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

Inspector-General Emergency Management

Decisions Generally decisions about evacuation before the event were made and conveyed to those affected in sufficient time. In Whitsunday and Mackay about 9 in 10 people said message warnings were easy to understand. Deciding about evacuations was more challenging During Debbie, decision makers in the SDCC and local groups, apart from Townsville, were using information about the most likely and the worst-case scenarios, with little understanding about their probability. In some cases there were differing opinions between state and local groups about the need for evacuation. Mostly, directed evacuations happened because local groups wanted them. Where state decisions were involved, they were either carried out as a voluntary evacuation or later, through a locally directed evacuation. We also heard of pressure on local groups to open evacuation centres before the cyclone crossed, and the subsequent flooding. We observe that differing decisions may be due to information not shared completely, or different snapshots of information considered at different times. More effective communication between local and state, all parties seeing the same data sets, and all agreeing the triggers for decisions relating to evacuation and evacuation centres, would reduce confusion and build trust for rapid decision-making during an event. We see opportunities to integrate and exercise evacuation planning vertically with those considering options at state level. The legislated roles and responsibilities for decision-making should underpin such exercises. We reiterate findings and recommendations from other areas of the report. Transient populations are a particular challenge for evacuation planners. They often have no experience and potentially limited knowledge of Queensland disaster events. Currently, they fall outside the reach of traditional seasonal community engagement programs. They are unlikely to have nearby friends or relatives to whom they can turn for shelter. Looking forward to a holiday, they may be relaxed and off-guard. Many may not have access to a vehicle to self-evacuate. Their safety and evacuation depends, therefore, on the tourism sector and its links with the disaster management arrangements. The Whitsundays LDMG is particularly aware of these risks. The new evacuation zone maps and the significant community engagement, undertaken to increase awareness and understanding of these new zones and the subsequent processes relating to different types of evacuation, had been well received by organisations in the region. In Debbie, its local group and coordination centre activated early under new activation triggers for their area. Stakeholders, including local residents, aged care facilities and tourism operators were alerted earlier than in previous years. A disaster was declared early to allow for evacuations. Alerts and warnings were followed up by police and SES with pre-agreed scripts to ensure the communication had reached everyone and it was consistent. This allowed more time to prepare, enact plans, and for self-evacuation from the cyclone’s path. Due to capacity limits, messaging reinforced that cyclone shelters were really the last resort, and for those with no alternative. Local tourism representatives recognise this. They told us that the overall process, dedication and support from the Whitsundays Regional Council, the local group and the emergency services working in Debbie was, without doubt, superb. Evacuation and tourism

Themes

Recommendation Significant effort should be invested to provide disaster decision-makers at every level with a shared understanding of risks, the situation, and capability, so that they can agree the best decisions for the communities they serve. Finding The technical inability to share information successfully contributes to misunderstandings between decision-makers at different levels. Misunderstanding erodes trust, and trust affects the relationships that are an important enabler of confidence and successful disaster management operations.

Finding Exercising is often undertaken in a siloed manner – limited to local and district groups, or internal to an agency, state group or centre.

Recommendation Exercising should focus on vertical integration and include all levels of the system. A strategic program of exercises should be developed and implemented.

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The Cyclone Debbie Review

Lessons for delivering value and confidence through trust and empowerment