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

The Cyclone Debbie Review

Public information and engagement The sharing of relevant, accurate and timely information that is easily understood, and useable by people to take necessary action is critical. Both local and district groups are responsible to ensure the community is aware of how to prepare for, and what to do during and after, a disaster. To support this area, Queensland established the Crisis Communication Network (CCN), a whole-of-government communication network. Remote communities Checking on remote communities

Communications infrastructure One issue was not being able to communicate to, and hear from, the community. Communication plans must include contingencies that communities are aware of, and can activate should critical communication infrastructure be lost. Communications staff have a role to play in driving the importance of communication plans. Information that influences action Trust and empowerment An informed and empowered community results from information that is informative, consistent, and understandable. It is important that people are given clear information about the consequences of decisions and actions they choose to take. Some councils raised concern that providing such information had not necessarily translated into a more proactive and responsive community. to the community survey felt they were ready and able to deal with the impacts of the event. Authoritative point of truth Authority and consistency Unpredictable events demand a communication system that provides clear information on what is known, and is delivered consistently by all parties. The establishment of a “point of truth” was often expressed to us as pivotal in reducing inaccurate reporting. At both a state and local level there must be the capacity to distil information, and then coordinate consistent messaging using agreed words that tell the community what they seek. Despite council concerns, the majority of respondents

Warnings and Emergency Alerts Warnings empower communities to take appropriate action during a disaster. During Debbie, a range of strategies was used to inform and advise the community. We recognise the significantly improved messaging put in place by SunWater and Seqwater over the past two years. The widespread nature and volume of warnings was reflected in the community survey. The demographic profile of a community is central to understanding how best to warn those at risk. Emergency Alert Emergency Alert performed as expected in getting messages to people for the majority of campaigns. While the message may get through, its timeliness is imperative. The EA system was used to advise about school closures. If decision-makers were aware of how long this would take they may have decided to warn in other ways. Many pre-planned campaigns have been developed, but ad hoc campaigns were issued during Debbie. Most campaigns were run in a timely manner for the event, however warnings to multiple sites can be slower. Alerts issued along local government boundaries at times resulted in people on one side of a river receiving a warning, while those opposite did not. Content of warnings sometimes caused problems, with people left unsure what action to take. Previous reviews have highlighted the need for greater training and exercising of the EA system. Overall the EA system has improved, but the issues identified still reflect a need for greater preparedness and training.

remains a potential issue. In previous events, isolated communities could not make contact, and were assumed not to need help. One way to overcome this is the development of Emergency Liaison Officers (ELOs) within these communities. Sources and Survey During Debbie, Queensland residents and communities received information and warnings from a variety of sources. People also sought information themselves. Councils cited high traffic to their Facebook, call centres and website pages. Despite the high traffic, the community survey showed the communities. An opportunity exists for councils to partner with these agencies or explore opportunities to maximise the message effect. Media Many councils stressed the importance of the media in disseminating information. Increased centralisation of media agencies was problematic in getting coverage of local events. The volume, reach and diversity of sources did give most people access to information that they then used to inform their actions. Bureau and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (the ABC) are important for

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1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Themes: Planning • Public information and engagement