DCS embraces social media p6 SES Week 2011 p8 QFRS tries on ...

December <strong>2011</strong> 

A publication of the Department of Community Safety 

<strong>DCS</strong> <strong>embraces</strong> <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> <strong>p6</strong> 

<strong>SES</strong> <strong>Week</strong> <strong>2011</strong> <strong>p8</strong> 

<strong>QFRS</strong> <strong>tries</strong> on triathlons p15 

Paramedics prepare for cyclones p27

From the Minister 

<strong>SES</strong> <strong>Week</strong> awards 

Queenslanders recently joined in the annual National <strong>SES</strong> <strong>Week</strong> 

(5-13 November) celebration, with volunteers honoured for 

their efforts during the busy past 12 months of storms, floods and 

cyclones. 

Regional award ceremonies were held across the state to 

publicly recognise the efforts of volunteers, before the statewide 

awards were presented on November 13. 

I’d like to congratulate all regional award winners, but 

particularly the State Award winners including: 

>> Bundaberg <strong>SES</strong> Unit member Sharyn Kilby, who received 

the <strong>2011</strong> Queensland <strong>SES</strong> Member of the Year Award 

>> Warwick <strong>SES</strong> Unit, which was given the <strong>SES</strong> Group of the 

Year <strong>2011</strong> award 

>> Cairns <strong>SES</strong> Unit, which received the Operational Response 

of the Year award 

However, it’s important to recognise the immense contribution 

that all 7200 <strong>SES</strong> volunteers made this previous year. 

They were on the scene in the wake of the impact of Tropical 

Cyclone Yasi as well as during December and January’s heavy rains 

that caused massive flooding across the state. 

They also assisted in numerous searches for missing people, 

rescues and other activities. Most recently, about 800 volunteers 

participated in the search for Daniel Morcombe’s remains, sifting 

through 500 cubic metres of sand in bushland at the Glass House 

Mountains. 

As Emergency Services Minister I am immensely proud of 

the Queensland <strong>SES</strong>, its leadership and volunteers, and the 

contribution they make to our community. 

National <strong>SES</strong> <strong>Week</strong> was their time to shine and I again thank 

them for their willingness to volunteer their time and labour in the 

service of the community. 

Address: Emergency Magazine 

Media and Corporate Communications Branch 

Department of Community Safety 

GPO Box 1425 

Brisbane Qld 4001 

Editor: Peter Callaghan 

Phone: 07 3635 3413 Facsimile: 07 3247 8779 

Email: Editor.EmergencyMagazine@dcs.qld.gov.au 

Disaster Readiness Index 

With summer fast approaching, I would like to encourage you 

all to participate in Volunteering Queensland’s Disaster Readiness 

Index and One Million Stars Challenge. 

The Disaster Readiness Index gives individuals a ‘star’ rating 

on their level of preparedness and generates a personalised list of 

steps to take to become more emergency-ready and resilient. 

The goal of the challenge is that Queenslanders complete 

the Disaster Readiness Index and collectively reach a target of a 

million stars across the state. 

As each person completes the checklist, their star rating will 

be added to the state’s total. To complete the Disaster Readiness 

Index and contribute to Queensland’s One Million Stars Challenge 

visit www.emergencyvolunteering.com.au 

All the best for 2012 

As this is the last Emergency magazine for <strong>2011</strong>, I’d like 

to pass on my thanks to all Department of Community Safety 

personnel for all your hard work during the past 12 months. 

It’s been a big year, with plenty of challenges thrown up, but 

the department has been the equal of all of them. 

To all staff, I wish you a safe and happy Christmas with your 

family and friends and a happy New Year as we look forward to a 

prosperous 2012. 

Neil Roberts MP 

Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services 

Emergency is published bi-monthly by the Queensland Department of Community Safety’s Media and Corporate Communications Branch. Articles, photographs and 

feedback from emergency services personnel and volunteers are welcome. Editorial staff reserve the right to edit any contributions. 

Web: www.emergency.qld.gov.au/publications 

Editorial: Peter Callaghan, Caitlin Major, Tamani Nair, Krathyn White, 

Olivia Fens, Helen Ainsworth and Desley Gilbey. 

Advertising: Leah Hornibrook 

Graphic design: <strong>DCS</strong> Design Studio 

On the cover: A <strong>QFRS</strong> competitor takes part in the Queensland Tri Series 

event at Raby Bay in October. Photo by Ben Hamilton. 

Emergency is available online at www.emergency.qld.gov.au 

2 Emergency December <strong>2011</strong> www.communitysafety.qld.gov.au

Peers award QAS for 

management practice 

QAS Governance and Management Services Unit 

Director Darren Hall (left) is presented with the 

Management Practice award by Mike Willis of the 

NSW Ambulance Service on behalf of the CAA 

Jim’s our top fire vollie 

North Queensland Rural Fire Service 

A member has taken out the top honour 

for the state’s fire service volunteers. 

At a presentation held in Brisbane last 

month, First Officer Jim Besgrove from 

Rangewood Rural Fire Brigade (RFB) was 

named the <strong>QFRS</strong> Volunteer of the Year for 

<strong>2011</strong>. 

<strong>QFRS</strong> Commissioner Lee Johnson 

presented Jim with his award at the annual 

Commissioner’s Awards for Excellence 

(CAFE). 

Jim (pictured right) has faced more 

than 60 fires this year alone with the 

Rangewood RFB, and said he felt privileged 

to receive the state’s top honour. 

‘This award is important as it also 

recognises the hard work and effort that 

has been put in by my brigade,’ he said. 

‘We have a strong and active brigade 

of 28 members at Rangewood and are the 

closest brigade to the urban area in town 

so we are always kept busy. 

‘We are all very proud of this award 

and very lucky to be so well supported by 

friends and family to be able to always 

be there for the community when we’re 

needed.’ 

<strong>QFRS</strong> Northern Region Rural Operations 

Manager Ken Beasley said he was proud 

that a local RFB member had taken out 

<strong>QFRS</strong>’ top volunteer award and was 

recognised for outstanding commitment 

and generosity, a quality all volunteers 

possess. 

‘Jim is a dedicated and tireless worker 

who willingly attends every job involving 

the Rangewood RFB, who gives an 

enormous quantity of his own skills and 

time and who never seeks recognition 

or praise for the outstanding work he 

accomplishes,’ he said. 

‘When the “heat is on”, Jim’s 

composure has a calming influence on 

his fellow brigade members and this 

enables the sometimes difficult work they 

do to be carried out in a professional and 

competent manner,’ he said. 

‘The CAFE awards recognise our 

exceptional people and Jim is truly an 

exceptional person.’ 

– Caitlin Major 

QAS has been recognised for 

outstanding management practice 

at the annual Council of Ambulance 

Authorities (CAA) awards presented in 

Sydney on 12 October. 

The QAS Business Service Review took 

out the top award in the Management 

Practice category, while the service’s 

leadership and coordination of the 

evacuation of Cairns’ public and private 

hospitals and other local health facilities 

during Cyclone Yasi was named runner-up 

in the same category. 

The CAA is the peak body representing 

the principal statutory providers of 

ambulance services in Australia, New 

Zealand and Papua New Guinea. 

The CAA unites independent state 

and territory ambulance authorities to 

develop common views and approaches 

to ambulance industry issues. 

Its annual awards honour outstanding 

achievements in ambulance service, and 

are judged by an independent panel of 

experts in their respective fields. 

CAA Chief Executive Greg Mundy 

offered his congratulations to the winners, 

runners-up and other strong en<strong>tries</strong> in the 

<strong>2011</strong> awards. 

‘Celebrating achievement is an 

important thing to do, not least in the 

challenging world of ambulance services. 

‘Our members and their staff are 

always looking for better ways of servicing 

our patients and the CAA awards provide 

recognition of that,’ Greg said. 

www.communitysafety.qld.gov.au Emergency December <strong>2011</strong> 3

Promoting best practice 

had the pleasure of attending the KJM 

I Education and Research Foundation’s 

annual Patron’s Day Clinical Symposium 

and Dinner in Brisbane on November 9. 

KJM Patron’s Day promotes research 

and best practice in ambulance services, 

and this year’s clinical symposium featured 

several informative presentations within 

the theme of ‘Trauma, Tragedy and Triage’. 

Patron’s Day also marked the awarding 

of the KJM Education and Research Grants 

for <strong>2011</strong>. The grants encourage innovative 

research designed to improve clinical 

practice, education or operational systems 

within the QAS, and I congratulate this 

year’s winners. 

On 10 November I hosted the QAS 

Managers’ Forum, which is an opportunity 

for managers and supervisors who came 

to Brisbane for Patron’s Day to come 

together as a leadership group to discuss 

operational and strategic matters. 

Both the Managers’ Forum and Patron’s 

Day are important events in the QAS 

calendar, and I would like to pass on my 

thanks to all those involved in making 

these <strong>2011</strong> events successful. 

As we move into another storm and 

cyclone season, disaster management and 

mass casualty education were the subjects 

of a workshop for QAS senior executives on 

26-27 October. 

Featuring presentations from key 

organisations such as <strong>QFRS</strong>, Queensland 

Health, Queensland Police and the QUT 

School of Public Health, as well as desktop 

exercises, the workshop was the first step 

in a larger training package to be rolled out 

across QAS. 

As part of the Queensland Disaster 

Management Training Framework, EMQ has 

developed an awareness package on the 

new Queensland Disaster Management 

Arrangements. 

The awareness package has been sent 

to all QAS personnel and contains essential 

information for all officers. 

I would like to wish everyone a happy 

and safe Christmas season. On behalf of 

QAS senior executives, my thanks go to all 

staff for their efforts this year as we look 

forward to a busy 2012. 

I encourage you all to remain attentive 

and focused on safety to ensure a happy 

and restful holiday period for everyone, 

and a very quiet time for our frontline 

officers. 

Russell Bowles ASM 

QAS Commissioner 

Operation Abel in action 

An integral part of the Queensland Fire 

and Rescue Service’s (<strong>QFRS</strong>) planning 

and preparation for the summer’s severe 

weather season came into effect on 1 

December with the commencement of 

Operation Abel. 

Running until at least 31 March next 

year, Abel marks the first time <strong>QFRS</strong> has 

declared an operational period covering 

the months of expected storm and cyclone 

activity across our state. 

It confirms that we will use all our 

resources to support our <strong>DCS</strong> colleagues 

and local government authorities, and 

protect life, property and the environment. 

Central to the declaration of Operation 

Abel is the adoption of a Severe Weather 

Alert Level (SWAL) protocol. 

