients congratulated by Attorney-General Robert McClelland at a special ceremony held at Parliament House.

The national winner of the State Government Category was the Department of Emergency Services’ Emergency Management Queensland (EMQ) division and the Local Government Association of Queensland’s (LGAQ) Disaster Education Resources for Young People and Children Project.

Emergency Services Minister, Neil Roberts said in an effort to increase awareness among seven to 18-year olds about natural hazards and what to do in an emergency, an interactive package, including a DVD and CD-Rom with games, quizzes and activities, was developed as part of the Disaster Education Resources for Young People and Children Project.

“The DVD contains a collection of disaster stories told by young people on their experiences in cyclones, floods, bushfires and severe storms,” Mr Roberts said.

“This package is designed to be easy to use, fun and educational, and is suitably delivered through computers, which these days are regularly used by young people.

“It’s important that all age groups understand how to prepare for, and what to do in an emergency. When an emergency strikes, everyone needs to be able to act quickly, but in a way that ensures their own safety and that of other family members.”

A project which culminated in the development of a set of guidelines to mitigate the adverse impacts of cyclones was also recognised at the awards, receiving a National Highly Commended Award in the Cross-Jurisdictional/National Significance Category.

Mitigating the adverse impacts of cyclones: Evacuation and Shelter was developed by a collective of Queensland cyclone specialists, who used a special mapping project to identify communities throughout Queensland that may be vulnerable to storm tide inundation.

The guidelines will help Councils throughout Queensland to undertake risk studies and compile evacuation plans for communities likely to be impacted by cyclones.

“I’m confident that these guidelines will greatly assist those Queensland councils with communities at risk of cyclones in strengthening their disaster management plans,” Mr Roberts said.

“Both of these projects encourage community preparedness and resilience, and in the long term will ensure community members have the information they need to deal with, and recover from, a disaster.”

A total of 89 organisations submitted entries to this year’s National Safer Communities Awards, which recognise projects that develop strategies and tools to support community self-reliance and encourage best practice in emergency management and community safety across Australia.

Media Contact

Corinne Mulholland – 0419 786 114