Living Here
Get ready for a wetter than average summer ahead
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting an above average cyclone season with an increased risk of flooding over the east and north of Australia this summer.
This outlook has come during Get Ready Week in Queensland (10-17 October) when residents are asked to prepare for the different varieties of extreme weather and natural disasters experienced in recent years.
Gladstone Region Mayor Matt Burnett said preparation was important in all areas of life, but even more so when it comes to weather extremes.
“Before any potential summer season surprises occur, Gladstone Regional Council is encouraging everyone to think about how they can prepare ahead by participating in Get Ready Week 2021,” Councillor Burnett said.
“In the past decade, Queensland has been impacted by more than 80 significant natural disaster events, resulting in tragic loss of life and more than $15.7 billion in damage to public infrastructure.”
The emphasis in the Get Ready message this year is on three steps:
- Make a plan
- Pack supplies
- Make sure you’re covered.
Cr Burnett said everyone should have a household emergency and evacuation plan; emergency and evacuation kits should be packed – an emergency kit with supplies will equip a family for up to three days of isolation; and the third step is to make sure your home and contents insurance cover is up to date.
“There are plenty of online resources available about disaster preparation and weather events on the Get Ready Queensland website,” Cr Burnett said.
“Council’s RegionWatch webpage is also a valuable resource where residents can access live updates from multiple sources and register for early warnings.”
When registering for early warnings, residents are advised to select the parts of the region most relevant to them, so they receive the most relevant information.
RegionWatch highlights road conditions, roadworks, Bureau of Meteorology weather warnings, power outages, flood cameras, school closures from the Department of Education and emergency bulletins from Council’s disaster management system.
Visit www.getready.qld.gov.au for more information on Get Ready Week and how you can be prepared for this summer.
Visit https://regionwatch.gladstone.qld.gov.au/ to access Council’s RegionWatch website.
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