Compiled Plans & Documents OPW18-0342 02

                                                                         Bushfire Emergency Provisions
                                          Retirement Living Village – 6 Grasstree Court, Sunrise Beach

RECOMMENDATION: Village management, the EPC and ECO members (and ideally, all residents)
should sign up to any Council or emergency services e-alert warning platform (text message, etc.)
for severe weather warnings to ensure timely receipt of relevant warnings.

Generally, an emergency warning for evacuation will not be the first warning which is issued. There
are four types of ‘warnings’ issued for bushfire events in Queensland. These include:




Figure 7 - Types of bushfire warnings in Queensland

In addition to the above, further descriptors of bushfire behaviour are also issued as part of each
warning. These include:




Figure 8 - Descriptors of reported bushfire ignitions

RESPONSIBILITY: The ECO members are required to be familiar with the nature of these warnings, and
the necessary action required in response.

Item 3: Preferred Bushfire Emergency Management Model
On the basis of the above and noting the potentially vulnerable situation of some residents, an early
evacuation model is the preferred bushfire emergency management response for the facility. This
model is based upon a trigger of fire weather (increased fire danger days of EXTREME OR
CATASTROPHIC) for action, rather than a warning.

Some residents may have psychological, cardiac or respiratory conditions which make them
susceptible to the effects of smoke or stress. These residents should be known to facility operators
and staff. An early evacuation model assists these potential residents to avoid stressful emergency
situations, keeping in mind that evacuation may also be a stressful process for some.

The need for off-site evacuation based on a trigger of fire weather on increased fire danger days is
necessary on the basis of:

     1. The time it may take to arrange off-site evacuation when taking into consideration the time
        to decide on whether to evacuate, the time it will likely take for the EPC and volunteer
        wardens to go door-to-door to advise residents of the need to evacuate, the residents time
        to pack belongings (including essential documents and medications) and physically leave
        the premises;

     2. The vulnerability of potential residents from a psychological health, mobility or
        cardiac/respiratory perspective, which may require assistance from others or alternative
        transportation methods to be arranged; and

     3. The potential rate of fire spread, bushfire behaviour and intensity that is experienced on
        increased fire danger days, in conditions where firefighting suppression is challenged.




Status: Provisions                                                                        December 2018
Project No.: 18-030                                                                            Page 16