New focus for local storm clean-up
Key steps launch long road to recovery
A roadmap to recovery is being fine-tuned as Logan City Council continues to support thousands of residents battered by the elements over the holiday season.
The recovery is expected to take weeks rather than days. In some of the worst-impacted areas of the city’s southwest, it could take months.
Council’s Local Recovery Group (LRG) has been meeting to finalise the phased recovery plan as it progressively takes the lead in coming days from the disaster response effort.
The LRG will work closely with the Australian and Queensland governments, emergency services and other agencies to facilitate social and financial support for those impacted by storms and floods as well as delivering a massive clean-up program that includes infrastructure repairs and inspections.
Matters being actioned by Council include:
- Ensuring all impacted residents, businesses and farmers are made aware of, and can access, all available hardship funding and support.
- How to best deploy Logan’s allocation from the 50 Australia Defence Force (ADF) personnel assigned to the South East Queensland region from later this week.
- How to best utilise manpower and machinery resources offered by Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF). DRA staff, who will carry identification and will not ask for any kind of payment, are authorised to enter private property to assist in clean-ups. ADF personnel focus on critical infrastructure in public spaces.
- Continuing the extensive program of clearing fallen trees and vegetation on roads and Council-managed parks and reserves. A staged approach is being used. Initial works are focussed on providing access to blocked areas as soon as possible. Some vegetation is being removed but crews are also pushing debris to the roadside to open blocked lanes. Crews will return at a later date to remove or chip the fallen vegetation left behind.
- How to integrate planned kerbside clean-ups in some south-western suburbs over coming weeks into the overall storm/flood clean-up.
Re-opening block roads is a priority
Mayor Darren Power urged everyone to be understanding and patient.
“We have seen from the strong turnout at the Jimboomba Community Hub in recent days that there are many people facing very challenging times and we are doing everything we can to help,” Councillor Power said.
“With the extra resources and manpower arriving to support Council teams and services, we can get the recovery moving faster and get as many people back in their homes as soon as possible.
“It is going to take time and I urge anyone who is doing it tough, either financially or mentally as a result of the events of the last fortnight, please reach out as assistance and support is available.”
Vegetation cleanup in Mundoolun
As at noon on Wednesday, January 3, key information for the community included:
- More than 400 people attended the Community Recovery Hub at Jimboomba yesterday. Hot showers and free laundry services are available again today. The hub, located in the Jimboomba Library and Community Centre on Honora St, provides a place for residents to engage with Community Recovery staff, receive referrals for community and government agencies, apply for hardship grants and receive insurance information. Support for residents impacted by storms, blackouts or flooding is available through the Community Recovery Hotline – 1800 173 349 – or online.
- A pop-up Community Recovery Hub will open at Cedar Grove from tomorrow (Thursday, January 4). It will operate out of the Landcare Environmental Centre, 441 Cedar Grove Rd, from 9am-4pm through to Sunday, January 7.
- Financial recovery assistance is now available for primary producers in the City of Logan impacted by the Christmas storms. Assistance includes:
- Concessional loans of up to $250,000
- Essential working capital loans of up to $100,000 at a concessional interest rate
- Freight assistance of up to $5000
- Details are online
- Forecast moderate and minor flood peaks for the Logan and Albert river catchments have now passed. Both rivers and major tributaries, including Slacks Creek, Scrubby Creek and the Upper Oxley Creek, remain swollen and some roads are still impacted. For the latest information go to the Logan disaster dashboard. Real-time images of flood impacted roads are available through Council’s safety camera network. For safety, please remember, if it is flooded, forget it.
- Energex reports around 1800 customers are still without power across the City of Logan. Work is continuing to reconnect homes to the network or generated power. For outage updates go online
- Logan SES received more than 100 calls in the last 24 hours with only 10 jobs outstanding this morning. Anyone needing SES assistance should call 132 500. If the situation is life-threatening, call 000.
- Sandbags are available for local residents at the Logan East State Emergency Services Depot at 26-36 Winnetts Rd; Daisy Hill; SES Logan Village, 1464 Waterford Tamborine Rd, Logan Village and Beenleigh Showgrounds, Milne St. While some filled bags are available at Logan Village, residents are advised to bring their own shovels if using other venues.
- Road debris and road closures can be reported to Council on 3412 3412. All non-urgent requests can be reported online
- Restoring roads is Council’s priority. Some Council parks are closed and will remain so until flood water subside, the ground dries and more resources become available to remove fallen vegetation and complete safety inspections. Signs indicate if a park is closed.
- To assist with the clean-up, residents can dispose of storm-related waste at Council’s transfer stations at no cost. The Browns Plains transfer station is the preferred location and loads greater than two cubic metres must be taken there. Council’s waste contractor Cleanaway continues to collect general, recycling and green waste wheelie bins where possible. If a bin is missed, residents are advised to leave the bin out, if it is safe to do so, and it will be collected as soon as possible. To report a missed bin, go online or call 3412 3412.
- Council’s immunisation clinic scheduled for Jimboomba tomorrow (Thursday, January 4), has been cancelled. Those who booked in will be contacted.