Summer in Australia – the beaches, the pool parties, cricket in the park, the smell of suntan cream and neighbourhood bar-b-ques..... ahhh summer in Australia holds such sweet memories for many of us from years gone by. Over recent years expectations of fun and enjoyment have changed to feelings of anxiety – floods, bushfires, heatwaves, drought, cyclones... This is the summer that we may now face but are you ready for it?

Already in the past weeks and months, we have suffered severe bushfires that have destroyed homes and properties, and flooding that has ruined people’s lives and it’s not officially summer here as yet. 

The loss of property can be devastating. We can be proactive in trying to protect our properties, clearing vegetation from around our homes in case of fire and ensuring drains are clear in case of floods etc. 

Worse than the distressing loss of property is when lives are lost or people suffer horrendous physical injuries from these disasters. 

Evacuation can be a very traumatic time for anyone leaving behind precious items and treasured memories apart from the physical aspect of actually packing a few things and going. 

Those of us with disabilities tend to be well organised for most occasions after all going on a simple picnic can take on military organisational proportions with at least a week’s notice and that is if we are well enough, the weather is perfect and we have organised transport that is practical and reliable for us. 

Unfortunately, during periods of disaster, the notice the public receives varies with the particular situation and whilst the government does its best to give people as much notice as possible, we know that evacuation orders can be immediate and this can be a harrowing time, especially for the disabled population. 

We all know many things can go wrong for those of us with disabilities on a normal day in the community – the train station is unattended so there’s no ramp available. The footpath is closed due to a water main leak so we have to navigate onto a road, there are no taxis available for the next 3 hours and our appointment is in 45 minutes. 

Now imagine in the case of an evacuation order everyone, those who are disabled or non-disabled, have to make plans immediately and evacuate.

There are many resources online to help in preparing for disasters and a simple Google search of “disaster planning for people with disabilities” will show many of these resources. 

There is also a face-to-face program called Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness (P-CEP) that is being run by several disability organisations and councils throughout parts of Australia. This program as its name indicates assists people with a disability to have an individual emergency plan that is centred on their particular needs. For instance, someone who is visually impaired does not require the same vehicle to transport them as someone using a power wheelchair. 

The Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN) in conjunction with the University of Sydney are also running a P-CEP Peer Leadership Program to train more people in QLD, NSW, ACT, SA and WA to become peer leaders to run more of these courses within their local communities. I will be undertaking this training later this year and am looking forward to it immensely. 

This country of ours is beautiful but can become very dangerous as we know. Please, please even if you feel you cannot be affected by any type of disaster, spend some time looking at the resources I’ve mentioned above and discuss any concerns or ideas with your support network. You never know – it may save your life. 

ABOUT ME

Bill is a husband, father and grandfather who lives in the central Queensland town of Maryborough. Bill is an ambulant wheelchair user following two failed surgeries. He is very passionate about disability rights and is a member of the Fraser Coast Council’s Inclusive Access Advisory Committee. Bill enjoys wheelchair basketball, photography, woodwork and spending time with his family. You can find Bill on Twitter/X @bilfulaAU