20191204 The Oasis emergency evacuation concerns - summary

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                   The Oasis emergency evacuation concerns - summary

2.2    Noosa Springs Golf Course waste vegetation

   Noosa Springs Golf Course stores waste vegetation at the western end of their compound. The
   waste pile is in a Medium Potential Bushfire Intensity zone, with a High Potential Bushfire zone
   adjacent. On the side facing Oasis Drive, the waste pile is retained by a timber fence.

   Periodically the pile is mulched and distributed around the golf course.

   Our concerns are as follows:

            If the waste pile were to ignite, its proximity to the Oasis Drive exit could prevent egress;
            We are aware that spontaneous combustion can occur in waste vegetation piles which
             could initiate a bushfire;
            Stray embers from a local bushfire or backburn could ignite the pile.

Q: Are there regulations specifying the requirements for storage of waste vegetation?

Q: Are there limits on the volume of waste that can be stored?

Q: What can be done to minimise the risk associated with this waste vegetation pile?



3.0 Evacuation Routes

3.1    Oasis Drive

   A section of Oasis Drive, either side of the entry/exit gates is shown in a Medium Potential
   Bushfire Intensity zone, and an adjacent section, approaching the roundabout, is a High Potential
   Bushfire Intensity zone.

Q: What can be done to reduce the risks, and ensure safe evacuation if this area is alight?


3.2    Links Drive

   Most of Links Drive (from the Oasis Drive roundabout to the Noosa Springs Drive roundabout,
   approximately 0.5 kms) is in a High Potential Bushfire Intensity Zone.

   There is a considerable fuel load evident on either side of this road, including the central road
   reserve, but especially on the eastern side.

Q: How will council deal with the extensive fuel load beside the road to reduce the risk of not
being able to use this road for evacuation in the case of fire?

Q; What will be the alternate evacuation route in this situation?

Q: Can Council undertake a Fire Ecology assessment at their cost to confirm the bushfire
potentials?




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                   The Oasis emergency evacuation concerns - summary

3.3    Evacuation routes from the Noosa Springs Drive roundabout

   From the Links Drive/Noosa Springs Drive roundabout there appear to be three alternative
   evacuation routes:
      the bridge over Eenie Creek Road, along Noosa Springs Drive to Leslie Drive;
      west along Noosa Springs Drive to the locked gates allowing access to Eenie Creek Road,
       (Potential Impact Buffer plus Medium Potential Bushfire Intensity zones);
    east along Wallum Road (High Potential Bushfire Intensity zone) and the “red route” to the
       sports complex. (Potential Impact Buffer and Medium Potential Bushfire Intensity zones and
       a locked gate).

Q: How will these evacuation route options be managed during an evacuation event?

Q: Which organisation decides which evacuation route(s) will be used?

Q: Who is responsible for opening the locked gates on these evacuation routes?
   - Gates to Eenie Creek Road from Noosa Springs Drive;
   - Gate at Sports Complex.

Q: How will that decision be policed?

Q: What are the Council going to do to improve the “Red route” and when will it be suitable for
ordinary vehicles to use?

Q: What has Council planned to reduce the bushfire risks along the “red route”?

Q: Why is the access to Eenie Creek Road from Noosa Springs Drive apparently not going to be
used once the “Red route” has been established?

Q: The tracks before and after the helicopter operations area are on the same alignment and this
is shown in Google maps. Can the original arrangement of track be re-established so that the track
is straighter and no transit through the helicopter operations area is required?

Q: How will residents be able to evacuate in advance of Emergency Services arrival, such as nearly
happened in the Resort Drive fire?


3.4    Conflict with evacuations from other precincts

   If the whole of the eastern precincts in Noosa Springs must be evacuated, we estimate that there
   may be as many as 250 vehicles evacuating from Parkridge, plus 40+ from The Fairways and 200+
   from the golf and spa complex. These will meet the 35+ coming from The Oasis at the Oasis
   Drive/Links Drive roundabout. (Note: These figures assume one vehicle per residence).

   With anything up to 500 vehicles trying to evacuate, the potential for any of the single lane
   evacuation routes to be blocked as a result of mechanical and/or human failure in evacuation
   conditions needs to be assessed and provision made for its occurrence.

   The possibility that the western precincts in Noosa Springs may need to be evacuated at the same
   time needs to be assessed. Our estimates indicate that there may be as many as 450 vehicles
   evacuating from Noosa Springs and Elysium.



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                   The Oasis emergency evacuation concerns - summary


Q: Have Council considered the possibility of a wholesale evacuation of the whole of Noosa
Springs?



4.0 Emergency Services
   The recent bushfire at the southern end of Resort Drive and the gold course was attended by
   Emergency Services vehicles, without using their sirens. As a result, some residents were
   unaware of the emergency on their doorstep until the morning, whilst others were panicked by
   neighbours knocking on doors.

Q: What was the reason for emergency sirens not being used?

Q: How can we ensure that sirens are used within Noosa Springs to alert residents?




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