Island communities of the Redlands are now covered by their own tailored disaster management plans.
Compiled into a booklet available free online and at Council Customer Service Centres and libraries, it provides detailed hazard assessments, safety information and potentially life-saving tips for each of the islands.
Chair of the Local Disaster Management Group Mayor Karen Williams said this latest phase of the Redland City Local Disaster Management Plan, adopted by Council today, provided a valuable emergency blueprint for the City’s most isolated residents.
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“We recognise that our islands are unique and that each will have specific needs in an emergency situation, whether it’s a severe weather event, fire or an oil spill,’’ Cr Williams said.
“Ex-tropical cyclone Oswald showed us last year how a severe weather event can have a massive impact on island communities and we have all learnt from that.
“In the event of an emergency, Council and its partners such as the police, fire service, SES and Energex, will swiftly swing into action.
“But residents need to keep themselves informed via ABC Radio, Bay FM and social media and have properly prepared for such an eventuality.
“This booklet does not tell you what emergency services are going to do but it does explain in detail what you need to do to ensure the safety of yourself, family and neighbours.
“Island residents will be able to look at the potential risks on their islands and get potentially life-saving information on evacuation routes and assembly areas, with up-to-date contact numbers for getting information and help.
“It’s a quick and easy guide to use but a key part of boosting the Redlands’ capacity to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies.’’
The plan covering all Redlands islands plan completes the second phase of the four-part emergency management blueprint and comes as Queensland has been urged to “Get Ready’’ for storm season.
The final phase, parts 3 and 4 for mainland coastal areas and the mainland hinterland, is due by March next year.
“This is an Australian first when it comes to disaster management by recognising that the Redlands is a community of communities, with each needing a specific easy-to-understand plan of how they should prepare and respond,’’ Cr Williams said.
The plan can be accessed through Council’s website.
Council’s ‘Disaster Hub’, which can be accessed at www.redland.qld.gov.au, also contains relevant information on “Prevention, Preparation, Response and Recovery’’, together with the first two parts of the new plan.
Cr Williams stressed any emergency plan was reliant on residents also being prepared.
“With storm season upon us and having just seen the terrible bushfires which ravaged New South Wales, residents should be making sure they have prepared their homes, yards and themselves for the possibility of an emergency,’’ she said.
“The Redlands is not immune to the potential for disaster, as we saw last January, but by working together we can strengthen our resilience and ability to respond to them.’’
