Jul 7 2008
As from today a new around-the-clock watch centre for natural disasters will operate in Queensland.
The new watch centre which will be manned for 24 hours to monitor floods, fires, cyclones and other threats at an annual cost of $600,000, was prompted by Cyclone Larry and the subsequent devastation it caused.
Neil Roberts the Emergency Services Minister for Queensland says the 24/7 watch desk would improve disaster monitoring and provide advice to emergency service personnel.
The minister says that while the response to severe flooding across Queensland this year had been tremendous, having a permanently staffed office would be more efficient and effective and strengthen the states initial response to future disasters and incidents.
The watch centre will have five full-time officers and one part-time officer operating on a rotating shift basis who together bring a wealth of disaster management and emergency experience from Queensland, Victoria and the United Kingdom to the new centre.
There were more than 3,300 warnings, advice and bulletins, of which 2,165 required action to be taken in the last year which meant the State Disaster Coordination Centre was very busy.
Previously disaster responses, at night, on weekends and public holidays, were coordinated by officers on-call at home...now the new 24/7 Watch Desk will act as a permanent contact for all operational issues, every hour of the day.
Mr Roberts says the watch centre will mean better warnings of approaching cyclones and will be the dedicated eyes and ears, which warn of any developing incidents at all times, improve responses to disaster situations and provide advice to emergency personnel in affected communities.
The Queensland Ambulance Service and the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service already operate on a 24/7 basis.