Queenslanders are being urged to prepare for a long, hot summer. Photo: Sydney Film Festival.
Queenslanders are being encouraged to take three simple steps to prepare for this season’s possible bushfires, storms, floods and heatwaves.
Get Ready Queensland Week launched this week (9 October) at events in Brisbane and Townsville with the message for residents to understand the risks, prepare a household emergency plan, and pack an emergency kit.
“Queenslanders know just how bad natural disasters can be, so it is absolutely vital that everyone acts now to get ready,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.
Research shows that almost half of all Queenslanders are already preparing their home and family for the impacts of extreme weather.
The Premier said she would like to “see that number grow”.
Things like adding long-life food, drinking water, a torch with spare batteries and toiletries to your shopping list will help if the shops are closed, the water stops or power goes out.
Get Ready Queensland Ambassador Jonathan Thurston said that while natural disasters couldn’t be prevented “we can lessen the impacts on our homes and loved ones”.
“Just grabbing a few extra items next time you’re at the shops is all it takes to stock an emergency kit, to help keep you and your family safe at home,” he said.
As part of the launch events, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) revealed this year’s Severe Weather Outlook for Queensland after recently declaring that the El Nino weather pattern had arrived.
“Even though El Nino and the positive Indian Ocean Dipole have been declared and are likely to increase the chance of heatwaves and fire dangers over the coming months, Queensland is also likely to experience severe thunderstorms that can bring damaging winds, rain and hail,” BOM spokesperson Laura Boekel explained.
The Townsville event saw the launch of the Get Ready Queensland Trolley Tour, a week-long road trip of regional Queensland promoting the importance of preparing for extreme weather.
Deputy Premier and minister responsible for the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) Steven Miles said Queensland was the most-disaster affected state in Australia.
“With a long, hot summer ahead, there is no doubt parts of Queensland will again be impacted by extreme weather,” he said.
The Get Ready Queensland program is managed by the QRA, the state’s lead agency for disaster resilience and recover, and is sponsored by Suncorp with support from retail partner IGA.
