COUNCIL has put in place 27 of 56 recommendations made in a Queensland Fire and Emergency Services report on its fire preparedness but has made no promises on the rest of the advice.
Mayor Karen Williams said officers had been given a three-month period to study and respond to the report but warned residents that there was too much involved to make it an overnight fix.
Cr Williams said council had already implemented actions independent of the review – put to councillors by local disaster coordinator Mike Lollback – and would use the recommendations to continue planning.
“This report has recommended a more proactive approach to maintenance to reduce the risk of fire across the whole of Redland City, with a renewed focus on community safety,” she said.
“We have asked the CEO to report back to council within three months to outline council’s response to and progress of the review’s recommendations.”
Mr Lollback told councillors at today’s general meeting that action was already being taken on emergency evacuation issues, with matting being tested that could be laid on mangrove mud to provide access to boats in emergency situations.
Planning already was in place regarding access points and how long it would take to evacuate islands with available craft like ferries and other boats.
Other changes included the use of VMR and Coastguard boats to rapidly transport Rural Fire Service staff between islands.
Mr Lollback said the review had not included North Stradbroke Island. It had a multi-agency fire management group set up after its 2014 fires.
Cr Paul Bishop described the report as “a pretty big rocket” for council while Cr Murray Elliott said significant resources would be needed to address issues.
Cr Julie Talty said it showed that the level of preparedness on the mainland was based on assumptions and that places like Redland Bay and Mount Cotton faced significant losses in a fire.
She said the build up of fire loads in some places, like at Redland Hospital, was a matter of public safety.
Cr Elliott said it was time residents assumed some responsibility for their lack of action on fire issues.
“In the old days it was just something you did every year, cleaning your gutters and so on,” he said. “Now, nobody seems to do it.”
Cr Mark Edwards said it was disappointing that although islanders had a free waste transfer service, some dumped material on unattended blocks.
Cr Williams said council had already increased its focus on cleaning up areas on Russell Island, beginning with areas carrying heavy fuel loads like dumped green waste.
Council would continue to lobby the state and federal governments for greater recognition of the isolation of the Southern Moreton Bay Islands.
“This isolation results in a requirement for greater resources for protection and preparedness for the community,” Cr Williams. “The islands should be treated like regional Queensland in terms of state and federal government funding due to their isolation.”
