Queensland inundated with flood assistance

At the Beaconsfield Recovery Centre in Mackay, l to r, Linda Apelt (DG Communities), Marsha Thompson (DSQ), Tammy Myles (A/ED Communities Mackay), Tim Mulherin (Member for Mackay and Minister for DPI&F), Lindy Nelson-Carr (Minister for Communities), Cindy Reck (Recovery Centre Coordinator) and Michelle McNamara (Support Officer).  Photo by Jon Woodworth, Communities Mackay.

Beaudesert SES volunteers Tara Fahy and Kim Knight assisted the Keogh family of Christmas Creek to get essential food items and water back to their property.

Queensland Government Departments and agencies were quick to act and mount an effective, coordinated approach to the floods and extreme weather which hit much of the state in January and February.

Drought declared one day, flooded the next! That was the ironic situation confronting many Queensland communities as they welcomed in 2008.

But in a typical Aussie spirit of 'she'll be right, mate' and giving a neighbour a helping hand, state and local government officials, volunteer groups and residents worked tirelessly together to save lives and minimise damage to property.

Executive Officer of the State Disaster Management Group and Executive Director of EMQ (Emergency Management Queensland) Frank Pagano said EMQ teams were first activated on Boxing Day and coordinated local disaster responses in the Whitsundays, Fraser Island, Central Queensland, Western Queensland, the Gold Coast, Mackay and the Burdekin region.

'The essence of the Disaster Management System is to support a local response and the system worked very well in ensuring resources were quickly moved around the state to meet needs as they arose,' Frank said.

'Queensland government agencies worked very well with local government and volunteers to assist residents, businesses and farmers during and after the floods.'

When the floodwaters hit the many affected areas, the first port of call was the local Emergency Services, offering residents support, advice, protection and help.

SES and other branches of the emergency services worked around the clock placing sandbags, tarpaulins, barricades and temporary flood levees, rescuing stranded people and assisting residents and businesses where necessary.

Red Cross volunteers worked tirelessly to provide food and comfort and organised games for children in the Evacuation Centres while Lifeline supported families isolated by the flood waters.

The Queensland Police Service provided additional officers to ensure evacuated property was protected, people were kept safe from flood waters and road closure signs were obeyed. Queensland Police also maintained a strong media presence to provide constant updates and encouraged people to keep in touch with evacuation centres.

The Department of Communities offered personal hardship assistance for families and households and set up One Stop Shops in Emerald, Charleville, Sapphire, Finch Hatton, Beaudesert, Robina and three locations in Mackay.

QBuild officers helped set up evacuation centres and placed electrical tradespeople on standby for deployment after the waters began to recede while Queensland Health and Queensland Ambulance Service coordinated health care and arranged a number of transfers from affected hospitals to centres on higher ground.

The Department of Education and Training delayed the start of the school year in Emerald to allow time for the floodwaters to go down and opened some schools to accommodate many of the 2500 residents forced from their homes.

The Department of Main Roads monitored roads and made essential repairs to flood-damaged roads, with permanent repairs gradually being made once roads dried out.

The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries provided freight subsidies to producers, checked the welfare of animals affected by the rising waters and made urgent fodder drops while government vets assisted with stock care.

Prompt advice from the Department of Natural Resources and Water helped save 7000 head of cattle from flood waters near Emerald. The department's online water monitoring information was invaluable to residents during the disaster. This information is freely available to all Queenslanders at www.nrw.qld.gov.au/water/monitoring

During the clean-up period, the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations offered advice on workplace health and safety matters, especially when using chainsaws, ladders, tractors, trucks and trailers.

The Joint State-Commonwealth Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) provided concessional loans for primary producers and small businesses affected by flooding.

Premier Anna Bligh applauded the efforts of all involved and of those people continuing to provide valuable assistance.

'I have been impressed by the spirit of cooperation and the community's willingness to help our fellow Queenslanders. The road to recovery will be long, but I am certain that by working together, we will restore our communities' homes and livelihoods in the shortest possible time,' she said.

The Red Cross has kindly agreed to manage the distribution of funds from the Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal - http://www.thepremier.qld.gov.au/news/initiatives/floods/index.shtm