Similar to the protocol we have for 

bushfire, the SWAL provides an internal 

alert mechanism for <strong>QFRS</strong> staff to ensure 

they are ready to respond to severe 

weather events that may occur over the 

coming months. 

A key focus of this period of 

heightened awareness will be the lessons 

learned from last summer’s disasters and 

the ensuing Floods Commission of Inquiry. 

By the end of November <strong>QFRS</strong> had 

exceeded its target for training new 

Swiftwater Rescue technicians, as 

specified in the Department’s response to 

the Floods Commission of Inquiry interim 

recommendations. 

We have also introduced a new 

Swiftwater Level 2 Operator qualification, 

which sits between the existing 

Swiftwater Level 1 and Level 2 Technician 

competencies. 

I call on <strong>QFRS</strong> staff and volunteers to 

work collaboratively and cooperatively 

with other emergency services agencies 

throughout this operational period, and 

continue to build solid relationships with 

local government authorities. 

We need to stay tuned in to the 

weather forecasts and the broader 

situation in our local areas, and be ready 

to offer our capabilities to assist with any 

weather-related emergencies that may 

arise. 

In the meantime, I would like to wish 

all <strong>QFRS</strong> staff and volunteers a very happy, 

safe and enjoyable Christmas and New 

Year period, and thank you all for your 

hard work and unstinting dedication over 

the past year. 

Lee Johnson AFSM MIFireE 

<strong>QFRS</strong> Commissioner 

A sincere show of thanks 

The events of last summer provided 

clear evidence that our <strong>SES</strong> volunteers 

continue to excel when their communities 

need them the most. 

More than 7000 <strong>SES</strong> volunteers serve 

Queensland’s communities, and there is no 

doubt they are generous with their time. 

In the past year they have provided more 

than 175 000 hours of operational service 

responding to major events including 

Cyclone Yasi in the far north and the 

devastating floods across the state. 

With these disasters still fresh in the 

minds of most Queenslanders, <strong>SES</strong> <strong>Week</strong> – 

the national celebration of the dedication 

and commitment of <strong>SES</strong> volunteers – took 

on a special significance this year. 

<strong>SES</strong> <strong>Week</strong> <strong>2011</strong> was held from 5-13 

November, beginning with an official launch 

in Gatton. Regional award ceremonies 

recognising the contribution and efforts 

of our volunteers were held around 

Queensland during the week, culminating 

in a celebratory service and state awards 

presentation on Sunday 13 November at the 

Kedron Park Complex. 

I would like to congratulate the <strong>2011</strong> 

State Award winners: Sharyn Kilby from 

Bundaberg <strong>SES</strong> Unit received the Minister’s 

Cup for Member of the Year; Warwick <strong>SES</strong> 

Unit won the Director-General’s Cup as Unit/ 

Group of the Year; and Cairns <strong>SES</strong> Group 

was honoured with the Executive Director’s 

Shield for the Operational Response of the 

Year. 

These worthy award recipients show our 

<strong>SES</strong> volunteers are always ready and willing 

to help – whether that means responding 

to storm and flood damage emergencies, 

supporting other emergency services or 

assisting their communities to prepare for 

disasters. 

The state award ceremony also gave us 

an opportunity to thank our interstate and 

international counterparts for the assistance 

they provided during the severe weather 

events of early <strong>2011</strong>. 

Early indications are that Queensland is 

set to be spared a repeat of last summer’s 

horrific weather, but it is imperative we 

remain vigilant and prepared to respond to 

whatever Mother Nature has in store. 

My heartfelt thanks go to all our staff and 

volunteers for their efforts in <strong>2011</strong>, and I 

wish everyone a happy, relaxing – and most 

importantly – safe Christmas and New Year 

period. 

Bruce Grady 

EMQ Assistant Director-General 


IBM thanked for disaster 

donation 

IBM has been officially recognised for 

donating more than $2 million worth of 

computer equipment and infrastructure 

that helped <strong>DCS</strong> manage last summer’s 

statewide flood and cyclone disasters. 

Police, Corrective Services and 

Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts 

presented IBM executives with special 

awards to thank the company during a 

ceremony at the Kedron Park Complex on 

14 October. 

Mr Roberts said IBM was one of many 

private sector companies who made 

significant contributions of time and 

equipment to assist the disaster response 

and longer term rebuilding effort. 

‘Disaster management operations 

rely on high quality information and 

communications technology (ICT) services 

to facilitate the flow of information that 

informs planning and response activities,’ 

he said. 

‘During the floods and Cyclone Yasi, 

these systems were subject to excessive 

periods of high workload that put their 

capacity to the ultimate test. 

‘Working with <strong>DCS</strong>, IBM identified the 

need for additional capacity for disaster 

management systems, along with a need 

Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts (left) with IBM’s John Kimlin and Bob Morton 

to create higher levels of resilience to 

ensure maximum availability of critical 

services when they are most required. 

‘IBM’s donation of more than 

$2 million worth of equipment and 

professional services helped to modernise 

the ICT infrastructure supporting disaster 

management in Queensland. 

‘The donation also enabled the 

implementation of new disaster recovery 

Get disaster-ready online 

capabilities to minimise the time needed 

to recover disaster management ICT 

systems in the event of a major failure. 

‘These two awards – one for the local 

team and one for IBM’s international 

head office that approved the donation 

– are tokens of our appreciation for their 

significant support and commitment to 

making a difference to Queenslanders,’ 

Mr Roberts said. 

Volunteering Queensland has launched 

an interactive, online checklist to help 

Queenslanders get prepared for natural 

disasters ahead of the cyclone, storm and 

flood season. 

The Disaster Readiness Index (DRI) is an online tool 

designed to measure an individual’s level of preparedness 

and generate a personalised improvement guide or list of 

steps they need to take to become more emergency-ready. 

To promote the DRI Volunteering Queensland has also 

launched Queensland’s One Million Stars Challenge. 

As individuals complete the DRI checklist, a star rating is 

generated and added to the state’s total. 

Volunteering Queensland aims to have Queenslanders 

complete the Disaster Readiness Index and collectively reach 

a target of a million stars across the state. 

Contribute to the Million Stars Challenge by taking the 

Disaster Readiness Index: www.emergencyvolunteering.com. 

au/home/knowledge/readiness-index 

– Krathyn White 


<strong>DCS</strong> <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong>: 

opening new channels for 

community engagement 

The Department of Community Safety (<strong>DCS</strong>) recently established Facebook and Twitter sites for 

<strong>QFRS</strong> and the <strong>SES</strong> to enhance disaster and emergency communication, with some surprising and 

encouraging results. 

If you can’t buy it all at once, add 

one item from the emergency kit 

to your shopping list each week 

and in a few months you will 

have an emergency kit with no 

massive dint in your wallet. 

– Facebook tip posted by a 

fan on the QLD <strong>SES</strong> page 

Always have baby wipes on 

hand and store extra water for 

washing. When without power 

heat up water on the BBQ and 

use a small bucket of water to 

wash with. 

– Facebook tip posted by a 

fan on the QLD <strong>SES</strong> page 

Following the successful use of <strong>social</strong> 

<strong>media</strong> by the Queensland Police 

Service (QPS) during the <strong>2011</strong> floods, 

the Queensland Government response to 

the Floods Commission of Inquiry Interim 

Report recommended ‘an enhanced <strong>social</strong> 

<strong>media</strong> capability for the Department of 

Community Safety including messages 

of preparation, resilience and response 

during disaster events’. 

As a result, <strong>DCS</strong> implemented 

Facebook and Twitter in mid-<strong>2011</strong> 

to engage further with Queensland 

communities. 

While learning from the <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> 

experience of QPS, <strong>DCS</strong> recognises Twitter 

and Facebook as great opportunities to 

deliver key information and messages to a 

broader audience. 

With proven success as a tool to 

engage thousands, <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> is quickly 

gathering momentum within government 

and non-government organisations. 

Not-for-profit groups such as 

Volunteering Queensland and Green 

Cross have demonstrated the effective 

use of Facebook and Twitter with their 

respective ‘Million Stars’ and ‘Harden 

Up – Protecting Queensland’ disaster 

preparedness initiatives. 

Public demand and consumption of 

information has shifted <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> from 

a tool to engage the public to a ‘must 

have’ communications channel – as 

important as traditional <strong>media</strong>. 

Statistics show nearly half of all 

Australians regularly use one or more 

<strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> sites. And while many use 

the sites as tools to keep in contact with 

family and friends, <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> is rapidly 

becoming the ‘go to’ place for information. 

Primary <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> sites like 

Facebook and Twitter are traditionally a 

Generation Y networking tool. However, 

as the popularity and credibility of <strong>social</strong> 

<strong>media</strong> grows, so does its audience. 

<strong>QFRS</strong> and <strong>SES</strong> have more than 25 000 

Facebook ‘fans’ between them, ranging in 

age from 13 to 80 and older. Surprisingly 

though, the majority of fans are aged 

25–40. 

Engaging the community 

<strong>QFRS</strong> and <strong>SES</strong> use <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> in 

different ways – both with great success. 

<strong>QFRS</strong> uses Facebook to post details of 

fire incidents across the state, while <strong>SES</strong> 

has developed strong disaster awareness 

by using Facebook and Twitter to promote 

its preparedness initiatives such as 

Survive 3 Days and <strong>SES</strong> <strong>Week</strong>. 

Both <strong>QFRS</strong> and <strong>SES</strong> use Facebook as 

their primary <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> tool, supported 

by Twitter and YouTube. 

The Survive 3 Days campaign (featured 

on p10) used <strong>SES</strong> ambassadors NOVA 

radio personality Dave David and 

co<strong>media</strong>n Stuart Fisher to promote 

disaster preparedness throughout the 

region. 

The two survived for three days in a 

perspex living room in Brisbane’s CBD 

with only an emergency kit and basic food 

rations. 

They used Facebook to communicate 

with the public, respond to questions 

and post photos of their living quarters, 

while promoting the campaign and its key 

messages. 

The event was a huge success, kickingoff 

the <strong>SES</strong> <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> campaign. During 

the event, the Qld<strong>SES</strong> Facebook site 

attracted 3800 new followers as well as a 

wealth of knowledge from members of the 

public posting tips. 

While <strong>QFRS</strong> and <strong>SES</strong> have adopted 


Connect with us online 

Facebook 

www.facebook.com/Qld<strong>SES</strong> 

www.facebook.com/QldFireandRescueService 

Twitter 

@Qld<strong>SES</strong> twitter.com/#!/Qld<strong>SES</strong> 

@QldFire twitter.com/#!/QldFire 

YouTube 

www.youtube.com/qldses 

different styles, the department has a 

uniform approach to <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> guided 

by a series of principles set out by <strong>DCS</strong> 

Director-General Kelvin Anderson. 

