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

The Cyclone Debbie Review

Themes

Sheltering terminology

Defining widely-used terms in such a way that the message doesn’t get lost through the different media channels is an important requirement of public messaging before, during and after an event. When defining sheltering, information is not just needed on what a facility or safer location is, but also where it is, what is provided, and when to go there.

Several LDMGs reported community confusion surrounding the terms cyclone shelter and evacuation centre. This was particularly apparent with the building at the Ayr Showgrounds, referred to as the Multi Purpose Centre, Shelter, Facility, Public Cyclone Shelter and Place of Refuge in various public messaging. The community was also encouraged to evacuate to it, as a place of last resort. The building then transitioned into an evacuation centre directly after the event. The naming convention of these buildings can contribute to public confusion and also the ability to provide services. The Australian Red Cross offers assistance in public cyclone shelters, and evacuation centres, but not places of refuge. What people can bring and the services that are available also changes. In public cyclone shelters possessions are limited to items that can be carried in a backpack. There are no sleeping arrangements, and cooking facilities and food is not available. Evacuation centres usually offer basic food supplies, cooking facilities and provide a place to sleep if residential housing is unliveable. Evacuation centres are also used as recovery hubs in the recovery phase, providing “a range of welfare, support, financial and emotional recovery services for disaster affected persons.” Information to the community is available. The Burdekin Shire Council may have used different terminology but did provide a detailed media release on the code of conduct and services provided at the facility. Whitsundays Regional Council have produced a brochure on “Cyclone Shelter and Evacuation Options for residents of the Whitsunday Regional Council.” It provides information on when to shelter in place, when to evacuate to a public shelter and the limitations and code of conduct for those shelters. This information is reproduced on their website with the cyclone shelter code of conduct available in several different languages.

Early community engagement about safer locations and what to expect in terms of services and facilities should form part of regular pre-season preparedness. Livingstone Shire Council have taken this engagement a level further, running “full scale’”public cyclone shelter field exercises and inviting the public to participate. The engagement and advice should be reinforced in warnings. Return Return is critical to the recovery of communities. Following the evacuation of around 35,000 people after Cyclone Tracy, it took five months for Darwin to return to three-quarters of its population. Return requires the same careful planning as other evacuation phases. Factors include staging – due to safety and the availability of goods, utilities and services, and timeliness to speed psychological recovery. Getting the message about returning to dispersed evacuees, some of whom will have moved on their own accord, again needs specific consideration. During Debbie this seems to have worked. Both in Mackay and Whitsunday more than 90 per cent of our community survey respondents were satisfied with the speed with which they could return home after being evacuated.

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6 THEMES

EVACUATION: Process • Sheltering terminology