What's Happening in Slacks Creek, QLD…

Being prepared for any emergency was the message driven home to the participants of a recent disaster management exercise undertaken at Logan City Council.

Referred to as Exercise Swelter, the event was conducted by members of local groups who regularly dealt with disaster management situations, and took them through a simulated emergency involving a forest fire threatening homes around Daisy Hill near Slacks Creek, Queensland.

Representatives from the State Emergency Service, Queensland Police Service, Logan Water, Department of Transport and Main Roads, Energex, Red Cross, and the state’s Fire and Emergency Service joined Deputy Mayor Russell Lutton on the ground to save the day in the mock disaster.

Cr Lutton described the experience as a real-time, high-intensity operation at which participants received vital information relating to communication and planning, tactics, and priorities needed when fighting a serious outbreak of fire in the bush.

The exercise comes during a period of dry, hot weather, with more of the same expected this summer, and Cr Lutton said it was imperative that everyone was prepared for what may lie ahead, including emergency organisations and residents.

Local homeowners have received reminders on how to be prepared for the threat of bushfires during summer via flyer printing handouts.

Important issues covered at the recent emergency exercise included traffic management, evacuation of people affected, agency responsibility, and communication with residents and within each of the emergency organisations.