The principles outline the 

Department’s philosophy about how to 

effectively engage with the public. 

Since his appointment as Director- 

General in September, Mr Anderson has 

championed the official use of <strong>social</strong> 

<strong>media</strong> within the department, recognising 

its ability to foster resilience and promote 

community safety. 

‘The Department of Community Safety 

is confident in its <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> messaging, 

because it is credible and can be trusted 

– and because it listens to and engages 

with the community,’ he said. 

‘Social <strong>media</strong>, along with all the 

Department’s other communications 

channels, has one purpose: to make the 

community safer.’ 

Moving forward 

The Department’s <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> 

presence is constantly evolving to better 

suit public demand. 

So what’s next for <strong>DCS</strong> <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong>? 

Building on previous success, <strong>QFRS</strong> is 

currently running the ‘If it’s flooded, forget 

it’ awareness campaign. As well as feature 

advertising, the campaign uses Facebook, 

Twitter and YouTube to highlight the 

dangers of entering flooded waterways to 

communities across the state. 

To date, the results of the campaign 

have been overwhelmingly positive with a 

considerable increase in page visits. 

The public response is reinforced by 

the number of people who have ‘shared’ 

the campaign ad video through their own 

<strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> pages or posted passionate 

comments and shared stories related to 

the initiative. 

The official <strong>DCS</strong> <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> sites are 

managed by the Media and Corporate 

Communications (MACC) team based at 

the Kedron Park Complex. 

If you would like to get involved with 

the team on <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> by providing 

regional insights, updates or images, 

contact MACC on 3635 3468. 

A trusted source of information 

To further broaden its online 

presence, <strong>DCS</strong> has developed the 

Emergency Service and Safety website: 

www.qld.gov.au/emergency/ 

This site is part of the whole-ofgovernment 

‘single website’ experience 

program and provides online disaster 

management, prevention and 

preparation information. 

It also incorporates emergency 

services <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> channels to reach 

the wider public. 

The site has a Community Intelligence 

Map, which displays data from disaster 

management tools such as river and 

storm tide gauges and local emergency 

services information such as Rural Fire 

Brigade and <strong>SES</strong> group locations. 

The Emergency Service and Safety 

website is designed to consolidate 

online information and act as a trusted 

source providing consistent messaging 

to the community on disasters and 

emergencies. 

The site also makes it easy for the 

community and businesses to get 

involved in disaster preparedness 

and recovery through volunteering 

opportunities and the Community 

Inventory – a tool for businesses and 

not-for-profit groups to pledge offers of 

assistance. 

– Desley Gilbey 

ConFIDEnCE 

CREDIBILIty 

tRuSt 

LIStEnInG 

EnGAGED 

RESPECtFuL 

SIMPLE 

LIvELy 

CuRREnt 

It takes a lot less water than 

people think, as I found out. 

After a heavy summer downpour 

I went through a crossing that 

had water over it to avoid a 

two-hour detour in the middle of 

the night on my way home. The 

water wasn’t deep and I thought 

it would be ok. It was in a big old 

heavy car from the Seventies. I 

don’t think we’d have gotten out 

in a small modern car. It didn’t 

quite make it through before the 

engine died, but luckily the front 

wheels had just made it to the 

other side. But the weight and 

speed of the water was lifting 

and moving the back of the car 

around a bit. I was able to get out 

my door and push the car up a 

bit higher until the engine dried 

out and we avoided disaster, 

but I was surprised by how little 

water it takes to lift a car. 

– Facebook comment posted by a 

fan on the <strong>QFRS</strong> page 


Celebrations for 

<strong>SES</strong> <strong>Week</strong> <strong>2011</strong> 

Queenslanders celebrated the outstanding work 

of <strong>SES</strong> volunteers during <strong>SES</strong> <strong>Week</strong> <strong>2011</strong>, held 

from November 5-13. 

The commitment and dedication of all 

7200 <strong>SES</strong> volunteers was recognised 

and awards for Unit of the Year, 

Operational Response of the Year and <strong>SES</strong> 

Member of the Year were presented at a 

State Awards ceremony at Kedron on 

13 November. 

Award ceremonies were also held in 

all seven regions throughout the week 

recognising regional winners. 

Many volunteers also received National 

Medals, Meritorious Service Medals and 

Clasps or Regional <strong>SES</strong> <strong>Week</strong> awards 

certificates in honour of their efforts. 

Police, Corrective Services and 

Emergency Services Minister Neil 

Roberts said Queensland <strong>SES</strong> volunteers 

contributed more than 175 000 hours of 

work last financial year. 

He said the summer of 2010-<strong>2011</strong> 

was a time of unprecedented disaster 

and heartache for many communities 

throughout Queensland. 

All of the state’s 23 disaster districts 

were affected and residents endured 

flooding in Brisbane, Ipswich, southwestern 

and central Queensland, as well 

The <strong>DCS</strong> Media and Corporate Communications Branch at Kedron showed their 

support for the <strong>SES</strong> by getting right into the spirit of Wear Orange to Work Day 


The devastating cyclones 

and floods that affected 

most of the state earlier this 

year highlighted just how 

important <strong>SES</strong> volunteers 

are to Queensland 

as three tropical cyclones. Cyclone Yasi 

was the most intense cyclone to make 

landfall in Queensland in a century and 

crossed at Mission Beach. 

Mr Roberts said during these major 

events, Queensland <strong>SES</strong> volunteers 

excelled. 

‘The devastating cyclones and floods 

that affected most of the state earlier this 

year highlighted just how important <strong>SES</strong> 

volunteers are to Queensland,’ he said. 

‘These men and women played an 

invaluable role supporting their local 

communities through flood boat rescues, 

road accident rescues, land search 

operations, welfare management, and 

disaster support and traffic control.’ 

More recently, about 800 volunteers 

participated in the search for Daniel 

Morcombe’s remains, sifting through 500 

cubic metres of sand in bushland at the 

Glass House Mountains. 

‘We can be proud of the diligent 

work <strong>SES</strong> crews have done. Many local 

volunteers have gone above and beyond 

to assist those in need,’ Mr Roberts said. 

Another highlight of <strong>SES</strong> <strong>Week</strong> <strong>2011</strong> 

was Wear Orange to Work Day (WOW) held 

on Wednesday 9 November. 

On that day scores of Queenslanders 

wore orange to raise awareness of 

the invaluable contribution that <strong>SES</strong> 

volunteers make to the community. 

<strong>SES</strong> <strong>Week</strong> <strong>2011</strong> also saw the Treasury 

Casino and King George Square in 

Brisbane illuminated in orange. Across 

the nation, other Australian icons such as 

the Sydney Opera House and Parliament 

House in Canberra were also lit up. 

EMQ Assistant Director-General Bruce 

Grady said the success of <strong>SES</strong> <strong>Week</strong> 

<strong>2011</strong> shows how much the community 

appreciates the work <strong>SES</strong> volunteers do. 

‘This year’s theme was “volunteering 

in all conditions”, which encapsulates 

the very essence of what being an <strong>SES</strong> 

member is all about,’ he said. 

‘These people spend countless hours 

working in the community, but also 

training and honing their skills. It takes 

a unique person to take on this vital role 

and the responsibilities that come with 

it, and they are truly deserving of the 

community’s thanks.’ 

– Olivia Fens 

<strong>2011</strong> <strong>SES</strong> <strong>Week</strong> State Awards 

Minister’s Cup for the <strong>2011</strong> Queensland <strong>SES</strong> Member of the Year 

Sharyn Kilby, Bundaberg <strong>SES</strong> Group 

Director-General’s Cup for Group of the Year 

Warwick <strong>SES</strong> Unit 

Executive Director’s Shield for Operational Response of the Year 

Cairns <strong>SES</strong> Group 

Regional Operational Response of the Year Awards 

Brisbane ................................Moreton Island <strong>SES</strong> Group 

South East .............................Ipswich City <strong>SES</strong> Unit 

South West ............................Maranoa Regional <strong>SES</strong> Unit 

North Coast ............................Nanango <strong>SES</strong> Unit 

Central ...................................Rockhampton Regional <strong>SES</strong> Unit 

Northern ................................Northern Task Force Oscar 

Far Northern ...........................Cairns <strong>SES</strong> Group 

Regional Unit/Group of the Year Awards 

Brisbane ................................Redland City <strong>SES</strong> Unit 

South East .............................Gold Coast <strong>SES</strong> Unit 

South West ............................Warwick <strong>SES</strong> Unit 

North Coast ............................Bundaberg <strong>SES</strong> Unit 

Central ...................................Rolleston Emergency Service Unit 

Northern ................................Charters Towers <strong>SES</strong> Unit 

Far Northern ...........................Edmonton <strong>SES</strong> Group 

Regional Member of the Year Awards 

Brisbane ................................Michael Patchett, Cleveland 

South East .............................Paul Guy, Logan East 

South West ............................James Ross, Cecil Plains 

North Coast ............................Sharyn Kilby, Bundaberg 

Central ...................................Judy McDonald, Emerald 

Northern ................................Johannes Bentvelzen, Normanton 

Far Northern ...........................Karolyn Menzies, Cairns 


In early October <strong>DCS</strong> launched an innovative, 

experimental and high-impact promotional campaign 

to mark the launch of Queensland’s storm season. With 

a strong emphasis on <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> messaging, the 

campaign challenged the public to think about how they 

would cope in the aftermath of a severe weather event. 

Could you survive three days of 

isolation at home if roads, power and 

water were cut? 

This hypothetical became a reality for 

Brisbane-based co<strong>media</strong>n Stuart Fisher 

and NOVA radio personality Dave David as 

they bunked down together for three days 

in a mock living room under torchlight, 

with no running water, a generator, an 

emergency kit and basic food rations at 

Reddacliff Place in Brisbane’s CBD. 

The duo entered the mock home 

at 7:00am on Thursday 6 October and 

remained inside until the <strong>SES</strong> arrived to 

assist them on Saturday 8 October. 

Developed by EMQ in conjunction with 

NRMA Insurance, the Can You Survive For 

Three Days Challenge made strong use 

of <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong>, primarily Facebook and 

Twitter, with David and Stuart sharing 

their personal experiences of storm 

readiness. 

<strong>DCS</strong> MACC Branch Sponsorship 

Manager Leah Hornibrook said the 

Department wanted more than a 

Survive 

Three Days 

challenge a 

<strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> 

triumph 

<strong>media</strong> call or press conference to 

launch storm season. 

