Media Release: Disability inclusive and disaster resilient Queensland Communities: Toolkit and Resource Showcase
On Tuesday 12 October 2021, the Honourable Leanne Enoch Minister for Communities and Housing, Minister for Digital Economy and Minister for the Arts and Honourable Craig Crawford MP, Minister for Seniors, Disability Services and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships in partnership with Queenslanders with Disability Network, University of Sydney, Community Services Industry Alliance (CSIA) and the Queensland Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy hosted the showcase for new Disability Inclusive and Disaster Resilient toolkit and resources for Queensland communities.
Over the past two years the Queensland government, QDN, University of Sydney and CSIA have been working with people with disability, emergency services, disability and community organisations, Councils and other key stakeholders to develop the toolkit and resources to ensure communities have information and tools to include people with disability in planning, response and recover from disasters and emergencies. An important part of this work for people with disability has been the co-design of a resource to help people with disability to make their own individual plan for an emergency or disaster – the Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness Tool (The PCEP)
Des Ryan, QDN Board of Directors, Chair "I know from personal experience what it means to be unprepared and depending on others during a disaster. As one of QDN’s DIDRR Peer Leaders working on this project, I realised how important it is to have the right tools to make your own individual plan, that was tailored to me and my individual needs.”
The work QDN has led has had a focus on people with disability and their representatives leading person-centred planning conversations. Mr Ryan said, “Peer support – people with disability supporting each other plays an important role in this work. Sharing ideas and what we need and have in our plans is really helpful and also working together increases our social connections. It has also helped broaden our connections with local councils, disaster management and emergency services so planning at all levels is inclusive of people with disability. I am proud of this work that QDN has done has laid the foundations for peer led approaches to disaster and emergency preparedness for Queensland and nationally.”
The Toolkit and resources give people with disability, service providers, local council and emergency services a roadmap, specific actions and user-friendly tools that everyone can use to guide what they will do before, during and after a disaster. Specifically for people with disability, the PCEP provides the resources they need to start thinking about their lives and what they would need in an emergency or disaster.
Michelle Moss, QDN’s acting Chief Executive Officer said “We know that people with disability are experts in their own lives and disaster and emergency planning starts with them. QDN is a proud partner in this work which has been co-designed by our QDN peer leaders. These resources not only help people with disability plan for an emergency, but they are a great tool to provide information, resources and guidance to get the emergency preparedness conversation started.”
Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction tool kit and resources helping people with disability to be get prepared for an emergency are now available on QDN’s website at https://qdn.org.au/ as well as information on QDN’s peer support group where people with disability can find out more information about getting prepared for an emergency or disaster.
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Media Contact: Michelle Moss 1300 363 783
Read the joint media statement from the Minister for Communities and Housing, Minister for Digital Economy and Minister for the Arts, The Honourable Leeanne Enoch and the Minister for Seniors and Disability Services and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, The Honourable Craig Crawford here.
It is Get Ready Queensland Week 2021 from the 10-16 October 2021. The week is a call to action for all Queenslanders to prepare their homes and communities and get ready for 2021-22 severe weather season. Find a range of downloadable materials to support communication about Get Ready Queensland Week here.
A quick guide to person-centred emergency preparedness can be found here.
To see all the Disability inclusive and disaster resilient Queensland Communities Toolkit and Resources head here.
To listen to one of QDN's Peer Leaders, Peter Tully's ABC Radio interview from this morning head here. The interview starts at 36:20.