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

The Cyclone Debbie Review

Exercises and training

Themes

The Debbie experience emphasised the value of training and exercises in preparing for disasters. The Queensland Disaster Management Training Framework outlines courses needed by disaster management stakeholders to enable effective performance in their roles. 138 It highlights the training courses available for each level of the arrangements, and whether they are mandatory or needs based. The courses are usually delivered online or by QFES staff. Most involved had completed the appropriate training to manage the event. The event did help identify that further training would be beneficial. We reported earlier on the need for greater understanding of the EA system and Requests for Assistance process. Procedures would be better understood with more extensive supporting materials for those making requests and others acting on them. Reports of fatigue from all levels and agencies highlight the importance of training more staff to make operations more sustainable and ease pressure on individuals. We heard the benefits from one council of giving training to elected representatives, given their prominent roles in disasters. While cyclones are seasonal, other hazards are not. Such training should be given as soon as possible after taking office. To complement the training, it is important there are the staff and procedures available in centres to lead and guide others. One group told us that “the use of experienced staff as team leaders guided the flow of information, tempo and priority of actions. Those with previous experience gave timely and sound advice to those seeking to understand how the procedures worked.” A further way to reinforce the training and procedures is to ensure exercises occur.

Some groups and agencies reported that they had exercised response activities or scenarios like Debbie recently. Townsville, for instance, reported that they had exercised for evacuation for the last four years. These agencies highlighted that the exercises provided a practical understanding of the “how to” of disaster management and assisted with their response activities. One council highlighted that whilst they have consistently exercised response, they have not exercised recovery and recognise this is an area where they can enhance performance. From our invitation to debriefs and interviews we note that local disaster management groups, district groups and state agencies largely exercise independently. These groups need to test their plans through exercising the relationships and functions that exist between the groups. Particularly, they need to exercise communications from local to district and district to state. Such exercising would enhance understanding of other’s hazards, event planning techniques, We commented earlier on the importance of catchments and the need for warnings to reach across boundaries. It is also important for neighbouring districts to consider exercising together when they share a hazard risk - the same catchment or a single vulnerable highway. decision-making and operational challenges across the groups.

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

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6 THEMES

Capability: Volunteers • Exercises and training