Annual exercise prepares LDMG and agencies for disaster response

The ability of Council and emergency services to respond to a severe flooding event and evacuation procedures are being tested as part of an annual multi-agency disaster training exercise.

Cairns Regional Council’s Disaster Coordination Centre has become a hub of activity as part of Exercise Deluge, which is designed to prepare relevant agencies for a natural disaster.

Conducted over two days (Tuesday and Wednesday), Exercise Deluge is a disaster management exercise designed around the preparation, planning and immediate response of a severe flooding event affecting the Copperlode Dam and the wider Barron catchment.

Chair of the Local Disaster Management Group, Mayor Amy Eden, said Exercise Deluge was important in ensuring officers from all response agencies understood their roles and responsibilities in the event of a natural disaster.

The LDMG aims to ensure coordination between Council, State Emergency Service , Queensland Police Service, Queensland Fire Department, Queensland Ambulance Service, Ports North, Cairns Airport, Red Cross, and others.

“As part of preparations for the annual wet season, we put our officers through their paces to ensure they are ready should there be a real disaster,” Cr Eden said.

“Participants assume the roles they would take in a real disaster situation and carry out duties in accordance with that scenario.

“Following last year’s flooding and some of the well-publicised challenges we experienced, this week’s exercise, which focuses on severe flooding, is particularly relevant.”

Council has adopted all 17 recommendations outlined in Forge’s independent after-action review into the December flooding event, which included a restructure of its disaster management unit and the appointment of a dedicated Local Disaster Coordinator.

The exercise also serves to remind residents that they need to prepare for possible flooding and cyclone events, and importantly consider where they will stay during an emergency.

Council launched a “Know Your Zone” campaign in October ahead of the annual cyclone season, to encourage residents to learn about their storm surge zone.

Residents need to be aware which coloured zone they live in and the zone of the house they plan to self-evacuate to.

To find your zone, enter your address in the ‘storm surge search’ feature on the Council website, or view the storm surge maps on the Cairns Disaster Dashboard.

“Ahead of an event, people need to decide whether their home is safe, or if they will need to evacuate depending on the nature of the emergency.

“While there are evacuation centres available, they have limited capacity.

“We urge residents, that wherever possible, they should make arrangements now to stay with family or friends, rather than potentially spending 18 hours locked down in an evacuation facility.”