STORM surge and flood risk for coastal communities will be the focus of the 2023 Get Ready Emergency Services Day to be held at Holloways Beach this weekend.
The Cairns Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) is inviting people to a community fun day at Syd and Jane Granville Park on Cassia St, Holloways Beach, on Saturday 7 October from 10am to 3pm.
The event, being held on the eve of Get Ready Week (9-15 October), is an opportunity for residents to talk to emergency services personnel about what they need to know for their emergency plans for the wet season.
The day includes helpful, practical advice for residents and showcases the region’s first responders, with fire trucks, aviation fire, and ambulance vehicles and crews on site.
There will also be disaster preparation workshops, family fun activities and food available.
LDMG Deputy Chair and Cairns Regional Council Division 8 Councillor Rhonda Coghlan said now was the time for residents to finalise their emergency plans.
“We are bringing the annual Get Ready Emergency Services Day event to the community to ensure everyone ‘knows their zone’ this wet season,” she said.
“Every wet season, the communities between Machans Beach and Yorkeys Knob are susceptible to flooding from the Barron River during significant weather events.
“These communities are also at risk of storm surge, which can occur if a cyclone is impending, so it is important for everyone to know their zone and have in place a household emergency plan.”
The LDMG is encouraging the community to know your storm tide zone at the Cairns Disaster Dashboard.
LDMG Chair and Deputy Mayor Terry James said the Dashboard provided updates on road conditions, power outages, weather warnings, flood cameras and other emergency information.
“The dashboard is continuously updated during emergencies, providing crucial information on road closures, flooding, weather warnings and power outages,” Cr James.
“It serves as the go-to place for disaster-related information and is a valuable resource to help residents and families prepare for the wet season.”
Residents are reminded they can also go straight to the Dashboard from the council’s My Cairns app by clicking the menu button on the top left of the home screen and then tapping ‘Disaster information’.
The Dashboard also contains a link to register for the Cairns Alert emergency messaging service which delivers advice via email, SMS, and voice message.
Cr James said household preparedness was vital as the official cyclone season approached.
“Every household should have their emergency kit stocked and a well-established evacuation plan,” he advised.
“Council’s detailed information on areas at risk from storm surge helps the public to make potentially life-saving decisions.
“I urge everyone to start their preparations now, while the skies are still clear, so they can be prepared for whatever nature throws at us.”
Keep up with the latest news in Cairns and the Far North, and check out some of our top stories this week: Cairns community champion retires and Speed racer fined after horror weekend.