‘The idea was to create something that 

would resonate with people for longer – a 

living, breathing event in a high-impact 

location, coupled with proactive Facebook 

and Twitter messages designed to drive 

the disaster preparedness message home 

to all Queenslanders. 

‘Through this experiment we 

encouraged Queenslanders from all walks 

of life to share their experiences of coping 

without some of the things people take 

for granted, as well as the actions they’ve 

taken to make sure they’re prepared 

following last summer’s events.’ 

Leah said the use of <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> 

to engage and sustain the public in a 

disaster preparedness dialogue was a first 

for Queensland, and Australia. 

‘We faced new territory on this 

campaign, setting out to specifically 

develop a <strong>social</strong> <strong>media</strong> audience in a way 

that communicated our core messages, 

engaged the public and highlighted our 

Less than two months 

after the event we 

hit more than 10 000 

followers on Facebook 

and the number 

continues to climb 


elationships with major partner NRMA 

Insurance and key community partners 

such as the Salvation Army Emergency 

Services, RSPCA, Nextbyte, Bunnings 

Warehouse and the Red Cross.’ 

To track what happened in the house 

and share experiences about how to 

prepare for the coming storm season, 

people were encouraged to ‘like’ the 

Qld<strong>SES</strong> Facebook page, ‘follow’ @qldses 

on Twitter or join the conversation using 

the #survive3 hashtag. 

When the challenge began on 6 

October, the Qld<strong>SES</strong> Facebook page had 

200 followers. 

A live NOVA broadcast from Reddacliff 

Place from 6.00-9.00am on the first 

morning helped ramp up online traffic, 

and by the end of the three-day event 

there were more than 3800 Facebook 

followers. 

‘It’s gone beyond our wildest 

expectations,’ Leah said. 

‘Less than two months after the event 

we hit more than 10 000 followers on 

Facebook and the number continues to 

climb. 

Throughout the three days of the 

challenge, <strong>SES</strong> volunteers were on site 

to educate the public on household 

preparedness in conjunction with 

representatives from the Department’s 

community partners. 

‘The success of this campaign was 

ultimately underpinned by the strength of 

our partnerships. 

‘Working with organisations that 

share the same values, goals, ideals and 

objectives strengthens the message being 

communicated and ultimately ensures a 

broader audience,’ Leah said. 

– Krathyn White 


Cadets fire up for 

interstate challenge 

Eighteen Emergency Services Cadets 

did Queensland proud at the <strong>2011</strong> 

National Fire Cadet Championships held 

from 4-7 October at the Myuna Bay Sport 

and Recreation Centre in NSW. Two teams 

of six Emergency Services Cadets, aged 

12-16, were selected from the Brisbane 

and South East regions, while another 

team came from the South West Region. 

It was the first time the state has 

been represented at the biannual 

championships, in which teams of cadets 

from around Australia and New Zealand 

battle each other in friendly competition. 

The championships were jointly hosted 

by the NSW Rural Fire Service and the 

Rural Fire Service Association. 

A record field of 30 teams took part, 

working through nine realistic scenarios 

designed to test their skills, initiative and 

safety procedures. 

Scenarios included a portable pump 

relay, knapsack relay, station response 

drill, tanker and ladder event and a team 

challenge, with teams awarded points on 

their performance and completion. 

A range of non-scoring activities were 

also held throughout the four days of the 

championships, to help promote teambuilding 

and leadership skills among the 

cadets. 

Clifton <strong>QFRS</strong> Auxiliary Captain and 

coach of the South West Region team, 

Peter Mackenzie, said the cadets 

thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to test 

their mettle against their interstate peers. 

‘The events required the cadets to 

work together as a team and gave each of 

them a chance to lead their group. 

‘Our team did their training on the 

Clifton urban appliance before the 

championships, and when they got down 

to NSW they had to come to grips with the 

different appliances and fittings used by 

the NSW Rural Fire Service,’ Peter said. 

‘It was certainly an extra challenge 

for them, but they overcame it and 

performed really well throughout the 

events.’ 

Clifton cadet and South West Region 

team member Annallisa Fiechtner 

said the championships were a great 

experience. 

‘It was really good how everybody 

worked together to take on the events 

and activities,’ she said. 

<strong>QFRS</strong> generously supported the 

Queensland contingent’s participation in 

the championships by chipping in 

$15 000 to cover transport costs for the 

18 cadets and their adult team managers 

and coaches. 

Youth Program Coordinator Jane 

Morris said the three Queensland cadet 

teams were very competitive in their first 

national championship outing. 

‘The highlight for the Emergency 

Services Cadet Program came when Joel 

Whitehead from the <strong>QFRS</strong> Cadet Team 

Bravo received the Chaplain’s Award for 

the individual cadet who exemplifies the 

championship values of participation, 

teamwork and emergency service 

volunteering,’ she said. 

Emergency Services Cadet Program 

South West Region Youth Development 

Officer Jay Dobbin said the National Fire 

Cadet Championships provided a fantastic 

opportunity for Queensland’s cadets to 

interact with and work alongside other 

young people from all over Australia and 

NZ. 

‘It also proved to be a great promotion 

for the Emergency Services Cadet Program 

and further built upon the relationship 

between EMQ, <strong>QFRS</strong> and other emergency 

services. 

‘The cadets and accompanying adult 

members were kept very busy in the 

weeks and months leading up to the 

competition with preparation and training 

for their championship debut,’ Jay said. 

‘The whole event was very well 

organised and coordinated, and our 

thanks must go to the NSW Rural Fire 

Service Association staff and volunteers 

who worked tirelessly to ensure that it was 

an absolute success. 

‘The team coaches and managers 

who accompanied our cadets also put in 

a huge amount of work, including long 

days and late nights, to ensure the cadets 

had a great time before, during and 

after the event, which is also very much 

appreciated,’ he said. 


Paramedics award 

Brisbane young heroes 

Brisbane-based ambulance 

officers have awarded two 

pint-sized heroes who, in two 

separate instances, showed 

extreme bravery. 

Eleven-year-old Supreeda Phengchaem 

from Thornlands (pictured far right) 

was presented with an Assistant 

Commissioner’s Certificate of Appreciation 

after fearlessly pulling her 8-year-old 

friend Emily Vo from under a moving truck 

while crossing the road on the way home 

from school on 12 August this year. 

Supreeda pulled Emily free just before 

she was dragged beneath the truck’s back 

wheels. Emily was fortunate to escape 

with only a broken leg and arm. 

QAS Brisbane Region Assistant 

Commissioner Gavin Trembath said 

Supreeda demonstrated extraordinary 

bravery and determination when faced 

with an horrific situation. 

‘Supreeda’s ability to spring into action 

in a moment’s notice saved Emily’s life,” 

Mr Trembath said. 

Six-year-old Mason Gilder (pictured 

above) was also awarded for bravery on 

November 7 at Mt Gravatt Ambulance 

Station for his quick thinking and ability to 

alert people to an emergency situation. 

‘Just a month before, Mason was 

with his grandfather when he collapsed 

while walking along Creek Road at Mt 

Gravatt East. 

‘Well aware something was not right, 

Mason carefully crossed a busy main 

road to ask bystanders for assistance,’ Mr 

Trembath said. 

‘Mason’s grandfather, who was critically 

ill, has since made a full recovery.’ 

– Helen Ainsworth 

Mo Bros guard our far northern skies 

The crew of Rescue 700 and QAS 

flight paramedics have been cutting 

a stylish swathe through the far north, 

with the men and their machine adorned 

with luxurious lip liners in support of 

Movember <strong>2011</strong>. As this edition of 

Emergency went to press, the lads had 

raised more than $2000 for Movember 

charities, and were well on their way to 

reaching their target of $3000. Some 

friendly competition with their Australian 

Helicopters counterparts on HEMS 5 

operating out of Essendon has given the 

Horn Island locals extra motivation, with 

the far north Queensland boys well ahead 

of their Victorian rivals in the fundraising 

stakes. Thanks to Rescue Crewman Ben 

Darlington for the photograph. 


Cadets set an example 

worth following 

It takes a special person to put the needs 

of the community first when their own 

home is in peril. 

That’s exactly what Emergency 

Services Cadet Joel Whitehead did during 

Queensland’s flood disaster earlier this 

year, when he assisted flood victims at 

the Lowood evacuation centre even while 

his family home was inundated. 

With three other cadets from the 

Lowood Group, Joel put his own adversity 

aside and got stuck in to help others, 

preparing meals, reassuring the elderly, 

manning radios and cleaning toilets and 

showers at the evacuation centre. 

Joel’s selfless efforts were recognised 

on 22 October when he was named 

Cadet of the Year in the <strong>2011</strong> Emergency 

Services Cadet Program Awards held at 

the Kedron Park Complex auditorium. 

Presented by <strong>DCS</strong> Director-General 

Kelvin Anderson, the awards honour 

the significant contributions made by 

Emergency Services Cadet volunteers to 

their groups and the wider community. 

Seventeen cadets received awards in 

three categories – Community Service, 

Leadership and Inspiration – while seven 

adult volunteers were presented with 

Adult Member Awards in recognition 

of individual special achievements or 

contributions they have made within their 

cadet groups. 

One of Queensland’s longest-running 

EMQ Cadet groups, Southport, 

has received a boost thanks to a $500 

donation from the Bendigo Bank. 

Bendigo Bank Manager Peter Kai-Nielsen 

presented the bank’s donation to the 

group on 24 November, with the funds to 

be used to purchase training equipment 

and camp resources. In the photo are 

The Adult Member of the Year 

award went to Andrew Gilmour for his 

commitment to the Cooroora Cadet Group. 

Andrew prepares the training for his 

cadet group, and incorporates as much fun 

as possible into each activity. On training 

nights he travels 24km by bus, arriving 

three hours before the meeting due to the 

nature of the rural service, and then walks 

several kilometers to get to his group. 

The Cooroora Cadet Group had a 

successful day, taking out the HS Christie 

Award for Excellence, which recognised 

the group’s effectiveness and proficiency 

in youth development, community 

involvement, group development, training 

management and stores control. 

Two other Cooroora adult members, 

Kate Thomson and Trevor Ross, received 

awards, while cadets Carmen Lucas, 

Bailey Wilkinson, Rohan Fisher and Nancy 

Rendell were honoured in the Inspiration 

and Leadership categories. 

The efforts of Nancy Rendell, Joel 

Whitehead and Jack-Thomas Connew were 

recognised further on 25 October at the 

<strong>2011</strong> Queensland Youth Alliance Awards 

at Parliament House. 

Jack-Thomas, from the Lowood Cadet 

Group, received an award for Community 

Service, while Nancy and Joel respectively 

collected awards for Leadership and 

Inspiration. 

