IGEM Report 1: 2017-18 - THE CYCLONE DEBBIE REVIEW

The Cyclone Debbie Review

Themes

Roles and responsibilities for agencies in evacuations in Queensland 119

District Disaster Coordinator – authorise the directed evacuation and exercise any statutory powers under sections 77-78 of the Act which are required to enable the evacuation.

Local Disaster Management Group – management of all aspects of the evacuation process that are not the responsibility of the DDC

Queensland Police Service – coordinate evacuation operations

Department of Transport and Main Roads – assist with the safe movement of people as a result of mass evacuation of a disaster affected community

Department of Housing and Public Works – coordinate technical advice on the structural suitability of buildings for use as community evacuation centres, places of refuge or cyclone shelters

Queensland Health – Queensland Ambulance Service – participate in search and rescue, evacuation and victim reception operations, participate in health facility evacuations

Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing – safety of users of national parks and agency-owned recreational centres, including issuing warnings in extreme conditions, closing areas where necessary and coordinating evacuations with QPS.

Australian Red Cross – work to ensure basic human needs are met during the response to a disaster, focus on assisting local government authorities with sheltering (evacuation centres and cyclone shelters)

Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – monitor the responsible care of animals, provide standards of care for animals and protect animals from unjustifiable, unnecessary or unreasonable pain.

Councils, supported by their local group, have responsibility for a Local Disaster Management Plan. The Evacuation Sub Plan describes the arrangements and triggers, where known, for evacuation at local level. Ideally a range of people is involved in creating this plan. Doing so ensures its relevance and helps create the wide understanding that will make it work. The Queensland Arrangements recognise three types of evacuation. • self-evacuation is the choice of individuals to move prior to an announcement of the need to evacuate, • voluntary evacuation is the encouragement for people exposed to an impending hazard to move, and • directed evacuation is the direction for people to evacuate an exposed area. Planning is done for the last two. It needs to take account of the five stages of evacuation: the decision , warning , withdrawal , shelter , and return .

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6 THEMES

EVACUATION: Roles and responsibilities in Queensland