Cleaning up after Larry

What people are saying...

2006-03-31T15:11:00.000+11:00

From letters to the editors nationwide...

We were much better prepared to handle Tracy

When Major-General Alan Stretton, in the first few hours after cyclone Tracy, set up his headquarters in Darwin to manage the relief and recovery effort, it was not as a one-off appointment by the then PM, but as director-general of the Natural Disasters Organisation - a body set up by the federal government about a year earlier expressly for the purpose of managing disasters that went beyond the scope of state emergency services.
So where is that organisation today, and why hasn't the director-general taken charge in Innisfail as Stretton did in 1974 in Darwin? It's a story that very much parallels the running down of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the US. In the 1990s, the organisation's name was changed to Emergency Management Australia and after John Howard came to power, like its counterpart in the US, it moved departments and a new head was appointed, who, like Michael Brown from FEMA, was a political type with no operational experience. So as counter-terrorism and national security became paramount, EMA became just another obfuscation office of the Attorney-General's Department, dedicating most of its time and effort to justifying its own existence.

The appointment by the Howard Government of General Peter Cosgrove to oversee the relief effort in Innisfail demonstrates just what an irrelevance EMA now is, full of paper-shuffling time-servers whose only power comes from handing out money to the states each year and holding onto a small and largely irrelevant management training section.
It's really a pity that the organisation of which Alan Stretton was such a worthy and admired founding director-general should be now so silent and irrelevant in the face of Australia's latest natural disaster.

John Laurie, Newport

C'mon, Aussie, c'mon!

IT IS very disappointing that Australians have not as yet responded as generously as hoped to the Tropical Cyclone Larry Appeal. In my experience as a marketing communications executive with Australian Red Cross managing appeals for local, national and international disasters, two of the primary components required to generate positive public donations are quantifiable resources (such as money to buy tarpaulins, buckets and food) and widespread, continuing media coverage at a significant level.
Last year, I served as the volunteer chairman of the 71st Victorian Relief Winter Blanket Appeal. We received 9000 new blankets for the state's homeless and vulnerable from a target of 10,000 blankets in a statewide partnership with ABC local radio. It was the best response in the appeal's history. And it's a nonsense argument that the Commonwealth Games pushed the story aside. One official TV network (Channel Nine) plus one commercial AM, FM and one ABC local radio station in each capital city market covering the Games left plenty of capacity for others. The Seven Network had a Sunrise crew there, and Grant Denyer did plenty of radio interviews about the impending disaster. The show now has a continuing appeal.

In an international disaster, money is the first, and only, request because it is flexible. As practically as possible, it is spent near to the disaster centre to provide continuity for the local economy. Goods are not generally sought from international donors because of the prohibitive cost of transport, logistics and distribution. However, the cyclone Larry response could, and in my opinion should, have cash donation options plus a new-goods/products option specifically targeted at Australian manufacturers and importers. For the people of Innisfail and surrounds who have lost their homes and livelihoods, a wave of Aussie generosity should be overwhelming them, at the same strength of tropical cyclone Larry.

Andrew Heslop, Mansfield

What's going on in the local community?

2006-03-30T11:03:00.000+11:00

This morning on the Sunrise show, there was much talk of the LOCAL COMMUNITY and LOCAL ECONOMIC RECOVERY. The discussion was raised in relation to relief supplies and efforts, and how much 'assistance' can hinder the revitalisation of local businesses. A simple way to think about revitalising and recovery of the local economy is to think of ways to get cash recirculating the way it did before, in and out of households and the local community.

When we watched the Tsunami hit our favourite beaches in Asia, we thought about the local people, how we could help... then sent up loads of what we thought were 'useful' items. In reality, there was excess of everything, from inappropriate clothing to too many medics.

Yet, what a local community might need is housing, employment, basic services to resume, kids to go back to school and local businesses to resume trading.

So, how does the local community in northern Queensland revitalise the local economy? Can we do anything to assist the process from outside the community?

