Residents urged to prepare for wet

By Natalie Imgraben, Bond University journalism student

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has predicted another wet summer and residents all over Queensland are encouraged to be prepared early.

The BOM website describes forecast models that suggest this year’s La Niña is to likely peak towards the end of 2011 and continue into early 2012.

It is unlikely that the current La Niña will be as strong as the La Niña event of 2010-11 which was considered the main cause of the devastating Queensland floods in January of this year.

However, the Queensland Government is taking no chances this year introducing the Get Ready Queensland campaign.
In a press release Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said the Get Ready Queensland campaign had been developed in response the weather bureau's prediction of another busy storm and cyclone season.

 "It will help people assess the risks in their neighbourhood, develop an emergency plan for potential disaster situations, and know where to go for information and who to call for help," Mr Roberts said.

Varsity Lakes residents also have a disaster management guide of their own.

The Varsity Lakes Disaster Management Guide gives information that will assist residents in the event of an approaching or happening disaster in the community.

However, some residents are not aware of the guide or the need to prepare for such possible events.

Nayomi Shah, who moved to Varsity Lakes from India in May this year, said she wasn’t aware of Australia’s wet season or the dangers of it but said she had heard about the floods in Queensland.

“I did hear about the floods but I didn’t realise they were a part of the wet season,” Ms Shah said.

“I don’t know anything about [the wet season].

“If anything was to happen I only have an umbrella. I should really have a look into it.”

Hamilton Byrne, also a Varsity Lakes resident, was around for last year’s rainy summer and remembers it clearly.

“It was so wet for the whole summer,” Hamilton said.

“There was so much rain my gutter broke.”

Hamilton said he is prepared all year round for possible disasters with the basics like non-perishable food and has a list of emergency contacts in his house.

“We have things like canned food and torches at home,” Hamilton said.

“But we also have a list of numbers for people like Energex and the fire department in case we need them.”

Former Chairman of the Varsity Lakes Community Limited (VLCL) board Peter Cummins, who oversaw the disaster management guide between 2005-2009, highlighted its value.
“I feel it is very important,” Mr Cummins said.

“[The VLCL also] secured funding (from the NRMA) to prepare and implement this strategy in late 2009 / early 2010.”

Varsity Lakes residents can download a copy of The Varsity Lakes Disaster Management Guide from Varsity Lakes Online or the Get Ready Queensland brochure from http://www.disaster.qld.gov.au/getready/
 
Caption: With not a cloud in sight Nayomi Shah wonders why she needs to prepare for the wet season. Photo by: Natalie Imgraben