Bendigo boost for Southport cadets 

cadets Louise Camezind, Jack Lance, 

Chloe Ashton, Matthew Marques, Sharnie 

MacDonald, Laikyn MacDonald, Leah 

Szarek, Gabi Chatwood, Alex Gilbert, 

Kristy Winter, Libby Hill, James Hadley, 

Rhyse Casson and Micah Stokoe-Bissolati. 

Local Cadet Coordinator Patrick Kyriakides 

(right) holds the cheque with Peter Kai- 

Nielsen. 

<strong>2011</strong> Emergency 

Services Cadet 

Program 

Award Winners 

Cadet of the Year 

Joel Whitehead (Lowood) 

Community Service 

Felicity Reardon (Cooloola), Matthew 

Lewis (Hervey Bay), Tyronne Rumble 

(Lowood), Jack-Thomas Connew (Lowood), 

George Connew (Lowood) 

Inspiration 

Annallisa Fiechtner (Clifton), Andrew 

Springall (Cooloola), Carmen Lucas 

(Cooroora), Bailey Wilkinson (Cooroora), 

Joel Whitehead (Lowood) 

Leadership 

Alexander Glover (Cairns), Morgan Roberts 

(Fassifern), Harley Roberts (Hervey Bay), 

Jimi Russell (Cooloola), Morgan Parker 

(Cooloola), Rohan Fisher (Cooroora), 

Nancy Rendell (Cooroora) 

Adult Member of the Year 

Andrew Gilmour (Cooroora) 

Adult Member Awards 

Sean McGuiness (Cairns), Bernadette 

Thompson (Clifton), Kate Thomson 

(Cooroora), Trevor Ross (Cooroora), Craig 

Miller (Cooloola), Maryann Boyd (Hervey 

Bay), Andrew Gilmour (Cooroora) 

HS Christie Award for Excellence 

Cooroora Cadet Group 

Highly Commended 

Logan Cadet Group 


<strong>QFRS</strong> triathlon deal 

targets fit future firies 

<strong>QFRS</strong> Recruitment has partnered with 

USM Events to roll out the Fire and 

Rescue Recruiting Queensland Enticer 

Series as part of the Gatorade Queensland 

Tri Series of triathlons across the state’s 

south-east. 

The initiative is designed to promote 

<strong>QFRS</strong> to fit and active men and women 

who might never have considered 

firefighting as a career, while also 

encouraging existing <strong>QFRS</strong> staff to get 

involved in triathlon competition for fun 

and fitness. 

Three levels of races are run as part of 

the Queensland Triathlon Series, which 

extends to seven events that started in 

October and conclude in April next year. 

The Fire and Rescue Recruiting 

Queensland Enticer Series is designed 

for triathlon newcomers and weekend 

warriors, with races comprising a 200m 

swim, 5km cycle and 2km run. 

Other events are the Kool Kids Tri 

Series for children (100m swim, 2km 

cycle and 400m run) and the Gatorade 

Queensland Tri Series, which puts seasoned 

triathletes through their paces over a 400m 

swim, 15km cycle and a 4km run. 

<strong>QFRS</strong> Recruitment Manager Janine Taylor 

said the Queensland Tri Series had been 

identified as an opportunity which may 

be pushed out statewide to encourage 

firefighters to participate in local triathlon 

events. 

‘<strong>QFRS</strong> Recruitment has linked with the 

<strong>QFRS</strong> Wellness Program in this activity and 

we believe that this is a great way forward in 

promoting healthy competition and fitness 

in the workplace to <strong>QFRS</strong> staff. 

‘Triathlons are an excellent fitness 

goal for firefighters,’ Janine said. ‘They 

are scalable in that you can compete as 

an individual or as a member of a team in 

events all the way up to the larger Sprint, 

Olympic or Ironman distances.’ 

Two teams of <strong>QFRS</strong> recruits took part 

in the Queensland Tri Series’ first event at 

Raby Bay on 16 October. Janine was part of 

the all-female Team Alpha, which went on to 

win the team category in the Enticer race. 

‘The response from the first two 

events, at Raby Bay and Robina, has 

been fantastic. We have had lots of 

really genuine applicants, many of them 

women. 

‘As part of the partnership, <strong>QFRS</strong> 

Recruitment has a tent and display at 

each event, 70m of branded crowd 

control banners and each competitor 

receives a kit containing <strong>QFRS</strong> 

recruitment information,’ she said. 

The remaining rounds of the 

Queensland Tri Series will be held 

at: Raby Bay (11 December and 

26 February); Robina (15 January); 

Caloundra (5 February) and Gold Coast 

(22 April). For more information, visit 

www.qldtriseries.com.au 

<strong>QFRS</strong> Recruitment has two mixed 

team en<strong>tries</strong> in each Enticer race of the 

series. Keep an eye on your emails and 

station noticeboards for the opportunity 

to nominate to be one of the teams or 

enter independently as an individual in 

the upcoming events. 


Quality improvement 

project earns Patron’s Grant 

KJM Patron’s Grant winner Rebeca Costello with QAS Commissioner Russell Bowles (left), 

Dave Gilbert from grant sponsor Medtronics and KJM Foundation Chair Gerard Lawler (right). 

project to develop a Continuous 

A Quality Improvement (CQI) system 

for QAS dispatch procedures has won 

the <strong>2011</strong> KJM Education and Research 

Foundation’s Patron’s Research Grant. 

The $15 000 grant – sponsored by 

Physio Control, a division of Medtronics 

Australia – was awarded to QAS officer 

Rebeca Costello during the KJM Patron’s 

Day celebrations in Brisbane on 9 

November. 

The Patron’s Day events included the 

annual clinical symposium – this year 

themed ‘Trauma, Tragedy and Triage’ – 

and were followed by the QAS Managers’ 

Forum on 10 November. 

Rebeca joined QAS in 1999 and has 

performed various communications roles 

since 2006, including a secondment 

to the Queensland Emergency Medical 

System in 2010 as an Aeromedical 

Dispatcher, followed by an appointment 

as Communications Centre Supervisor 

earlier this year. 

Recognised for her tenacity and 

willingness to seek out new opportunities 

to further her skills, Rebeca has also 

completed several communicationsrelated 

qualifications in her time with 

QAS. 

Through her work in the 

communications sector, Rebeca identified 

the need for a quality control process in 

QAS dispatch. 

She believes that a well-structured 

dispatch audit program will not only 

KJ McPherson Education and Research Foundation KJ McPherson Education and Research Foundation 

improve the education and skills of QAS 

staff, but ultimately improve the clinical 

outcomes for the service’s patients. 

Several other grants were awarded 

during the KJM Patron’s Dinner at 

Brisbane’s Royal on the Park Hotel. 

The Dr Peter Stephenson $5000 

Overseas Study Grant was won by 

Woodford OIC Tim Anderson, who plans 

to attend the Trauma Care Conference in 

the UK in April next year and undertake 

I congratulate the 

<strong>2011</strong> grant winners 

and look forward to 

seeing the results of 

their research efforts 

in the near future 

a study tour of Britain’s North West 

Ambulance Service (NWAS). Tim’s 

achievement is noteworthy as he was 

the paramedic who attended to Dr 

Stephenson following a serious accident. 

By visiting the Trauma Care Conference, 

Tim plans to enhance his paramedic 

skills and gain further insight into the 

management of patients who have been 

injured. 

He also wants to evaluate the issues 

that confront the NWAS and to gain a 

greater understanding of the similarities 

and differences of this service as 

compared to the QAS. 

QAS Far Northern Region Assistant 

Commissioner Rod Sheather was 

awarded the $3000 QAS Research and 

Development Grant, sponsored by 

Spectrum Data Systems International. 

Rod will use the grant to examine the 

ability of QAS paramedics to accurately 

administer the Australian Triage Scale. 

The $1000 QAS Professional 

Development Grant, sponsored by 

Laerdal, went to Warren Kellett, who 

will investigate the management of 

geographically dispersed teams, while 

the $2000 KJM Professional Development 

Grant sponsored by Tynan Mackenzie 

went to 2010 KJM Patron’s Research 

Grant winner Brad Setch, who will use the 

funds to further the work on his Vehicle 

Relocation for Patient Extrication project. 

Helensvale paramedic Carmel Jensen 

won the United Voice $1000 Student 

of the Year Grant for consistently 

demonstrating a high level of clinical 

knowledge and practice, as evidenced by 

her gaining the Group 77 Dux award on 

her graduation in October. 

Bridget Campbell and Arkin Mackay 

from the University of the Sunshine Coast 

won the Best Poster Prize as part of the 

$2000 Paramedics Australasia Scientific 

Grants, while Mark Tuppack from QUT won 

the Best Paper Prize. Second place in the 

Best Poster Prize went to Trish Vernyik and 

Harrison Byrnes from Australian Catholic 

University. 

QAS Commissioner Russell Bowles 

said the KJM Patron’s Day and Grants 

were significant annual events on the 

QAS calendar because they contributed to 

improved patient care. 

‘The KJM Foundation, in partnership 

with QAS, facilitates donations and 

sponsorship to help fund these research 

and development grants that lead to 

advances in patient care and ambulance 

operations. 

‘I congratulate the <strong>2011</strong> grant winners 

and look forward to seeing the results of 

their research efforts in the near future,’ 

Mr Bowles said. 


A hero 

discount 

for <strong>SES</strong> 

volunteers. 

At NRMA Insurance, we recognise the value of your tireless efforts 

helping the community. Whether helping people through a natural 

disaster, accident or search and rescue mission, you are there when 

the community needs you most. So to show our appreciation, we’re 

offering all active Queensland <strong>SES</strong> volunteers a ‘Hero Discount’, 

which includes: 

$40 off Comprehensive Car Insurance* 

$20 off Home Buildings Insurance # 

$20 off Home Contents Insurance # 

Call 1300 266 762 during business hours 

NRMA Insurance proudly supports the Queensland <strong>SES</strong>. 

Offer available for a limited time only. To qualify for the offer, you or your spouse must provide your <strong>SES</strong> group name and <strong>SES</strong> volunteer ID number when taking out the policy. The issue of a policy is subject to 

NRMA Insurance’s underwriting guidelines. On existing policies, discounts apply from the date of next renewal. *The insured vehicle must be registered in the name of the <strong>SES</strong> volunteer or their spouse living at 

the same address. # The insured home must be the <strong>SES</strong> volunteer’s main residence; other family members living at the same address are ineligible for the discount. Insurance issued by Insurance Australia Limited 

trading as NRMA Insurance. When making decisions about a product you should consider the Product Disclosure Statement available from NRMA Insurance.

