NSW SES FLOOD COMMUNITY FORUM REPORT 2021

Flood Location: Telegraph Point
Flood Event: NSW Floods 3rd March 2021 – 3rd April 2021
Forum Date: Monday 7th June 2021
Forum Location: Telegraph Point School of Arts
Facilitator: Greg Bellingham

16 people attended the two-hour Community Forum, which was held at Telegraph Point School of Arts (Community Centre) on the evening of Monday 7rd June 2021.
NSW SES Deputy Northern Zone Commander Tony Day was in attendance as was NSW SES Community Capability Officer Steve Lawrence who opened the Forum by:
• Acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land
• Welcoming all members of the community and recognising the ongoing long-term nature of the recovery process.
• Giving a short overview of the SES response to the event.
• Handing over to Greg Bellingham, Facilitator for the Forum who outlined the agenda and forum norms.

FORUM OBJECTIVES

The Forum was designed to:

1. To discuss the SES and community response to the recent flood
2. For the SES to hear feedback from the community
3. For the community to learn about the role of the local SES in a flood
4. Together to identify and address any issues or concerns
5. To plan a way forward to continue to work together to improve preparedness and response for future events

SUMMARY OF FLOOD EVENT AND SES RESPONSE

NSW SES provided an overview of the flood in terms of rainfall, river heights, timing of warnings and number of emergency requests for assistance for the NSW SES Port Macquarie Unit.

This was the biggest recorded flood on the Wilson River.

The river peaked at 4.51m at the Telegraph Point gauge, 8:00pm on Friday 19th March. This peak was larger than the previous flood of record set in 2009 at 4.03m. Estimated 1 in 100-year design flood level for Telegraph Point is 3.73m.

The flood was characterised by very quick river rises from minor levels Friday morning to major flooding Friday night.

Another feature was the prolonged nature of the event with heavy rain over 4 days producing an additional flood peak on the Wilson River at the Telegraph Point gauge of 3.7m on Sunday 21st March.

The NSW SES Port Macquarie Unit attended to 703 requests for assistance and 200 flood rescues during the flood event.

The March 2021 flood caused major economic, social and environmental impacts to Telegraph Point and surrounding rural areas.

SUMMARY OF MAIN THEMES

Strong community spirit and examples of community self-help:

• Providing emotional support to neighbours
• Passing on important information
• Providing advice, help and problem solving
• Physical practical help in moving/raising items

Accurate information on attending emergency services, clarity around when and where services will arrive and notification if they cannot meet their communicated intent.

Community Feedback

How well did we do in the floods score out of 10?
People were asked to rate out of 10 the SES and Community in terms of preparation for, response to and transition to recovery from the March Flood. (1 being poor, 10 being great)
Average for all the participants was 4.0 out of 10.

It is important to note that forum participants generally rated their own community response and support for each other highly and were positive about how they worked together.

The SES response was rated at a lower level. This may suggest a continual need to educate and inform the community of how the strategic partnership between the SES and community is best serviced and developed.

What went well?

SES Response
• SES aerial rescue.

Agencies Response
• Appreciation was expressed for a truly multi agency recovery support effort. Of mention was the ADF, Blaze Aid, RFS various church groups and the Mud Army.
• The residents expressed appreciation for free Tip access provided by Council. Similarly, the Council’s response was commended especially as it related to grading roads, rubbish collection and patching damaged roads.
• Recovery Hub (mobile) – Council Disaster relief resources.
• The ADF Chaplin was commended by residents for their contribution and support.
• The BOM website and various media outlets that covered flooding on Thursday and provided a general warning to the community.
• Essential Energy providing a generator to the Community Hall and Optus for providing mobile phones.

Community Response
• The community coming together and supporting each other. Of special mention was Rampage Marine and various locals who used their own heavy machinery to clear roads of debris.
• Locals using their own boats to help their fellow neighbours.
• Locals monitoring river and rain levels at upper Rollands Plains.
• Use of the Butter Factory as a staging point for the ADF.
• The general donation of food by the broader community.
• The community centre data base that monitored the welfare and various needs of people in remote communities.
• Telegraph Point locals communication with Settlement Point locals and providing updates and warnings.
• Broader business community support in provision of food and other essentials was excellent.