There are standard things people can do, such as buy locally, contract local tradespeople, contract local businesses to work on the clean-up, hire as locally as possible... keep it local... Post up ways that you are keeping it in the neighbourhood... people might get ideas from your comments!

If there is something we can do, businesses we can support from outside the area... drop me an email and might be able to work something out!

Daily Updates from the Emergency Services Department - Qld

2006-03-29T17:33:00.000+11:00

TC Larry Report - 28 March 200628/3/2006

Approximately 12500 sq kms were affected by Tropical Cyclone Larry from Mareeba in the North to Tully in the south and west to beyond Mt Garnet. Significant damage occurred to houses, businesses, infrastructure, crops and state forests. TC Larry travelled almost 450 kms inland to around Croydon before being downgraded to a rain depression. It took 13 hours to travel inland. More than 1600 houses have been tarped. There are approximately 617 State Emergency Service volunteers, Rural Fire Brigade volunteers, Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Fire and Rescue Service and Department of Emergency Services personnel currently working in North Queensland on cyclone relief projects.

Community Assistance
· Community Assistance Hotline for emotional, physical, financial and accommodation assistance 1800 440 074
· The Queensland Police Service has established a hotline 1800 100 188 to provide information to those inquiring about people’s whereabouts.
· Commerce and business assistance call centre 1300 36 37 11 (Department of State Development)
· The Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries has established a Primary Industries Cyclone Recovery Advice Service which consists of specialist advisors to provide financial advice, orchard and crop advice, biosecurity services and scientific advice for tree crops, sugar cane and banana crops. For referral to advice and assistance please call 132 523.
· The Department of Communities has provided almost $1.8 million in cash as emergency grant assistance to affected families and individuals.
· People can make donations to the Cyclone Larry Appeal on 1800 150 411
· Registered tradespeople who want to offer their services can call 1800 631 328.

Roads
· All roads are now open but people need to travel with care as some smaller country and coastal roads are undermined and eroded. This damage is marked, but motorists are advised to travel with care.
· Main Roads are providing road reports on a daily basis. Rail · A full service into Cairns is now operating.
· Freight trains are now moving along the lines carrying containers of essential items. A number of level crossings between Tully and Gordonvale are still affected by cyclone damage but being progressively repaired. Flagpersons are working at these crossings. Schools All schools will be opened for Wednesday 29 March (total of 156 schools were affected by TC Larry). Innisfail State High School will be open to year 10, 11 and 12 students.

Hospitals Innisfail
· Innisfail Hospital is now restored with mains water and sewerage back on.
· Medical staffing is being covered with assistance from Cairns and Townsville
· Cairns Base Hospital is providing daily a delivery of food, bottled water, linen and oxygen tanks.

Babinda
· Power on
· Cairns Base Holspital providing daily delivery of food, bottled water, linen and oxygen tanks. Health staff 32 nurses have arrived from Brisbane to assist in the region and a further 80 are on standby in Brisbane. Mental health staff are providing support to distressed people. Environmental Health Officers are supporting Local Government Disaster Management Groups. A team is working in Innisfail on mosquito control.

Power Innisfail/Tully/Cardwell Premises deemed unsafe, or where safety issues exist, will not be reconnected to the power supply even after power is restored to communities.

CUSTOMERS RESUPPLY – By Substation / Ergon Substation Percent Restored Off Line Dimbulah 100%
Mareeba 100%
Cairns 100%
Mt Molloy 100%
Cardwell 100%
Atherton 70% 3400 (100 on generator)
Tully 46% 3470
Babinda 26% 800 ( 50 on generator )
Innisfail 16% 8130 ( 550 on generator)
Ravenshoe 75% 300
Evelyn 7% 530
Mt Garnett 39% 270
Milla Milla N/A CBD connected by generator
Kamerunga 100%
Edmonton 100%

Generators are being provided to primary producers in need, particularly milk producers who are having problems cooling milk. On Monday 135,000 customers off due to TC Larry - by 6:00 pm Monday this had been reduced to 14,500 without supply. This figure is reducing every day.

