District Disaster Management Group encourages residents to be ready
Authorities are reminding Central Queensland locals to be prepared for natural disasters as storm season hits and into 2025.
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Rockhampton’s District Disaster Management Group has warned that natural disasters are likely to occur in coming months, and have encouraged residents to take responsibility for the safety of their families and homes as summer approaches.
The group is combined of council and emergency services’ officers to ensure the safety of residents from the Central Highlands to the Capricorn Coast.
Queensland Police Service District Officer Acting Superintendent Mark Burgess said natural disasters were to be expected in coming months.
“Local groups and the district group have activated at different times in 2024 in relation to flooding, to bushfires and to heatwaves,” he said.
“We’re expecting more of those situations to occur coming across our storm season, and into 2025.
“I need the community to start looking at their risk, and their level of preparation.
“It’s very important that now the residents take on their responsibilities and secure their homes, emergency plans, evacuation plans, looking at emergency kits and looking at our disaster dashboards.”
Rockhampton Regional Council Mayor Tony Williams said the DDMG was well-aware of the risks faced by natural disasters in regional Queensland.
“Living in regional Queensland and North Queensland, we realise the risks that our communities face through natural disasters that we’ve faced through the years,” Cr Williams said.
“Bushfires and flooding are our major risks.”
Livingstone Shire Council Mayor Adam Belot encouraged residents with questions about disaster preparedness to reach out.
“Livingstone and Rockhampton Council work very closely together to ensure that our communities are prepared,” Cr Belot said.
“Any questions that you’ve got out in the community, reach out to your council and we’ll do all we can to ensure you have the information so you can be prepared.”
Queensland Ambulance Service District Director Chief Superintendent Darren Pirie said that is important to have medications and medical information at the ready.
“It’s really important... that people have their medical plans in place, their medical history available and their medications together,” he said.
“Our relationship with the District Disaster Management Group allows us to have good planning and preparation in place.
“We offer a traditional ambulance response, we have other options like community care centres, virtual emergency departments and over the phone service that can put you in the right place for your medical needs.”
Queensland Fire and Rescue Rockhampton Area Commander Ian Shuker said firefighters were ready for the 2024-2025 summer season.
“(Our crews) are prepared... regardless of the emergency, people should have their own plan in place.”
“A home emergency plan will make sure that everyone in your house is aware of what to do in the event of a natural disaster, and when you prepare a home emergency plan you should also talk to your friends, family and neighbours.”
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