5.62  In areas susceptible to flooding, councils should identify facilities housing people who may require assistance to evacuate. Councils should work with the operators of these facilities to ensure they have appropriate evacuation plans and that they are aware of the council’s disaster management arrangements. 

5.63 Councils should identify the specific evacuation needs of these facilities, such as increased timeframes for withdrawal or transport by ambulance. 

5.64 Councils should include the location, contact details, and specific evacuation needs of these facilities in their evacuation sub-plans. 

5.65 Councils should identify organisations (for example, Meals on Wheels and Bluecare) that provide services to people in the community who may be unable to evacuate without assistance. Councils should include the contact details of these organisations in their evacuation sub-plans. 

5.66 Councils should work with these service providers to identify: the number of people who may require assisted evacuation; the general nature of their needs, including any necessary medical supplies and equipment; warning message formats and dissemination; increased timeframes needed for evacuation; transportation requirements; and shelter requirements. Councils should include this information in their evacuation sub-plans. 

5.67 Facilities housing people who may be unable to evacuate without assistance should develop evacuation plans to ensure residents are provided with appropriate transportation, emergency accommodation, trained carers and medical support if necessary. Where possible, residents of those facilities should be relocated to other similar facilities or accommodation other than evacuation centres. These plans should be developed in consultation with councils and relevant agencies such as Queensland Health. 

5.68 Facilities housing people who may be unable to evacuate without assistance should prepare disaster recovery plans, particularly for the provision of back up power and emergency supplies, including medical oxygen and common medications, to minimise the need for evacuation where there is no direct threat from natural disaster. 

ACQ members can send feedback on these recommendations to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 A full copy of the report can be viewed on the Commission's website http://www.floodcommission.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/8781/QFCI-Interim-Report-August-2011.pdf