Imagine this … you have just experienced a 6.5 magnitude earthquake in the rural town of Biggenden. Once the ground has stopped shaking you discover that the earthquake has wiped out the fibre optic cables that service Biggenden and the surrounding townships. End result is the loss of all phones – mobile and landline!
This was the scenario that was presented to members of the Bundaberg District Disaster Management Group and the North Burnett Local Disaster Management Group.
Assisted by radio technicians for expert advice, attendees had to come up with a plan for contacting and communicating with staff in their respective agencies responding to the emergency.
The scenario also provided the opportunity for the Disaster Coordination Centre to work on their own plan, particularly in the North Burnett where they are highly susceptible to phone outages.
Senior Sergeant Grant Marcus, Executive Officer of the Bundaberg District Disaster Management Group, said “the day highlighted the need for agencies to have their own Sat (Satellite) phones and to develop partnerships with radio communication agencies”.
These types of desktop exercises are crucial in ensuring that agencies are well prepared for an actual event.