Disaster Management
Several disaster plans are in place in Townsville. The disaster plan for Townsville is the Townsville Local Disaster Management Plan which has been formulated by the Townsville Local Disaster Management Group. This group comprises of state and local government agencies in the planning of all aspects of disaster mitigation, prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery of the community.
The next plan in the hierachy is Townsville City Council's Emergency Response Plan which relates to emergency response in relation to council assets and services. Underneath this plan sits a number of sub-plans including Environmental Health Services Public Health Sub-Plan.
Each of these plans are activated when needed given certain circumstances.
A substantial amount of information relative to disaster preparation in this region can be found by viewing Council's emergency information.
For information about Environmental Health Services role in the event of a disaster, click on the links below.
Disaster Management
Counter Disaster Plan (Public Health Sub-Plan)
Environmental Health Services, through the use of a Public Health Sub-Plan (which is an integral part of the overall disaster management plan), can provide appropriate timely environmental and public health services to disaster affected people in the Townsville region.
Townsville City Council is responsible for assisting emergency services (such as police, fire, ambulance etc) in the event of a disaster, with support from the State Government Emergency Services Department.
The State Counter Disaster Organisation Act 1975 requires local governments to prepare a local counter disaster plan to deal with all counter disaster measures within its area. Such plans should embrace the comprehensive approach to disaster management addressing the key components of prevention, preparation, response, and recovery.
Queensland is a disaster prone state, with records showing that storms, cyclones, and flooding are more regular events than other states. Many of these events can have significant impact on communities and the environment. In addition to natural disasters, communities have become increasingly dependent on lifelines such as electricity, gas, water supply, sewerage and telecommunications. Any breakdown of these services can result in loss of life, human suffering, economic cost, or harm to the environment.
Disasters are costly in terms of loss of life, human suffering, and economic cost. Effective disaster management arrangements at local government level offer the potential to significantly reduce these costs and save lives.
Through the development of the Public Health Sub-Plan, Environmental Health Services section of Council addresses the public health needs of the affected community by ensuring that the following are provided in the case of a disaster:
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Adequate Safe Food and Portable Water
Potable Water supplies
The provision of a safe and adequate water supply is an essential resource that has to be established as a priority with consideration to the bacteriological; chemical, and physical conditions of water for human consumption.
Environmental Health personnel are responsible for ensuring existing water supplies are safe as well as determining new sources if needed in the event of a disaster. After a disaster hits, all water should be considered contaminated and requiring treatment prior to use until Environmental Health personnel have given the all clear.
Safe Food Supplies
 The provision of safe food to disaster affected communities is important to protect people from food borne illness when their immune system may be lower than normal.
During a disaster situation, Environmental Health personnel ensure local food businesses such as cafés, supermarkets and take-away shops are providing safe food by providing these businesses with support including information and advice about safe food handling practices and conducting inspections to ensure food is being handled in a safe and appropriate manner.
Environmental Health personnel will also ensure that any damaged or spoiled food is appropriately destroyed or disposed.
Adequate Shelter and Ablutions
Adequate Shelter
If a disaster strikes, some communities may be required to evacuate to alternative shelters. If this happens, Environmental Health personnel are responsible for ensuring such shelters are suitable to accommodate people before it can be opened as an evacuation centre. This includes appropriate provision of water, toilets, showers, power, kitchen facilities, living space and other necessities.
Townsville has a number of evacuation centres including community halls, schools and caravan parks. Listen to the local media, radio station and authorities during a disaster situation to find out which evacuation centres have been opened.
Ablution facilities
Ablution facilities such as toilets, latrines and showers are essential for every day living. When a disaster strikes and people are required to evacuate such facilities may be in short supply. Environmental Health personnel under the Public Health Sub-Plan are responsible for the adequate provision of ablution facilities to ensure hygiene standards are maintained in the community.
Inadequate ablution facilities can create many problems including the spread of disease or infection and the attraction of vermin.
Environmental Health personnel use guidelines and standards to ensure there are sufficient ablution facilities available depending on the size of the affected population.
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Adequate Protection from Disease
Safe disposal of refuse
 One of the primary aims of disposing of waste material is to prevent the transmission of disease and make areas safe and accessible. A disaster event creates a lot of waste which needs to be safely disposed of. Environmental Health personnel are involved in the selection of alternative sites for refuse disposal if existing landfill facilities become overwhelmed or are inaccessible.
Environmental Health personnel will consider a number of parameters for selecting a site including the terrain, soil quality, size of the area, availability of covering soil, height of the water table, accessibility by road, proximity to rivers, streams as wells as compliance with laws such as the Environmental Protection Act.
Examples of locations that have been used in the past in disaster affected communities include quarries and land adjacent to air-strips.
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Control of Vermin and Disease Transmitting Vectors
Vermin and disease transmitting vectors are an important public health concern following disasters such as flooding. Some examples of these vectors are flies, fleas, lice, mites, mosquitoes, and ticks.
It is important to note that natural disasters do not generate new diseases but may provide an ideal environment for the proliferation of that disease. Environmental Health personnel are involved in assessing the risk of disease transmission from vectors and determining control measures.
Another vital role carried out by Environmental Health personnel in times of disaster is the minimisation of risks to the community arising from biological, physical, chemical, and /or radiation hazards (i.e. explosion at a service station).
Disaster Factsheets
Further Information
For more information, please phone 4727 9000 or contact Environmental Health Services.
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