Disaster Resources

Cyclones

Resources below are designed to assist children in the understanding of what to expect in a cyclone.

• Disaster Information – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Version (Council, YouTube) – An educational video designed to assist Townsville’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to better prepare for cyclone season.
• Disaster Information – Migrant Version (Council, YouTube) – An educational video designed to assist Townsville’s migrant communities to better prepare for cyclone season.
• Get Ready for Cyclones Activity Book (Council, PDF, 609.9 KB) – This booklet is designed as an easy-to-read and interactive guide about cyclones for people who have complex communication needs or intellectual disability.
• Prepare Your Home for Cyclones – Auslan Interpreted (Council, YouTube) – There are many things you can do to reduce your chances of becoming a victim during a disaster. Taking some simple precautions now before the onset of any natural hazard will help protect you, your family and your property.
• Understanding Tropical Cyclone Categories (Bureau of Meteorology, YouTube) – Improve your understanding of tropical cyclone categories and their impacts. This video explains what the different tropical cyclones categories are, the hazards involved and the potential damage a tropical cyclone can cause.
• Understanding Tropical Cyclone QLD Forecast Track Maps (Bureau of Meteorology, YouTube) – This video provides information about the movement and intensity of a tropical cyclone, as well as showing the areas likely to experience its effects.
• When Bully-wind Bob Comes to Town (Flash, iBook) – This e-book is designed to teach school-aged children about what to expect in a cyclone and what they can do to prepare themselves and their families.

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Disaster Information (General Information including Asbestos, Mould and Pandemics)

• Asbestos in a Disaster (Council, PDF, 979.7 KB) – Houses built before 1990 are likely to contain asbestos. Asbestos can have dangerous health effects, but it is safe if handled correctly.
• Birdie and The Virus (Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service)
• Disability Inclusive Disaster Resilience Framework and Toolkit (Collaborating 4 Inclusion, Website)
• D.I.Y. Using Sandbags to Protect your Home and Business Brochure (Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, PDF)
• Food Safety for Businesses (Council, PDF, 630.6 KB) – Disasters such as power outage or flooding can have a significant impact on food safety, and have the potential to spread foodborne illness if not managed well. This information sheet provides advice on what to do if your food business has been flooded or lost power.
• Health Advice on Water (Council, PDF, 448.9 KB) – In the aftermath of a disaster, the supply of drinking water, private water supplies, tanks, wells and bores may be contaminated or stopped all together.
• How to Sandbag Your Home and Business (Queensland State Emergency Service, YouTube) – This video shows you how to sandbag your home or business in the event of flooding.
• Mould and Your Health (Council, PDF, 860.2 KB) – Mould is a type of fungi that lives on plant and animal matter. Mould grows best in damp and poorly ventilated areas, and reproduces by making spores.
• Translated Factsheets About Natural Disasters (Queensland Government, Website)
• Using Sandbags to Protect your Home and Business (Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, Website)

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Preparing for Disasters (Before a Disaster)

• Emergency Action Guide (Council, PDF, 7.4 MB) – This guide focuses on all types of natural disasters. Do not wait for a disaster to happen before you think about how you and your family are going to survive.
• Emergency Kit Checklist (Council, PDF, 502.9 KB) – This checklist provides tips for what to include in your emergency kit to ensure you, your family and pets have enough supplies to last at least three (3) days without assistance.
• Get Ready Townsville Guide (Council, PDF, 3.1 MB) – This guide will assist you in preparing your family, animals and home for the North Queensland summer, including preparing an emergency kit and ensuring you have evacuation plans in place.
• Household Emergency Plan Template (Council, PDF, 73.0 KB) – This template will assist you and your family in determining what you will do and where you will go if you are required to evacuate in the event of a disaster or emergency situation.
• Know Your Risks – Auslan Interpreted (Council, YouTube) – Townsville is a great place to live, but there's a serious side to living in the north. Types of natural disaster events, which may affect the Townsville area, include: cyclone, storm tide, king tide, flood, bushfire, tsunami, earthquake, landslide and pandemic.
• Pet Emergency Grab and Go Kit (Council, PDF, 483.4 KB) – This factsheet provides a checklist to assist in what to pack in your pet disaster kit.
• Prepare an Emergency Kit – Auslan Interpreted (Council, YouTube) – Cyclones can be a part of life in summer. Think about ways you can prepare your family by stocking an emergency kit. Before the cyclone season you should make every effort to prepare yourself and your family (including pets) by having your emergency kit stocked and ready to go.
• Preparing for a Disaster With Pets (Council, PDF, 788.2 KB) – This factsheet provides tips for including pets in your family emergency plans, as well as considerations for a pet disaster kit.
• Prepare Your Emergency Plan – Auslan Interpreted (Council, YouTube) – Take the time to discuss what you and your family will do in the event of a disaster or emergency situation. Prepare your emergency plan ahead of time. Then, if an emergency threatens, you will know how to best respond.
• Preparing your Household for Disasters in Other Languages (Queensland Government, Website)
• Public Shelter Option (Council, PDF, 756.5 KB) – This factsheet will assist you in developing a household emergency plan that includes evacuation and shelter considerations based on your circumstances and exposure to risk.
• Understanding the Australian Warning System (AWS) (QFES, website) There are new changes to the way you get warnings for natural disaster events in Queensland. The AWS means that warnings will be consistent across the country, across hazards, and easier to follow and understand. Make sure you familiarise yourself with the AWS to ensure you are prepared during disaster season. Also available in other languages.

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Recovery (After a Disaster)

• Financial Assistance (Queensland Government, Website)
• Preparing your Business for Natural Disasters (Queensland Government, Website)
• Rebuilding your Business after a Natural Disaster (Queensland Government, Website)
• Returning Home After a Bushfire (Queensland Government, Website)
• What your Business should do after a Natural Disaster (Queensland Government, Website)

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Storm Tide, Storm Surge and Tsunamis

• Disaster Stories (Council, YouTube) – North Queensland residents share their experiences with natural disasters, including tips on how to best prepare for a storm.
• Storm Tide Evacuation Guide (Council, PDF, 7.2 MB) – This guide will assist you in determining if your property is at risk of inundation from a storm tide and whether evacuation is required. If you are not required to evacuate, your home is often the safest place for you.
• Storm Tide Evacuation Maps by Suburb – These detailed suburb maps will assist you in determining if your property is at risk of inundation from a storm tide and whether evacuation is required. If you are not required to evacuate, your home is often the safest place for you.
• Townsville Storm Surge Simulation (Green Cross Australia with CSIRO, YouTube) – A stunning visualisation of the storm surge impact caused by a low pressure system such as a cyclone, hurricane or east coast low.
• Tsunami Evacuation Guide (Council, PDF, 2.7 MB) – This guide will assist you in determining if your property is at risk of inundation from a tsunami and if evacuation to higher ground is required.

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Useful Websites for More Information

• Australian Red Cross website – For recovery after a disaster and crisis counselling.
• Bureau of Meteorology website – For weather information.
• Department of Communities website – For recovery after a disaster.
• Emergency Management and Disaster Dashboard – Council has developed a public-facing platform that acts as a one-stop shop for essential information about the local area in times of disaster. By providing easy access to up-to-date information (for example, road closures, weather updates, school closures, emergency warnings, etc.), this dashboard provides situational awareness to the general community.
• Get Ready Queensland website – For general disaster information.
• Lifeline website – For recovery after a disaster and crisis counselling.
• Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National website) – For translation and interpretation.
• Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) – For general disaster information.

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