Available for Comment
Radio - Live, Pre-recorded and Talkback, TV, Print
Mr River Night
Leading National Disability Sector Advocate
Co-founder at Developing Australian Communities
Public Officer at the National Disability Leadership Organisation
Mr Night is physically located in Brisbane this week
Mr Night is an adult Living with Disability, a National Disability Sector Advocate, carer, father and outspoken supporter for reform and improvements in the Disability and NDIS sector with a 30+ year career working across Disability, Youth Justice, Guardianship, Child Safety, Education, TAFE, Aged Care, Forensics Disability and Mental Health sectors.
"NDIS has resulted in thousands of new service providers, independent operators, staff and many new organisations that have never found themselves in a position to prepare and manage a severe weather event while maintaining service continuity", said Mr Night today.
"While we have seen many people engage independent contractors to save a dollar, the fact remains that when emergencies happen these people lack the infrastructure and safety net that organisations provide.
"The NDIS model has encouraged many 'mum and dad' and opportunistic individuals that have no significant disability or community sector management experience to create and run services for our most vulnerable. This creates risks.
"In just a few weeks we are getting ready for Qld's laregst Disability and NDIS related event for 2025 at the Brisbane Convention Centre.
"We hope everyone stays safe and we look forward to seeing everyone after the big clean up at the 2025 Disability Connection Expo, sponsored by GNA Services.
Brisbane Expo 2025 – Developing Australian Communities
"With cyclone Alfred 22U heading towards Brisbane and populated areas in SE Qld, our Co-founder and National Disability Sector Advocate, Mr River Night shared some tips and advice for all those providers and staff getting ready to support participants through some scary weather.
Organisations and Independent Contractors
- Do you have disaster and emergency plans?
- Do staff know them and are they individualised for participants?
- Print out hard copies of important files and plans, particpant details and instructions as backs when power goes out
- Have a phone tree ready for emergencies like trades people, maintenance, window, roof, and basic building fixes, water management equipment and cleaning contacts because water goes off fast and creates health problems
- Plan check in systems for all sites even if its just a call – don’t expect front line staff that are managing emergencies to do all the thinking – on-call needs to step back and help make decisions
- It is your job to meet obligations to staff and participants
- Expect high anxiety and moods, disruption to routines and prepare sites with activities, distractions, resources and be proactive with participants that have intellectual disabilities and talk through and explain what is happening – you may need some visual aids and resources to help
- Stock up on PPE and personal items participants and staff may need
- Prepare for the worst and hope for the best
- Contact local police and emergency services and make sure if they have systems to flag your site that you check they have your details updated
Staff and HR
- What staff live closest to participants that can cover shifts versus those needing to travel
- Establish agreements with partner organisation and staffing agencies in case backup staff are needed
- What staff have availability and less commitments than others – eg my staff that live 10 minutes away with no pets or significant family commitments may put up their hand to help cover emergency shifts if staff living on acreage in flood areas with lots of animals find them selves stuck at home and need to manage emergencies
- Sometime sites get locked off by floods and damage so if there is a high likely hood of it occurring create a roster with staff that are prepared for longer shifts if they get stuck
- Make sure to remind all staff and participants to keep mobiles charged and have back up battery banks for mobiles – if the power goes out this may be the only way to communicate
- Remind staff to pack additional clothes and food just in case
- Remind staff to plan transport and risks for flooding and poor weather between home and work
Participants
- Know who is in flood zones
- Don’t just plan for physical risks and logistics – psychosocial supports, behaviour, anxiety and emotional supports are a major focus – keep the tone calm and focused as much as possible
- Have evacuation plans and locations to go to – don’t rely just on motels and hotels as everyone else will also
- Get medication and scripts filled now ahead of time and stock up on continence aids, products like ensure and food
- Relocate early if there is a high likely hood of flooding
- Have evacuation plans that are practical and doable – people using wheelchairs, breathing and suction machines, that require special bedding and hoists will need batteries and equipment evacuated also
- When taking equipment remember to take the chargers and cords
- Prepare bags and resources – have a go bag in the car or ready at the door
- Pre charge batteries and assume the power will go out at some point
- Have plenty of touches – solar garden lights from bunnings are great also inside if the power goes out – grab them and bring them inside if they have charge and save your torches
- Stock up but don’t buy 200 rolls of toilet paper as everyone will need stocks
- Check in with neighbours and make sure you have their correct numbers for an emergency and see who is around you – ask long term residents what the location has experienced before with big weather events – tap into local knowledge
- Assume ambulance and emergency services will be busy and plan ahead to avoid needing to rely too much on external services unless absolutely necessary
Key Facts:
Brisbane Expo 2025 – Developing Australian Communities
Facebook link to video for providers bracing for this week's weather https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Cy72YDfiz/
Youtube link https://youtu.be/0C_U_mPPEVI?si=DjXI5NneX0lrcrnA
Mr River Night on LinkedIn (4) Mr River Night | LinkedIn
Stay up to date Australia's official weather forecasts & weather radar - Bureau of Meteorology
Contact details:
For interviews and comment
M 0401429403
media@dacexpo.com.au