Digging for answers: 

European tunnels 

provide safety lessons 


The increasing number of large-scale tunnel projects for road 

and rail traffic across Australia presents serious challenges for 

emergency services workers who are dealing with incidents such 

as crashes and fires. 

The effects of heat and smoke are magnified, travel distances in 

breathing apparatus can be extended and the overall resource 

requirements can be significantly greater than for a similar 

incident above ground. 

<strong>QFRS</strong> Station Officer and 2009 Churchill Fellow Shan Raffel 

completed a two-month study tour to North America and Europe 

in 2010, examining the procedures, training and equipment used 

by fire services and other authorities with experience in dealing 

with tunnel emergencies. 

In the second story of a three-part series, Emergency looks at the 

European leg of Shan’s study tour in June and July 2010, which 

included visits to Germany, Austria, Denmark and Sweden. 

T unnel safety is a key topic in Europe as 

the region boasts some of the world’s 

longest and busiest road and rail tunnels. 

Masterpieces of underground transport 

engineering can be found throughout 

Scandinavia and continental Europe. 

Essential for maintaining transport links 

within and between nations, tunnels play 

an important role in the development of 

the European Union’s economies. 

These massive pieces of infrastructure 

range from Norway’s 24.5km Laerdal and 

24.2km Rogfast Subsea tunnels, to the 

50.5km Channel Tunnel between Britain 

and France, to Paris’ 10km A86 West 

Tunnel which has a double deck for light 

vehicles and a separate 7.5km single 

deck for all traffic including heavy goods 

vehicles, to the record-setting 57km 

Gotthard Base Rail Tunnel now under 

construction in Switzerland. 

Shan Raffel said fires in the Mont 

Blanc (between France and Italy) and 

Tauern (Austria) tunnels in 1999 and the 

Gotthard tunnel in Switzerland in 2001 

killed or injured more than 110 people, 

seriously disrupted road transport and 

focused international attention on tunnel 

safety in Europe. 

‘The incidents and growing safety 

concerns prompted the European 

Commission (EC) to approve Directive 

2004/54/EC in April of 2004,’ he said. 

‘This document sets the minimum 

safety requirements for tunnels over 500 

metres long in the Trans-European road 

network, to ensure a uniform and high 

level of safety. 

‘All new tunnels are required to comply 

as a minimum and a 10-year target has 

been set for the upgrading of existing 

tunnels,’ he said. 

Shan’s first European stop was the 

Subway Training Centre operated by the 

Frankfurt Fire Department in Germany. 

The training centre has a mobile 

tunnel education vehicle with a scale 

representation of a 12m tunnel section, 

complete with examples of the key fire 

and life safety features commonly fitted in 

modern German road tunnels. 

‘To educate motorists about these 

safety features and provide information 

on safe driving techniques, the vehicle 

can be transported to training locations 

anywhere in the German state of Lower 

Saxony, and will soon be available for use 

nationwide,’ Shan said. 

While in Germany, Shan also visited 

the International Exhibition for Rescue, 

Fire Prevention, Disaster Relief, Safety and 

Security in Leipzig. Known as Interschutz, 

this trade fair is held every five years and 

attracts more than 120 000 visitors and 

1100 exhibitors. 

‘Of particular interest was a 

presentation outlining tests conducted 

in southern Germany that involved 


crews laying out different hose line 

configurations in a tunnel with no fire 

main. 

‘The results showed how slow and 

resource-intensive the process can be, 

and although the research provided 

some recommendations to increase the 

efficiency of the task, it highlights the 

importance of having internal hydrant 

systems,’ he said. 

Interschutz also showcased the 

latest developments in firefighting 

technology, including advanced selfcontained 

breathing apparatus sets with 

telemetry and hands-free communications 

capabilities, and thermal imaging 

cameras. 

‘It was clear from many of the 

exhibitions that numerous European 

fire services have recognised the need 

to provide specialist and sometimes 

custom-built appliances and equipment 

to support emergency response in road 

and rail tunnels,’ he said. 

‘Many different technologies are 

available to maximise the extinguishing 

efficiency of firefighting <strong>media</strong>, such as 

water mist, additives and Compressed Air 

Foam Systems (CAFS). 

‘One innovative example is 

Rosenbauer’s self-contained CAFS reel 

that has been fitted along the length 

of several European tunnels. Fixed 

firefighting equipment has to be easy and 

safe to operate because often they are 

used by motorists who have little or no 

firefighting knowledge. 

‘Specialist firefighting appliances vary 

from small folding rail carts and compact 

Rapid Intervention Vehicles (RIV) right 

up to sophisticated special appliances 

equipped with a hydraulic rail wheel bogie 

that allows the vehicle to ride on railway 

lines,’ Shan said. 

Shan saw one of these specialist 

vehicles in service when he visited St 

Valentine Fire Station in Austria. Designed 

and equipped specifically for underground 

rail incidents, the appliance features a 

hydraulic bogie wheel system, an integral 

air supply with cabin connection points 

and forward-looking infra-red at the front 

and rear to provide visibility in poor light 

or heavy smoke. 

Shan also learned about the Austrian 

federal government’s standardised 

approach to tunnel fire safety. Each state 

has a control centre that monitors and 

controls traffic in its jurisdiction. 

‘Prior to the introduction of EU 

directive 2004/54/EC, there were many 

tunnels in Europe which had different 

control authorities at each portal. 

This led to communication problems 

and a fragmented approach to overall 

management and emergency response. 

‘The traffic centre I visited at Wels, 

for example, controls all 14 road tunnels 

in upper Austria. The tunnels are all 

relatively modern and comply with the EU 

directive. 

‘Most of the tunnels over 1500m 

have an emergency stopping bay 

equipped with a lightweight hose reel 

that is designed to be easily used by an 

untrained person.’ 

The Austrian government body 

responsible for road and rail transport, 

ASFINAG, prepares thorough plans that 

provide information on the construction 

and location of fire and life safety 

features. These plans also define the 

multi-agency response that is required for 

various incident scenarios. 

‘Regular multi-agency exercises are 

performed during tunnel maintenance 

shutdowns,’ Shan said. ‘The response 

philosophy is to respond via the nonincident 

tube in twin-bore tunnels and 

to respond from the upwind direction in 

single-bore tunnels.’ 

‘Austria’s fire services are very 

well equipped and trained, which was 

evident when I visited the NO Landes- 

Feuerwehrschule (Lower Austria Fire 

Service Academy) in Tulln. 

‘The eight-hectare complex had 

recently received a 43 million euro 

upgrade and featured realistic simulation 

facilities for almost every conceivable 

emergency incident, including a tunnel 

building, that firefighters in this part of 

Austria could respond to. 

‘The tunnel facility is about 200m 

long and has several elements such as 

smoke generators and sound effects to 

help make the exercises more realistic,’ 

he said. 


Most of the tunnels 

over 1500m have an 

emergency stopping 

bay equipped with a 

lightweight hose reel 

that is designed to 

be easily used by an 

untrained person 

Left: Copenhagen’s Pioneer Station is equipped to 

handle any special rescue task from underwater 

emergencies to tunnel incidents 

Right: Not all solutions have to be high-tech. This 

simple lightweight platform can make the job of 

transporting equipment or injured persons much 

easier than manual handling. There are many 

variations varying from folding platforms up to 

electrically-powered units. The advantage of the 

small units is that they are very easy to deploy at 

any point where there is pedestrian access 

Below: Realistic full-scale multi-agency exercises 

are viewed as essential to ensure that response 

plans are effective 


Denmark and Sweden 

Central to Shan’s visit to Scandinavia 

was the Øresund Bridge-Tunnel. This 

engineering landmark links the Danish 

capital Copenhagen with Malmo in 

Sweden, and is the longest combined 

road and rail bridge in Europe. 

Øresund combines a 4050m tunnel 

section with a 7845m bridge, and carries 

two lines of rail traffic and four lanes 

of road vehicles. The tunnel section is 

actually five reinforced concrete tubes 

laid side by side: two for the railway lines, 

two for road traffic and a smaller fifth tube 

for emergencies and service cables and 

equipment. 

To comply with EU directive 2004/54/ 

EC, a single control centre for the entire 

Øresund Bridge-Tunnel is located on the 

Swedish side in Malmo, although any 

alarms are simultaneously transmitted to 

emergency services in both coun<strong>tries</strong>. 

‘Language is one of the obvious 

difficulties that can arise with a structure 

that links two coun<strong>tries</strong>, and it is a 

requirement that emergency services 

responders be fluent in Danish and 

Swedish,’ Shan said. 

‘Both coun<strong>tries</strong> also have excellent 

English language programs and it was 

interesting to learn that often when 

there is some form of language issue 

encountered, the responders will switch 

to English.’ 

Even the issue of providing hydrant 

connections for fire appliances presented 

some additional challenges. The hydrant 

connections and fittings on fire appliances 

in each country are not compatible, so the 

Øresund structure has dual outlets and 

inlets with each thread type. Responding 

appliances also carry adapters that allow 

them to connect to the other fire hydrant 

fittings. 

Sweden and Denmark also have 

different electrical systems and standards 

for their railways. These issues threw up 

further challenges that required close 

cooperation between all stakeholders to 

provide practical solutions. 

‘The ventilation system plays a major 

role in the Øresund response plan,’ Shan 

said. ‘Longitudinal fans in the tunnel are 

programmed to move any smoke in the 

direction of the traffic flow, but they can 

also be manually operated from the Malmo 

control room. 

‘Cross passages in the rail and road 

tubes of the tunnel section allow for 

evacuation from the involved tube into the 

non-incident road tube, while a pressurised 

service/escape gallery is located between 

the two road tubes.’ 

Denmark and Sweden have a joint 

plan that unifies the strategic and tactical 

response to any incident concerning the 

Øresund Bridge-Tunnel. 

Beneath that emergency response 

planning is performed at several levels, 

with each country formulating its own 

approach to issues relating to local impact 

and support of the joint international plan. 

While in Copenhagen, Shan visited two 

of the city’s fire stations that respond to 

incidents in the Øresund Bridge-Tunnel. 

The Pioneer Station has a team of eight 

firefighters trained to provide specialist 

support in the areas of sea rescue and 

rescue diving, heavy rescue, technical 

rescue including USAR and high angle 

rescue, tactical ventilation, portable 

lighting, salvage, electrical grounding and 

utility disconnection and animal rescue. 

Tarnby Fire Station provides initial 

response to the Øresund Bridge-Tunnel 

and the Copenhagen International Airport. 

