What's the plan for nuclear survivors? No, really

I have emailed our federal member and the council and my only aim is to make sure we have a plan as we have for fire and flood: letter

FILE - This file photo distributed by the North Korean government shows what was said to be the launch of a Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile, ICBM, in North Korea's northwest.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

I FIND it hard to believe we are not up-to-date with nuclear disaster preparedness in this country.

If there is a plan I cannot locate it. A plan is put together in case we need it. It is for survival and not a declaration of war. It should not involve whether it affects our tourism industry or commerce and if it does, our physical survival is more important than any money can be.

I was in primary school in Brisbane when the Japanese and Germans were going to eat us up. The government and various facilities started to train us up very quickly on what we could do if we were caught in the middle of it, whether outside or inside.

We kids and our parents dug trenches and carried pegs to put between our teeth to save our ears from the bomb blast. We all had an air-raid shelter in the backyard we ran to during the mock raids.

Probably ineffective in the real sense, but it gave us a feeling of safety. And that is important for the community to feel a plan is there to help them.

Good common sense is the name of the game, and it is the duty of our governments to look after the lives of their people in all disaster times and whatever type of disaster comes their way.

I attended the Counter Disaster Course in Victoria twice during my time on the Gympie City Council and I know it takes time to put things in operation. That is why I feel an urgency now, simply that a nuclear missile will be a quick push of a button in another country. Even so, we will have a little time to do something.

I have spent today trying to find out just who is in charge of this and I haven't been successful yet. I have emailed our federal member and the council (hopefully it reaches the Mayor) and my only aim is to make sure we have a plan as we have for fire and flood. I am sure these gentlemen will take the situation seriously and we will all know quickly.

On the internet I find some countries are planning to begin school evacuation drills, education campaigns to prepare people with "what to do".

Public service announcements will no doubt tell people they will need to get inside and stay inside. Not everyone will die so we need a plan to help the survivors too.

There is a lot to do and I am certain our leaders will do the right thing by us. I look forward to hearing about their contributions.

Julia Lawrence OAM,

Gympie