2015-06-23 I&S Agenda - Item 5 - Local Disaster Recovery Plan - Attachment 2

                           Noosa Local Disaster Recovery Plan 2015/2016

Different cultures approach and react to disasters in different ways. This can potentially
cause tensions in the broader community if these reactions are not understood by others. It
may mean that minority groups in the community can feel left out, marginalised and
misunderstood if they do not understand or cannot relate to the recovery processes put in
place by the government and other organisations. They may also feel unable to express and
manage their grief or distress in their usual ways.

Refugees and asylum seekers can be particularly vulnerable, especially if they have suffered
extreme hardship and trauma in their countries of origin. The Community Welfare Sub
Committee should be aware of the different cultural groups in their communities and should
ensure that appropriate recovery services are made available to meet their needs. However,
it is also important to be cognisant that many of these communities demonstrate great
resilience because they often possess a range of experiences and skills in dealing with
emergencies.

23.19 Aged
Members of the aged community can be incredibly resilient but in other cases are
particularly vulnerable during a disaster. Their life experiences include events such as wars,
the Depression, bushfires, floods and droughts, which demanded great self-reliant
resources, gave them the strength to deal with unusual circumstances.

People who are older, however, may be isolated, frail, suffering from chronic illness or
dependent on others for transport, meals and self-care. Some older people may have lived
in the community all their lives and suddenly be put in a position of needing to relocate, in
addition to losing a lifetime of memorabilia and familiarity.

The Community Welfare Sub Committee needs to quickly establish who these people are
and where they are located in the community and link them into aged care services that can
help them re-establish a sense of safety and security as quickly as possible. In the same
way that children and youth may be brought together to help them talk about and process
their experiences of the disaster, it may be helpful to organise groups of aged people to get
together and share stories and information.

23.20 Support for the bereaved
People who are bereaved are an example of a vulnerable group that needs specialised
support and attention. The bereaved group will include surviving family members who
directly experienced the emergency event and family members who did not, so plans need
to be made to identify extended family members who may not be local to the community of
impact.

Counselling services should also be identified to assist with grief and bereaved communities.
The Community Welfare Sub Committee should maintain close liaison with the police and
the coroner’s office to ensure clear communication about support services is available to
bereaved groups.

Bereavement services are led by the Department of Communities, Child Safety and
Disability Services. Services may include:
   one-on-one and family counselling
   bereavement support groups
   delivery of an annual commemorative event, including consultation and input from the
    bereaved community

23.21 People temporally separated from, or have lost, their companion
      animals
Companion animals can help people to maintain their social, emotional and physical
wellbeing. Companion animals are significant partners in many people’s lives.
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