Intense rainfall event

• Stand up – Intense rainfall event
• Current Situation
• Schools
• Infrastructure
• Preparedness
• Staffing
• Staying healthy
• Support for flood affected people

STAND UP – INTENSE RAINFALL EVENT

Metro North is now on STAND UP for the intense rainfall event (STAND UP – Code Brown).

Current situation 

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued storm warnings for South East Queensland today, particularly from the northern part of Moreton Bay Regional Council up to Bundaberg. We are already seeing rises in creeks and rivers affecting roads in the Metro North catchment.

Conditions may change rapidly over the next 24-48 hours.

There continues to be MINOR flooding peaks along the Brisbane River today, with more rain falling in the catchment. There is a flood watch active for our region.

Overnight there were more than 160 people in evacuation centres, with more people expected in the coming days. It’s important to note that there is a turnover of people in these centres as individual situations change so while the numbers at any point seem relatively low, there are significantly more people needing these services.

Metro North continues to provide healthcare and mental health support to people in evacuation centres, vulnerable facilities and flood isolated and affected communities within our catchment.

Please keep an eye on updates from authorities and warnings from the Bureau of Meterology. BOM also has an app (called BOM Weather) which provides accurate up to date information.

Road access this morning was relatively good for most of our facilities, but the situation is likely to change throughout the next two days. We have already seen the river into Kilcoy township rise over the road again and Kilcoy Hospital is isolated again.

Please check for road closures before leaving home or work to ensure you have a safe route. We also had a great suggestion this morning in the vidcast – find a ‘flood buddy’ who knows when and how you’re heading to and from work and check in with them both before you leave and once you arrive.

Do not attempt to cross flooded roads, back it up and seek alternative routes if possible. Remember – if it’s flooded, forget it.

Public transport is slowly returning however there are still many services cancelled, diverted or operating on a reduced timetable. Brisbane River remains closed including ferry services. Stay up to date by visiting Translink. South East Queensland public transport and toll roads are currently free of charge until Sunday.

Schools 

There was a variety of messages today in relation to schools that you would all be aware of. The Premier advised at midday that parents with children at schools from the northern Moreton Bay Regional Council up to Bundaberg to collect children when it is safe to do so. Other schools made local decision depending on their specific circumstances.

Schools will remain open tomorrow for the children of essential workers. Unless there is a risk of localised flooding or road closures, children are safe at school. Please check the Education Queensland website to see if your school is closed tomorrow.

Infrastructure 

Bowen Bridge Rd was opened last night, following some exceptional traffic control work from RBWH Acting ED Gillian Nasato and her capable team.

Unfortunately Butterfield St was inundated again with this morning’s storm, so the situation is regularly changing.

The lifts in the car park on Butterfield St are still not available, but lifts across the HHS are being prioritised to allow access for patients.

Staff who usually work at Campbell Place (CitiLink) should talk to your line manager about alternative work locations or contact EOC-MetroNorth for available desks in Block 7 while the building is being remediated. Please ensure your supervisor knows where you are.

Please be patient as repair work needs to be done in the order to ensure the most impact on service delivery. We are also likely to see more damage from the storms and flash flooding over the next few days.

Preparedness 

We are planning for further flash flooding and potential road closures in the next few days. This includes restocking supplies, fuelling generators and cars, and charging batteries.

Non-essential meetings and training should be postponed. Similarly, planned care should be rescheduled to next week.

Staff are asked to plan for the possibility of needing to stay overnight at work if roads are cut. Please bring a ‘go bag’ with a change of clothes, essential medications, and supplies with you.

You should also prepare your home for storms. Moreton Bay Regional Council and Brisbane City Council have excellent online resources for preparing and recovering from a severe weather event.

The Queensland Government Disaster Management website is a wealth of resources and also collates the latest updates from various emergency organisations including BOM, Queensland Police Service, Queensland Fire and Rescue Service and Queensland Ambulance Service.

Car parking locations have been affected by flooding already this week. Please be mindful where you park.

Please ensure your contact details are up to date with your supervisor / team leader, and that the details on myHR are also up to date.

Staffing 

As the providers of an essential service, the community relies on us to be here for them. We know that some staff may not be able to get to your usual workplace due to road closures, flood impact, or as a result of school closures.

If you are not able to get to your workplace for any reason, please talk to your supervisor. Where possible, we are asking staff to work at alternative locations to ensure continued service delivery. Another option that may be considered is working from home if appropriate.

The Queensland Health Chief Human Resources Officer provided information this week about leave options available to staff. This includes Special Leave (flood and storm leave) and Special paid discretionary leave for school, kindergarten and daycare closures due to impacts of weather events. The latter requires details of the school/facility that the children attend and the availability of alternative arrangements and/or remote work.

If any line managers have questions regarding individual applications for Special Leave or Special paid discretionary leave, they should contact their local HR team. Your directorate Executive Director is the delegate for approval.

Staying healthy 

There is an increased risk of mosquito and water borne illness due to the intense rainfall event. Please take appropriate precautions and wear protective clothing. Keep clear of creeks, storm drains, fallen trees and damaged powerlines.

There are excellent therapeutic guidelines should you be faced with water-immersed wound infections.

If you are cleaning up flooded areas, make sure your tetanus shot is up to date. Contact your GP for a booster.  

Support for flood affected people 

People who have been directly affected by flood damage may be eligible for the Disaster Recovery Allowance. Visit Services Australia for details.

Many people are keen to help those affected by flooding. Unless specifically requested, financial donations are preferred to goods.

Brisbane City Council has a list of recommended organisations to support on their website.

Regards,

Louise O’Riordan and Dr Liz Rushbrook
Metro North Health Incident Controllers