Five new SES vehicles will be deployed across the Fraser Coast's six SES groups, with the fleet upgrade costing $328,610. Funding comes from the Queensland Government's SES Priority Fleet Replacement Grant Program, which paid for three vehicles, and from Council's Disaster Management and Resilience Levy, which paid for two. Mayor George Seymour said the vehicles would help volunteers respond safely to storms, floods and other emergencies. Residents are urged to prepare for storm season and can attend the free Get Ready Food n Groove event in Maryborough on Friday 30 October, from 4pm to 9pm.
Toowoomba Regional Council is urging residents and businesses to prepare for storm season before heavy rain arrives. Overland flow, rainwater running across the ground towards drains, creeks or rivers, can affect streets, parks and backyards well away from waterways. Council recommends keeping drains, gutters and flow paths clear, directing water away from buildings, and reviewing emergency plans. Residents can follow council's overland flow information and subscribe to its Disaster Dashboard for alerts and updates.
Somerset Regional Council will test its flood early warning sirens in Fernvale and Lowood on Thursday, 29 October, between 12pm and 1pm. CleanCo will run a separate siren test on Wivenhoe Somerset Road, downstream of Splityard Creek Dam, during the same hour. Mayor Jason Wendt said residents need take no action during the tests and should not be alarmed. The sirens may sound several times within the hour. The test is intended to confirm the system is fully working before the storm season.
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Suncorp claims data shows Queensland's severe storm hotspots have shifted across the state over the past five years. Maryborough and Gympie were the only two regions to appear repeatedly among the state's most affected locations. Bracken Ridge led in FY22, followed by Maryborough, Gympie, Runaway Bay and Manly West in later years. Suncorp's Anna Cartwright urged every Queensland household to prepare before storms arrive. Queensland SES's Danny Baade advised households to know their risk, make an emergency plan and clear gutters.
Endeavour Energy is urging Illawarra residents to prepare their homes before storm season begins this spring. Strong winds, thunderstorms and heavy rain can damage powerlines and poles, causing outages. The utility's Anthony Baerwinkel said coastal areas are particularly vulnerable, with these events more common from October to March. Residents are advised to secure outdoor items, clean gutters, charge devices and keep an emergency supply of water, food and medication. People should treat fallen powerlines as live and stay at least eight metres away from them.