The station’s special equipment includes 

a RIV and a 9000-litre pumper tanker 

supplied by the tunnel-bridge’s managing 

authority. 

To minimise its response times 

to tunnel incidents, Tarnby trialled a 

motorcycle fitted with a pair of 25-litre 

water tanks as a RIV concept. However, 

the vehicle proved to be impractical due 

to the high centre of gravity and the need 

for constant training by operators to 

maintain competence. 

‘The station’s new RIV is a Fiat Panda, 

which has a 30m hose reel in the back 

supplied by two 25-litre water tanks 

with a six per cent foam solution and a 

compressed air cylinder,’ Shan said. 

‘Self-contained breathing apparatus 

and a first aid kit is also carried, and 

in the event of a fire this appliance will 

respond im<strong>media</strong>tely to conduct initial 

first aid firefighting or rescue if necessary.’ 

– Peter Callaghan 

To provide a rapid initial response to the Øresund Bridge-Tunnel, this Fiat Panda has been transformed into a RIV 

Next issue: Shan’s tunnel study 

tour concludes with visits to 

Norway and Switzerland. 


Safety in focus as <strong>DCS</strong> 

hosts industry forum 

<strong>DCS</strong> had the opportunity to share 

solutions and showcase its workplace 

safety innovations when it hosted the 

Safety Networking Group forum at the 

Kedron Park Complex on 11 November. 

The forum was attended by 

representatives from a broad range of 

private indus<strong>tries</strong>, government agencies 

and corporations and local authorities, as 

well as <strong>DCS</strong>’ divisional workplace health 

and safety (WHS) units. 

In operation for more than a 

decade, the Safety Networking Group 

is coordinated by Brisbane-based 

firm Queensland Risk Management 

Consultancy. 

The group’s purpose is to bring 

together health and safety practitioners 

to share information and strategies that 

can enhance the safety culture across all 

indus<strong>tries</strong>. 

QAS Commissioner and Chair of the 

<strong>DCS</strong> WHS Governance Committee Russell 

Bowles opened the forum with an insight 

into the Department’s ZEROharm mission 

and core value of safety. 

‘It should be an undeniable 

expectation that all workers go home at 

the end of a day as healthy as they were 

when they started,’ Mr Bowles said. 

‘This expectation should apply to 

all workers regardless of industry, and 

forums such as this will go a long way 

to continually improve the health and 

safety message, better manage our risks 

and reduce injuries and illnesses to 

Queensland workers.’ 

The group received an update on the 

Harmonised Work Health and Safety 

Legislation and Regulations, due to take 

effect from early next year, provided by 

the Department of Justice and Attorney- 

General’s (JAG) Workplace Health and 

Safety Queensland. 

JAG has identified five key aspects 

government agencies such as <strong>DCS</strong> need to 

implement in light of the new legislation. 

They are: 

>> Governance arrangements 

to incorporate due diligence 

requirements 

>> Organisational health and safety 

accountability measures and targets 

>> Health and safety management 

systems 

>> Hazards and associated risks 

across the organisation 

>> Management of hazards, risks and 

incidents 

QAS Area Director and Fatigue 

Management Project Officer Michael 

Metcalfe addressed the forum on the topic 

of ‘Effective fatigue risk management from 

an emergency services perspective’. 

Michael said the implementation of 

fatigue risk management practices in 

organisations such as QAS required a 

substantial paradigm shift compared to 

previously held knowledge. 

‘A number of years ago, research 

and intervention into fatigue was largely 

focused at the airline and transport 

sectors. 

‘However, modern trends clearly 

indicate that indus<strong>tries</strong> and emergency 

service areas such as QAS must take 

positive steps to managing fatigue,’ he 

said. 

From left: Steve O’Rourke (Queensland Risk 

Management Consultancy), Michael Metcalfe 

(QAS), Clare Hoey (WHS QLD) and Adrian Savage 

(Queensland Risk Management Consultancy) 

The forum ended with an open debate, 

facilitated by former Australasian Risk 

Manager of the Year Adrian Savage, 

around the proposition that ‘the health 

and safety fraternity had legislated and 

systemised themselves to a level that 

the management of health and safety 

had become an administrative burden on 

organisations’. 

While the debate remained 

unresolved, it was agreed that health and 

safety professionals must: 

>> Incorporate health and safety into 

the operations and activities of all 

businesses 

>> Address the management of 

systems and minimise red tape 

>> Keep health and safety in line with 

advancements in technology 

>> Be conscious of generational gaps 

when designing health and safety 

management solutions 

>> Concentrate on the key message ‘no 

harm to anyone, any time at work’. 

The Kedron Park forum was arranged 

by <strong>DCS</strong> WHS Unit Director Bill Finlay, 

who said there was enormous value in 

opportunities such as those provided 

by the Safety Networking Group to 

enhance skills, strengthen ties, improve 

cooperation and generate constructive 

and open discussion among indus<strong>tries</strong> 

and employers about better ways to 

prevent workplace injuries. 

‘It is hoped that these sorts of forums 

can be extended to regional areas in the 

future, as enhancing the health and safety 

of <strong>DCS</strong> staff in regional areas is definitely 

a priority of mine,’ Bill said. 


Hot Flush 

brings a full 

hand of 

experience 

As dawn broke over the 

glassy waters of Lake 

Moogerah on 2 October, 

a tragedy was unfolding. 

hot air balloon on a scenic flight had 

A caught fire and the nine passengers on 

board jumped or fell from the basket as the 

stricken craft plunged into the lake. 

On the ground 40 <strong>SES</strong> volunteers sprung 

into action on foot and in flood boats to 

locate the victims, whose injuries included 

a severed arm, multiple fractures and 

serious burns. 

Their efforts were coordinated by 

Queensland Police search and rescue 

mission controllers operating from a 

lakeside emergency operations centre, 

while EMQ’s Rescue 500 helicopter flew 

in from Archerfield to lend assistance 

and a triage was established to treat the 

casualties. 

It all sounds like an awful start to a 

Sunday morning, but nothing was quite as 

it seemed. 

The ‘tragedy’ was actually Exercise Hot 

Flush – a training scenario organised by the 

<strong>SES</strong> Brisbane Unit. 

More than 350 hours of planning 

over four months by a team of four <strong>SES</strong> 

volunteers led by Western Group Leader 

Peter Healey went into Exercise Hot Flush, 

which culminated in a weekend training 

camp held near Lake Moogerah. 

Peter said a key factor in the planning 

process was to ensure the exercise would 

be as realistic as possible. 

‘Training opportunities such as this are 

vital for equipping volunteers with the skills 

they need for the real thing. 

‘Volunteers from the Scenic Rim <strong>SES</strong> 

acted as our casualties and we used 

moulage to simulate the injuries that could 

be expected from such an accident, such 

as an amputated arm and severe burns,’ 

he said. 

‘We are very grateful for their help, 

and for the assistance provided by local 

property owners who let us use their land 

for the exercise.’ 

Exercise Hot Flush also provided a 

valuable opportunity for the <strong>SES</strong> volunteers 

to work alongside EMQ Helicopter Rescue 

personnel and Queensland Police officers. 

‘It’s not often we get to operate so 

closely alongside other agencies and to 

utilise so many resources in one exercise,’ 

said <strong>SES</strong> volunteer and exercise coordinator 

Fiona Manning. 

Exercise Hot Flush was observed by EMQ 

Brisbane Area Director Murray Harley and 

Brisbane Regional Director Mike Shapland. 

‘The excitement among the members 

both old and new about working in such a 

realistic setting was very evident,’ Murray 

said. 


An innovative collaboration between 

the Rural Fire Service (RFS) and 

Columba Catholic College has boosted 

volunteer firefighting numbers in Charters 

Towers. 

Twenty senior students from Columba 

Catholic College will soon graduate with a 

Certificate II in Public Safety (Firefighting 

Operations). 

The students are completing an 

eight-month program which provides 

them with a valuable vocational learning 

opportunity, as well as giving the local RFS 

brigade a much needed increase in junior 

volunteers. 

RFS Charters Towers Area Training 

and Support Officer Robert Downey 

said the program gave students the 

chance to learn new skills, gain a formal 

qualification and give back to their 

community by volunteering their time. 

‘The fire service also benefits greatly 

from the program by adding young 

volunteers to its ranks, as they bring a 

great level of enthusiasm and new ideas,’ 

Robert said. 

‘I want to thank the students and local 

brigades for their commitment. All of 

the students who have undertaken this 

program have exceeded our expectations. 

‘They can really be proud of their 

Right now, I’m loving life. 

Scott Dight, member since 1988 

Students bring new blood to 

Charters Towers’ Rural Fire 

achievements in advancing their 

education and skills base, while providing 

a great service to their community,’ he 

said. 

To gain their certificate, each student 

was required to join a local brigade and 

complete theory and practical training in 

the areas of wildfire response, teamwork, 

community education, workplace health 

and safety, the protection and preservation 

of incident scenes, communications 

systems and pump operation. 

Upon completion of the certificate, 

students also receive four points towards 

their Queensland Certificate of Education. 

The RFS has rolled out this program to 

other interested schools across the state. 


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Skills on show at charity BBQ 

Members of Queensland’s fire and ambulance services 

helped out a mate and showcased their skills before a rapt 

public audience at the inaugural Emergency Services BBQ at 

Chermside’s Marchant Park on 13 November. 

The event marked the second 

anniversary of the helicopter winch 

accident in which QAS paramedic Jamie 

Jackway suffered life-changing injuries, 

and more than $4000 was raised to help 

build a wheelchair-friendly home for Jamie 

and his family. 

<strong>QFRS</strong> and QAS staff joined with <strong>SES</strong> 

volunteers, Queensland Police officers, 

Red Cross volunteers and Australian 

Defence Force personnel to provide a 

range of displays on the day, including 

a road crash rescue demonstration that 

had the large crowd applauding when the 

‘patient’ was extricated. 

Face painting, a jumping castle and 

the Little Squirt fire truck ride kept the 

children entertained, while many local 

businesses lent their support with raffle 

prizes and donations. 

Police, Emergency Services and 

Corrective Services Minister Neil Roberts 

also attended with Federal Treasurer 

Wayne Swan to meet the emergency 

services personnel and thank them for 

their support. 

The BBQ was organised by QAS 

student paramedic Damo Liddy on behalf 

of the Australian National Paramedic 

Support Foundation (ANPSF), which was 

established to provide a support network 

for paramedics across the country who, like 

Jamie Jackway, suffer tragedy and financial 

hardship. 

‘I put the event together to raise funds 

for Jamie, but with a bigger aim of creating 

a fun and educational day for the Brisbane 

community,’ Damo said. 

