On your marks, get ready … Redlands Coast residents are being encouraged to be on the front foot ahead of this year’s looming storm and bushfire season.

Redland City Mayor and Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) Chair Councillor Karen Williams said this month’s Get Ready Queensland Week – from 10-17 October – aimed to raise awareness about being prepared for extreme weather events and disasters.

“The idea is to be proactive; to be ahead of the late-spring/summer season which, as we all know, can bring devastating weather events and conditions conducive to destructive bushfires,” Cr Williams said.

“In the past decade, Queensland has experienced close to 90 declared disaster events. The lesson we have learnt is that the better prepared a region is, the better prepared it is for a quicker recovery.

“Get Ready Queensland Week is a statewide initiative and the message is loud and clear in its title. If we get ready now we will be able to better handle anything this upcoming season throws at us.”

Cr Williams said Council maintained a dedicated Redland City Disaster Management website that provided practical information on preparing for, responding to and recovering from disaster.

“This is the time to equip yourself and your family with a disaster response plan. The value in knowing in advance what you would need during a severe event or if you were required to evacuate cannot be underestimated,” she said.

“The disaster management plan covers the entire city and has specific information and guidance for our vulnerable communities on our Southern Moreton Bay Islands.

“Council also has an opt-in emergency notification messaging service which is an important part of Council’s disaster and emergency communications. About 2200 residents are subscribed to this free alert service already and I encourage you to opt-in during Get Ready Queensland Week.”

Redland City Council is also conducting a bushfire awareness campaign over the next few months funded under state and federal government grants. Council will collaborate with the QFES to deliver a number of information sessions as well as installing 10 permanent signs in high-risk bushfire areas reminding people to know the risk, prepare a survival plan and report any bushfire or arson to 000.

“Now is the time to ‘spring clean’ your property to reduce the risks of it being affected by bushfires or extreme weather events,” Cr Williams said.

“The bushfire awareness campaign provides targeted advice and information to property owners in identified high-risk areas as well as offering bushfire-preparedness information across the entire region.

“I encourage all Redlands Coast residents to take advantage of these incredibly important information sessions.”

Bushfire awareness information nights will be held at the following times and locations:

• 7 October, Capalaba Sports Club, Capalaba, 6.30-8.30pm
• 14 October, Redland Bay SES, Redlands Business Park, 6.30-8.30pm
• 4 November, IndigiScapes, Capalaba, 6.30-8.30pm
• 11 November, Sirromet Winery, Mt Cotton, 6.30-8.30pm

Council will also host information stalls at the Cleveland Markets (17 October, 7am-1pm) and IndigiScapes Eco Market (4 December, 8am-noon)

Registration for the information nights is via redland.qld.gov.au

To view the Redland City Disaster Management Plan, go to: redlandsdisasterplan.com.au

To opt-in to Council’s emergency alert messaging service, go to: disaster.redland.qld.gov.au

For more information about Get Ready Queensland Week, go to: getready.qld.gov.au

Seqwater’s free Dam Release Notification service sends notifications by email, text messages to mobile phones or recorded messages to telephone landlines when dam releases are occurring.

You can register or find more information at seqwater.com.au/dam-release