Disaster Preparedness Information Sessions

Research shows that people with a disability:

• Are two to four times more likely to die or be injured in a disaster than the general population (Fuji, 2012).
• Experience higher risk of injury and loss of property (Alexander, 2015),
• Have greater difficulty with evacuation (Malpass et al., 2019) and sheltering (Twigg et al., 2011), and
• Require more intensive health and social services during and after disaster events (Phibbs et al., 2015).

A significant barrier to the safety and well-being of people with disability and the elderly in disasters is that they have not been included in the planning stages of disaster plans. If we don't include people with disability in the planning process, we won't know what they can do for themselves and what extra supports they need to be safe in a disaster.

Too often emergency plans are made FOR the people with disability. However, emergency plans, especially individual emergency plans, should be made WITH the person with a disability. Risk is increased with every step we don't take toward inclusion.

Current Legislation

Australia’s National Strategy for Disaster Resilience. and National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework invites shared responsibility with individuals and communities to help everyone plan for and respond better to disasters.

The NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Commission signed a legislative amendment  that took effect in January 2022. The newly released NDIS Practice Standards incorporate these legislated requirements. The new Practice Standards now require service providers to ensure that Support Plans include personal emergency preparedness and service continuity planning that supports the health, safety and well-being of the people they support.

Emergency planning is also a requirement for aged care providers. During an emergency, providers must continue to maintain quality care and services to care recipients. This is a requirement under the Aged Care Act 1997.

The Person-Centred Emergency Planning Method

Person-Centred Emergency Planning (P-CEP) increases equitable access to effective emergency planning by people who have extra support needs. It enables:

• People with disability and the elderly to identify and plan for how they will manage their extra support needs in emergencies;
• All of us to identify and remove barriers that increase risks to safety and well-being in times of disaster.
• P-CEP helps us share responsibility with the emergency sector to make sure everyone is safe in emergencies.

Tailoring emergency preparedness to the needs of people with disability (and other people with extra support needs) can be supported by others who have knowledge, skills, and training in P-CEP planning conversations.

These people may be:

• Peer support leaders
• Community, health, or disability providers
• Emergency services personnel and volunteers
• Family, friends, and carers

P-CEP is an emergency planning tool that helps tailor emergency preparedness to the unique support needs of people with disability. It was co-designed and tested with people with disability, the services that support them, and emergency personnel.

P-CEP makes emergency planning more accessible by:

• Supporting equitable access to emergency planning for people with different support needs.
• Ensuring that emergency plans are matched to the supports people with disability will need when disasters strike.

P-CEP helps to break down preparedness into component parts, making the process of developing an emergency plan achievable. This is an important part of ensuring fair and equal access to personal emergency preparedness.

Introduction to P-CEP Workshop Sessions

Bundaberg Regional Council's Disaster Management Team are offering free “Introduction to P-CEP” workshop sessions for service providers and their staff.

In this introductory workshop, service providers and their staff will learn:

• What the P-CEP method is and how to implement it
• How to facilitate disaster preparedness in clients

Council can also facilitate an initial P-CEP workshop for service providers, support teams and some clients. During this workshop, our team will develop peer leaders to champion the message of emergency preparedness, building personal capability and improving resilience to disaster events.

An integral part of P-CEP is the accompanying 32 page workbook for your clients to work through.

To encourage uptake of the P-CEP method of emergency planning for your service and clients, the team will provide the client workbooks and workshop/training materials free of charge.

Organisations that get involved in a P-CEP Workshop will receive free Emergency Kit Starter Packs to provide to clients when working with them to create a P-CEP Emergency Plan.

Please note, Emergency Kit Starter Packs are subject to stock availability.

If you are interested in finding out more about P-CEP and how the Disaster Management Team can assist with your emergency preparedness or to arrange a workshop, please complete the registration form below.

Register your interest

Bundaberg Regional Council's Disaster Management Team are offering local schools free, interactive Disaster Preparedness Sessions. The sessions are designed to educate young people on the types of natural disasters that can occur in our region, how they can be prepared and how to build disaster resilience.

Within the Australian Curriculum, there are several learning areas that encompass natural disasters/hazards and align with the message of disaster resilience – such as how Council, emergency services and communities can prepare and respond to a crisis; communication and warnings; and personal decision making.

The main focus areas of the Disaster Preparedness Sessions are:

• How to understand their risk (what natural hazards are common in the Bundaberg Region, where to get information and advice etc)
• How to prepare an Emergency Plan (what to consider when making a plan, shelter in place or evacuate, the role of emergency services and personal responsibility)
• How to pack an Emergency Kit (what to include in a kit and why)

Participating students will also receive an emergency pack which includes:

• Severe Weather Guide
• Emergency Plan document to complete
• Emergency Kit bag with flashcards for what to include
• Get Ready Queensland merchandise items such as hats, bottles, rulers.

Please note, emergency packs are subject to stock availability.

These sessions are aimed towards Year 5 ages students, however, can be tailored to suit different age groups if required.  

The Disaster Management Team are aiming to have a rolling program of disaster preparedness sessions at local schools. With the goal over the next three to five years being:

• Every student passing through year 5/6 or 7/8 would have participated in a session
• Students will pass this information onto families and together prepare an active and efficient household Emergency Plan

If you would like to arrange a visit to your school, please complete the below form.

Register your interest

Bundaberg Regional Council's Disaster Management Team are offering local community groups free, interactive Disaster Preparedness Sessions. The sessions are designed to educate community groups, their members and visitors on the types of natural disasters that can occur in our region, how they can be prepared and how to build disaster resilience.

In these sessions, participants will learn:

• How Council and Emergency Services prepare and respond to a crisis
• Ways your community group can prepare and respond to a crisis
• About the new Australian Warning System communication and warnings
• How to understand the importance of personal decision making, and your responsibilities in a disaster event.

The main focus areas of the Disaster Preparedness Sessions are:

• How to understand their risk (what natural hazards are common in the Bundaberg Region, where to get information and advice etc)
• How to prepare an Emergency Plan (what to consider when making a plan, shelter in place or evacuate, the role of emergency services and personal responsibility)
• How to pack an Emergency Kit (what to include in a kit and why)

Participants will also receive an emergency kit bag, a Severe Weather Guide and an Emergency Plan document to complete. 

Please note, emergency kit bags are subject to stock availability.

The Disaster Management Team are aiming to have a rolling program of disaster preparedness sessions throughout local community groups. With the goal of each household in the Bundaberg Region understanding their risks and having an active and effective Emergency Plan in place.

If you would like to arrange a visit to your group, please complete the below form.

Register your interest