Water
Water is being progressively restored but issues of pressure, integrity of pipe work and hygiene remain at Innsifail, El Arish, Kurramine, Silkwood, Bingil and Mourilyn. These issues are being progressively addressed. Water in Innisfail CBD restored.

Telephones
The majority of mobile phone services in affected areas are operational Satellite phones are being provided to rural residents in need of this service
Emergency response primary resources

Atherton Shire · 200 personnel · 30 trucks · 18 bobcats, loaders and backhoes · 50 chainsaws · 10 generators Mareeba Shire · 30 personnel including 16 QAS paramedics · 5 trucks · 5 backhoes Herberton Shire · 120 staff · 63 vehicles · 21 backhoes, loaders, excavators. · 5 generators · 15 chainsaws

Eacham Shire · 130 personnel · Majority of council equipment being used Community reports Innisfail: · Power supply is on to CBD. Properties deemed unsafe will not be reconnected. · Water supply is on · Sewerage system is working

Mareeba region: · Transport - all roads open · Communications - Telephone networks operational in most areas of Herberton & Mt Garnet. - Services have been restored to Millaa Millaa. Majority of mobile services are available. · Power - Restored to all areas of Mareeba and the CBD’s of Herberton, Malanda, and Ravenshoe, but outlying areas will take longer. · Water - Water available in most townships, but some only between the hours of 8-10am and 5-7pm · The majority of damaged premises have been assisted · In the district, 94 farms have no power supply, with 33 working on generators.

Damage assessment

Innisfail · 50% damage to homes · 35% damage to private industry · 25% government buildings Silkwood · 99% homes have lost roofs or suffered structural damage

Flying Fish Point · 15% homes damaged

Etty Bay · roof damage to 40% of homes Kurramine Beach · 30% homes damaged · damage to 15% industry

Bingil Bay · 30% homes damaged · No damage to industry

Mission Beach · 30% homes damaged · 20% damage to industry · 45% damage to caravan park South Mission Beach · 20% homes damaged · 20% damage to industry El Arish · 30% damage to homes · 50% damage to industry

East Palmerston · 70% damage to homes Australian Defence Force Defence personnel are working closely with State and Local Government agencies in Innisfail and Babinda. Defence support now includes over 400 personnel with equipment.

How to help the local community

2006-03-28T09:26:00.000+11:00

Here are a few ways to help... if you are running any appeals, drives, fund raisers... please don't hesitate to post information up! Let us know what's going on... maybe we can help :-)

Premier's Disaster Relief Fund
1800 150 411
Donations can also be lodged at the Commonwealth Bank using the relief appeal account BSB: 064-013 Acct No: 1000-6800.

Salvation Army
Emergency Services
137258
(No clothes or furniture yet)

St Vincent de Paul
131812
Po Box 3351, South Brisbane 4101

Blogs from up north...

2006-03-27T16:33:00.000+11:00

Here's a list of Cyclone Larry blogs from people who live in Queensland...

Innisfail diary: One family's struggle: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=93044

'Heavily pregnant Leanne, 25, her husband of seven years and their 15-month-old son planned to ride out Cyclone Larry in their Innisfail house. But when Larry was upgraded to a category-four storm, the family decided to leave and stay with friends in nearby Atherton Tablelands. It was a wise decision. When they returned home, they found the roof and trusses of their newly renovated home had been ripped off by the force of the storm. Each day this week, Leanne — whose second child is due in four weeks — will update you on her family's progress in her online diary. '

Thirteen Things about Cyclone Larry that pissed me off. (these are my favourite 4)

This is my favourite so far... http://purplegiraffes.blogspot.com/2006/03/thirteen-things-about-cyclone-larry.html

2. The cyclone panic that hit the shops. People scrambling for ice cream is DUMB! What good is ice cream when you have no electricity for five days???
5. The people who suggested I go stay at their house because their house wouldn't flood and mine would and I'd lose everything anyway. Forget the fact that my car would be out in the open and could have been crushed by trees, roofs, flying chickens (though not sure that the chickens would crush a car, but you get my drift). Okay, so yes, the people were well-meaning, just very pessimistic.
6. The people at work who thought a little flooding shouldn't keep me from work. There was no flooding, but I didn't go to work.
8. The bananas. Are all gone. For at least a year.

