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

Inspector-General Emergency Management

The utilities sector also played a significant part in the state’s preparedness. Utilities see disaster planning as business as usual, rather than anything exceptional. Queensland is a disaster- prone state and, particularly for isolated communities, we heard that corporations want to show that everything possible has been done to restore services in the event of an emergency, especially for isolated communities. Energy Queensland wrote to councils asking about power requirements for council’s critical sites – with varying degrees of response. Upgrades to their Geographic Information System (GIS) gave better visibility of their network, and touch pad technology issued to their field crews enabled quicker damage assessment and tasking. Optus and Telstra had carried out their common practice of pre-season checks, testing of equipment and readying for deployments. Both had transportable satellite communications equipment available. In terms of dams, SunWater and Seqwater in particular had put in place systems and significantly improved messwaging over the past two years. Both have raised the need for continual collaboration with councils and local groups to clarify roles and responsibilities for messaging. Hazards Several agencies have roles in flood and storm tide hazard identification, and the communication of risks. In 2015, Queensland’s Tropical Cyclone Storm Tide Warning – Response System Handbook was updated to include a list of 64 potential locations where the Bureau of Meteorology would produce Storm Tide Warnings and warning graphics. 74 To complement this, DSITI is currently collecting photographs and heights of local landmarks at each warning location to relate them to Storm Tide Warning levels. The project will promote awareness and a better understanding of vulnerability to storm tide in groups at local, district and state level.

In September 2016 the Bureau introduced standardised content, structure and language for flood warnings, enabled by a next generation hydrological forecasting system capable of using forecast, as well as actual, rainfall to predict flooding. QFES had developed the Queensland Emergency Risk Management Framework , a methodology to inform risk-based planning. Its purpose is to provide a consistent state-wide approach to assessing risk, assisting local, district and state-level practitioners to focus on this issue from the perspective of their roles and responsibilities within the Queensland Disaster Management Arrangements. 75 When used, it helps to link residual risks at one level to planning at the next, when and where it is appropriate. By March 2017 it had just been implemented with disaster districts, but not with local governments. (We have heard since that local implementation is occurring, and is being well received.) The QRA is responsible for policy oversight of the networks of flood warning gauges in Queensland. Collectively, these networks help ensure people in flood-prone communities have appropriate warning of flood events. In 2015, a review identified the Bureau used data from more than 3,400 rainfall and river gauges owned and operated by 54 entities. The review also identified priority locations for improved early flood warning infrastructure. By March 2017 the QRA had worked with QFES, the Bureau and more than 40 priority councils to identify and recommend improvements to flood warning systems and design improved networks. Such work is intended to improve the visibility of data to all, raise the standard of flood warning gauge networks to one approved by the Bureau, and ensure that data from them is suitable for their use. 76 We note the importance that local governments put on flood gauges and the need for redundancy in systems. We commend the success of this work so far, and advocate that it continues.

State-level operations

Date

Queensland – State-level

22 March Tropical low identified

QDMC convened 4.51am • BoM predicts crossing coast south of Townsville as category 4 on 28 March 10.00am • Low named as TC Debbie 10.30am • SDCG Weather Telecon SDCC stood up SOC activated State deployment of QFES damage assessment teams EA campaigns delivered to coastal areas in Palm Island, Townsville, Burdekin, Whitsunday and Mackay shires Stand up of Mackay DDMG and Townsville DDMG QRA stood up 1,699 people evalucated from Ayr, Bowen, Cleveland Palms, Cungulla, Hamilton Island, Home Hill Hook Island, Long Island Palm Island, Proserpine and South Molle Island Between 5.00pm–12 midnight • TC intensified to category 4 off Whitsundays Morning (approx. 10.30am) • TC crossed over Whitsunday islands 12.40pm • TC Debbie made landfall Airlie Beach as a category 4 with 185–260 km/h wind gusts and 150–250 mm rainfall totals with 400mm in isolated areas 11.00am • SDCG telecon Reports of STC Debbie heavily impacting the Whitsunday and Mackay regional council areas 1.00pm • TC crossed over Proserpine as a category 3 2.00pm • SRC appointed Over 7,000 customers with Telstra fixed phone line disruptions Media: “Food Supplies commence; Qld Govt closes schools from Ayr to Proserpine” 10.00pm • TC crossed over Collinsville as a category 2 Early hours • System dissipated to a tropical low south west of Collinsville, moving south east QFES DART commences RDA Interstate assistance arrives from NSW and the ACT to support in RDA 11.00am • SDCG Telecon Over 65,000 customers in North Queensland without power Qld Government orders every school in region to close from Agnes Waters in the north to the NSW border in the south and west to Nanago 8.33am • Advice to departments to enact Business Continuity Plans Later • Queensland Government advises businesses to consider closing after midday

25 March

26 March

27 March

28 March

29 March

30 March

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The Cyclone Debbie Review

Lessons for delivering value and confidence through trust and empowerment