‘Jamie’s story is heart-breaking and 

it highlights to us all in the emergency 

services that there are very real risks 

associated with putting our own lives on the 

line for the better of others. 

‘Most of the time the rewards far 

outweigh the risks and consequences, but 

when things take a turn for the worse and 

one of our own is injured, it is awesome 

to know that everyone bands together to 

support them in their time of need,’ he said. 

The ANPSF has several other events 

in the pipeline to raise funds for the 

construction of Jamie’s new home, 

including a bicycle and kayak trek from 

Brisbane to Townsville next March. 


Paramedics test post-cyclone 

capabilities 

Specially-trained paramedics from 

Cairns and Townsville deployed to the 

Tully and Mission Beach areas last month 

to take part in a simulated post-cyclone 

exercise. 

Two QAS Specialist Response Teams 

used state-of-the-art equipment to assess 

their preparedness prior to this year’s 

cyclone season. 

The specialist teams, made up of five 

paramedics and one communications 

officer, simulated a deployment scenario 

to a North Queensland community 

affected by a cyclone. 

QAS Northern Region Assistant 

Commissioner Rodney Walz said the 

exercise involved 15 paramedics, across 

four teams, sent to a remote Mission 

Beach location at Frogs Hollow. 

‘The exercise encompassed all facets 

of pre-deployment requirements from 

the initial notification to the deployment 

to a pre-determined location to the 

assembling and movement of staff and 

specialist equipment,’ Mr Walz said. 

‘Upon reaching the incident location, 

our paramedics and Emergency Medical 

Dispatchers set-up and operated a Tactical 

Medical Centre which works as a mobile 

hospital facility. 

‘At a post-cyclone incident this facility 

ensures that paramedics deployed to 

an incident can accept patients, as well 

as provide welfare and patient care 

supplies.’ 

Mr Walz said teams also used 

a Tactical Support Unit facility and 

Ambulance Command Unit and 

Communications Trailer. 

‘These facilities house specialist 

communications and command and 

control equipment and allow our people 

to coordinate and facilitate an effective 

response to a severe weather event,’ he 

said. 

QAS Far Northern Region Assistant 

Commissioner Rod Sheather said the 

exercise allowed the QAS to examine the 

deployment capability of the Townsville 

and Cairns response teams, as well as the 

interoperability between the regions. 

‘The exercise enabled us to review 

preparedness ahead of the upcoming 

storm and cyclone season,’ Mr Sheather 

said. 

‘The increased understanding and 

familiarity of available special operations 

equipment will also benefit the Northern 

Region and Far Northern Region Specialist 

Response Teams,’ he said. 

Mr Sheather said at real-life incidents, 

QAS Specialist Response Teams deploy to 

provide medical coverage for victims and 

post-event recovery services following a 

severe weather event. 

‘We are at the ready to respond in the 

recovery phase of a cyclone or storm event 

to support the community and work with 

our counterparts in other regions,’ he said. 



Money Matters 

Where there’s a Will… 

Q: Do I need a Will? 

A: : If you are over 18 years of age and have assets then the answer is yes! A Will offers you a 

degree of certainty over where your assets will go after your death. For example, it allows you 

to set out how you wish your assets to be distributed between your beneficiaries, how to make 

provision for any beneficiaries with special needs, and how to make charitable donations. 

If you die without a Will, legislation will 

dictate how your assets will be distributed 

after your death and even who will look 

after your children if they are still minors. 

This may not be what you had expected to 

happen. 

There are several decisions to make when 

writing your Will. Things such as: 

• Who will be responsible for distributing 

your assets according to your 

instructions (your executor); 

• Who will get your assets (your 

beneficiaries); 

• When and how your assets will be 

distributed. 

Even if you have a Will, it may need to be 

reviewed to ensure it is kept up to date 

with your wishes and changes in your 

circumstances. You should review your 

Will on a regular basis (every three to four 

years) and when certain life events occur 

such as: 

• Marriage, separation, divorce, or 

entering into a de facto relationship; 

• Birth of children or grandchildren; 

• Death of an executor or a beneficiary; 

• Change in your financial 

circumstances. 

You should also be aware that your Will 

is revoked or cancelled if you get married 

(unless you make it in contemplation of 

your marriage), but not if you get divorced. 

You can either make a Will with advice 

from a legal practitioner or on your own 

using a do-it-yourself Will kit. Be very 

careful if you want to write your own as the 

existence of blended families and jointly 

held assets can be important factors to 

be considered, and there are very strict 

rules about how it can be signed. At Q 

Invest we have relationships with legal 

practitioners who are able to help you 

prepare your Will. 

This article has been prepared by 

Q Invest Limited (ABN 35 063 511 

580 AFSL 238274) and is for general 

information only. It does not take 

into account your individual goals, 

financial situation or needs. You 

should consider these before you 

make any decision based on this 

information. Q Invest is owned by 

the QSuper Board of Trustees.

It’s a wrap for RAAP <strong>2011</strong> 

<strong>QFRS</strong> Road Attitudes and Action 

Planning (RAAP) program presenters 

have enjoyed another successful year 

reaching out to senior high school 

students and educating them that with 

their new-found freedom comes the 

responsibility to be safe and responsible 

on our roads. 

RAAP presenters around the state drove 

their message through to almost 30 000 

Year 12 students in <strong>2011</strong>, giving them an 

insight to what happens in a road crash, 

the aftermath and the effects on 

victims and their families. 

In Queensland, 17-24-yearolds 

account for 27 per 

cent of all road fatalities, 

despite making up only 

11 per cent of licence 

holders. 

The RAAP program is 

a statewide initiative run 

by <strong>QFRS</strong> targeting novice and 

pre-licenced drivers, as well as 

passengers. The program is designed 

to reinforce in young drivers the need to 

‘Plan Ahead’. 

Firefighters visit schools to conduct 

an interactive multi<strong>media</strong> presentation 

which explores the causes of crashes and 

explains <strong>QFRS</strong>’s role. 

The program seeks to provide positive 

outcomes and influence behaviours by 

encouraging students to discuss their 

attitudes to driving and adopt strategies to 

stay safe in potentially risky situations. 

RAAP State Coordinator Peter Derges 

said the presenters have done a fantastic 

job communicating to young adults 

embarking on a journey into the real world. 

‘What these presenters provided to 

the students was a real-life and first-hand 

experience of what they have seen at crash 

sites and a genuine plea to the students to 

be safe on our roads,’ Peter said. 

roads, attitudes and 

action planning 

‘There is no masking the passion 

these presenters have for the cause and 

the students pick up on this. 

‘The presentation comes from the 

heart and that is why you see the 

students and teachers getting emotional. 

They truly relate to and bond with the 

presenters and that is what makes the 

program work. 

“It is a proactive approach to educate 

students before they get themselves into 

trouble. Regardless of whether they are in 

a car, on a pushbike or just walking along 

the road, the message is to be aware of 

your surroundings,’ he said. 

– Tamani Nair 


Bushfires bring <strong>QFRS</strong> and Barcaldine together 

Craig White and Rob Boniwell with staff from the Iron Bark Inn: (from left) Deb Chandler, 

Sandra Miller, Emily Chandler, Nicola Dickson, Karen Baxter and Joanne Hansen 

Firies out in force for Warby Golf Day 

About $1800 was raised for the Royal 

Children’s Hospital’s Foundation 

when a full field of keen <strong>QFRS</strong> hackers 

took to the fairways of Redcliffe Golf Club 

for the annual Chris Warburton Memorial 

Golf Day on 16 September. 

The day is held to honour the memory 

of firefighter and enthusiastic <strong>social</strong> golfer 

Chris ‘Warby’ Warburton, who died while 

fighting a boarding house fire 22 years 

ago. 

The day’s top prize – the Warby 

Day Shield - went to Bill Miller, Kevin 

Stevenson, Alistair Thompson, Drew 

Argent and Clinton Argent, while the Wally 

Belcher Shield for the highest-scoring allfirefighter 

team was won by Rod Coombes, 

Dave Werner, Kim Llewellyn and Tony 

McGregor. 

From left: Wally Belcher Shield winners Tony 

McGregor, Kim Llewellyn, Dave Werner and Rod 

Coombes 

Rob Boniwell (left) and Craig Smith (right) with Jennifer Russel, 

Ulrika Herold and Gemma Thorpe of Aramac State School 

Firefighters from the Brisbane, South West 

and South East regions helped out Central 

Region crews around Barcaldine in October 

when more than one million hectares of 

land were affected by bushfire. 

<strong>QFRS</strong> Brisbane Area Commander Rob 

Boniwell said local residents made the 

job a lot easier for the <strong>QFRS</strong> task force, 

which used more than 20 urban and rural 

appliances as well as three water-bombing 

and two fire-spotting aircraft and resources 

from the local council, Queensland Parks 

and Wildlife and primary producer brigades 

to fight the fires. 

‘The fires covered a huge area, but <strong>QFRS</strong> 

crews worked well to protect persons and 

structures, ensuring no one was hurt and no 

homesteads were lost,’ Rob said. 

‘The mobilisation of the task force 

reinforced the multi-agency approach to 

wildfire management with urban and rural 

crews working alongside each other to 

achieve their objectives.’ 

‘An essential part of the demobilisation 

procedure is to ensure we leave a positive 

impression on the local community. To 

ensure this happened, we visited all those 

members of the community that had 

supported us throughout the campaign, 

passing on our appreciation on behalf of the 

<strong>QFRS</strong>. 

‘The response from the community was 

overwhelming. Everyone wanted to step 

in and help, especially the homestead 

residents, who were kind enough to house 

and feed <strong>QFRS</strong> crews. We couldn’t leave 

without letting them know how valuable 

their contribution was,’ Rob said. 


A dvanced Care Paramedic Keara Bacon from 

Toogoolawah QAS Station snapped this terrific 

shot on one of the backroads near Toogoolawah 

just after a storm had passed through the area. 

After what has been a very busy year for everyone 

involved with <strong>DCS</strong>, it seemed like a serene way to 

close the last edition of Emergency for <strong>2011</strong>. 

We welcome photographic submissions from all 

<strong>DCS</strong> staff and volunteers. Simply send your images 

to Editor.EmergencyMagazine@dcs.qld.gov.au with 

a few details about the shots and we’ll do our best 

to put them on these pages. 

Thanks to the MACC staff and everyone else 

who has helped us with Emergency this year. To our 

readers, we wish you a happy, safe and relaxing 

Christmas and New Year. 

– Peter Callaghan, Editor

DCS embraces social media p6 SES Week 2011 p8 QFRS tries on ...

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