Criticisms from city dwellers...

2006-03-27T16:13:00.000+11:00

It’s been a week since Larry’s unwelcome visit to the far northern Queensland coastal communities, and I wonder what is going on up there?

Well… a headline in this morning’s Sydney Morning Herald caught my eye.

This is no New Orleans, so enough with the whingeing
By Miranda Devinne
Excerpts from the Sydney Morning Herald online: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/03/25/1143084044866.html#

I'M sorry, but if you live in a place prone to cyclones every 80 years and a cyclone comes along after 80 years, what's the surprise?

We in Sydney are very sorry for the people in northern Queensland who have lost their homes to Cyclone Larry. But, much as we will miss their avocados and bananas on our supermarket shelves, we can live without their whingeing.

No one was killed, a few people sustained minor injuries. This is hardly Hurricane Katrina. But watching the news last week, it was clear a lot of people with little imagination were trying to recreate New Orleans in Innisfail.

Five minutes after the cyclone hit, locals were whingeing that "they" haven't come and fixed it for them. Do they not have their own arms and legs?....

Australians, especially outside the big cities, used to pride themselves on their self-reliance and resilience, forged in a hard, unforgiving land. Now, according to images beamed back to Sydney, they have become helpless victims. A category five cyclone comes to town and it's all the fault of Queensland Premier Peter Beattie and Prime Minister John Howard.

No doubt there are plenty of admirable people quietly getting on with rebuilding their communities, but we didn't hear from them. Instead we heard people complaining that State Emergency Service volunteers (who have been working round the clock) were only handing out tarpaulins, not staying to spread them out. God forbid that people might have to do some work themselves….

Daryl Mason also found Miranda's article... http://www.cyclonelarryaftermath.blogspot.com/
For more commentary and debate... http://webdiary.com.au/cms/?q=node/1356

What do you think?

Reasons for this blog...

2006-03-27T15:44:00.000+11:00

Use this blog to tell us what you think about Larry... preparing for Larry... waiting for Larry... sitting out Larry... picking up after Larry... rebuilding and recovering.

As reports, commentary and criticism start to circulate, we want to know what's really going on. So, if you're happy about the developments of the local, state and federal efforts, put up a posting. If you're really angry about a decision that impacts directly on your life, vent and rant on this blog... who knows you might be heard!

pics from the affected area...

We're worried about your banana's...

2006-03-27T13:54:00.000+11:00

We in Victoria have been in the midst of the Commonwealth Games media blanket and I have heard very little about the plight of our sunny northern neighbours. I feel so removed from the situation up north, particularly since the losses of these communities will be felt by people all over Australia... most noticably in our banana-less lunch boxes.

The word on the street’s of Melbourne mirrors the concerns of the nation, and these are the burning questions people have been asking:

- Where are our banana’s coming from?
- How much will our banana’s cost?
- Will I be able to buy a decent organic lady’s finger this year?

We worry about the farmers who grow our tropical fruits and feel the loss of their crops on a personal level as we can nolonger take for granted, the ability to make a banana smoothie.

Then I got thinking... what else is going on up there?
Was the response ok?
Did evacuation go as planned?
Did you get a decent warning? Was it on time?
Do you need any help?

As more and more questions emerged (mainly about the banana's, the mango's, the fish, the state of the pub, and how people will cope) I thought the best way to find answers is to ask the local people who lived to tell the tale of Larry's landfall.

more banana tales...
Townsville Bulletin: Mick feels for those who've lost the lot http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,18594711^14787,00.html
Landline: After the storm http://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2006/s1596990.htm
The Age: No banana's for 9 months http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/no-bananas-for-nine-months/2006/03/25/1143084055428.html