What were the concerns and/or gaps?

Communication and Coordination
• Communication was poor and was negatively impacted by power outages, limited phone or mobile capabilities, no satellite coverage and diminished capacity of solar capabilities given the prevailing weather.
• Upper Rollands Plains rain gauge reading was significantly incorrect.
• There was not enough detailed specific information across local radio, in the media in general and with the ABC coverage.
• The BOM rain prediction never reported anything above low to medium rainfall.
• Reconnection of communications took too long; this complaint was directed specifically at Telstra. The absence of alternate forms of communication was a problem (e.g. 2-way radios etc).
• Residents were deeply concerned by incorrect timeframes being communicated to people waiting for emergency assistance: “They just need to tell us the truth, that Emergency Services cannot come.”

NSW SES Evacuation Warnings and Orders
• There were no evacuation orders provided by the SES
• SES information that predicted minor to moderate flooding was misleading and inaccurate.
• Residents suggest that flood warnings need to come from Upper Rollands Plains, and it needs to account for the quick escalation of flood waters.
• Residents recalled calling three times and then waiting for a helicopter to aid evacuation and in the end had to swim for safety themselves, they suggest that the messaging should be definitive, yes, we can come or no we cannot.
• It was noted that Wilson River had no flood warning.
• It was considered that the school was not an appropriate evacuation point despite the fact that it previously had not been impacted by flooding.
• Residents suggest that resupply information, advice and management was lacking and needs improving.

Response Assistance
• Locals expressed concern about not being confident or able to rely on Emergency Services for help. This included the perception that police and FR personnel were standing around while people were negotiating flood waters unassisted.

General
• Residents noted that better information and advice should be given for the management/support of stock during the event.
• Marlo Merrican was flooded in on the Thursday and it was one week until access issues were resolved. This is an access concern for both residents and the council.
• Awareness around “At Risk” community members was deemed a priority and that an at risk register was required to ensure the safety of all local residents.
• Animals need to be part of a rescue, for some people these animals are their family.

Suggestions for Improvement

Communication
• Alternate communications need to be explored. e.g. BCP
• Communications system with Upper Rollands Plains to give warning of rain/river levels (non-power/internet dependent).
• The community needs better information and better communications about critical rainfall levels especially in Rollands Plains.

Other Agency Response Assistance
• Better warning systems need to be installed with automated triggers, this would include rainfall gauges, river gauges and BOM monitoring.
• BOM Radar for Port Macquarie and BOM warning system for Wilson river (predictive and based on upper catchment activity).

SES Response and Preparedness
• SES to develop more collection points for people needing to go to an evacuation centre.
• Explore the use of a mobile siren to serve as a warning system for residents.

Community Response and Preparedness
• Register of “At Risk” community members needs to be established and maintained.
• Similarly, a register of available community resources should be developed (e.g. generators, heavy machinery, skilled tradespeople and communications services including internet availability).

Other Response, Preparedness and transition to recovery suggestions
• Upgrade the facilities at the Community Hall so it can continue to serve as an assembly and evacuation point. This would include upgrading the kitchen, internet, showers and generators.

Action Plan

NSW SES has committed to undertaking the following:

1. The SES will make this report accessible to the local community through emailing it to all those who attended.
2. The SES will convene a local meeting to assess interest, establish terms of reference and engage local community representatives to create a local action plan from the information collected and articulated in this report.
3. Continue to run post event flood forums across the region similar to this one – to listen to community concerns, address issues in liaison with relevant other parties and help build community resilience.
4. The SES will make this report available to other agencies so that they can consider ways of improving their own preparedness, communication, response and transition to recovery.
5. The SES will continue to work with Council, Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) and other stakeholders to improve information (and access to it), warning systems (including communication of information, warnings and orders) and evacuation arrangements.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Steve Lawrence
NSW SES Community Capability Officer
0404828494
Steven.lawrence@ses.nsw.gov.au

This report is available for download here