FRoM CoMMissioneR ATKinson - Queensland Police Service ...

Ready for
take off whenever
disaster strikes
Strategic coordination in
response to major events and
critical incidents, plus relevant
recovery tactics, are the
specialist fields handled by
the Disaster and Major Events
Planning Branch (DMEPB).
Beneath the umbrella of
DMEPB sit three teams who
focus their attention on the
specific units of the branch—
disaster management, major
event coordination and Police
Air Wing.
Acting Superintendent Peter
Owens, of the DMEPB, said
emergency responses to
natural disasters, coordination
of the police response
to visiting international
dignitaries, and the
transportation of high profile
prisoners were among the
variety of jobs managed by
these areas.
“Throughout the first half of
March we had an aircraft on
standby, ready to respond
to QPS needs in western
Queensland due to flooding,”
Acting Superintendent Owens
said.
“Air Wing responded
to requests from the
Toowoomba Regional Office
and we remained on standby
to transport officers to the
area, as well as coordinating
the safe evacuation of the
public.”
On March 2, the Major Events
section was responsible
for coordinating the police
response during the memorial
for the victims of the WWII
hospital ship Centaur, which
was recently located on the
sea bed.
“It was essentially a state
funeral and obviously a very
solemn occasion,” Acting
Superintendent Owens said.
“We responded to
information throughout the
day in relation to surrounding
dignitary visits while being
mindful of the presence of the
relatives of the victims of the
Centaur.
“It was important to observe
and be respectful of the
protocols for both the
relatives and the dignitaries.”
Last year, several officers from
the Disaster Management
team of DMEPB were
deployed to the flooded
northern policing region
following the aftermath of
Cyclone Ellie which wreaked
havoc in north Queensland.
The floods left many families
homeless due to the
inundation of water, and food
supplies were coordinated by
helicopter.
Police officers formed part
of the whole-of-government
District Disaster Management
Group, which coordinated
operations from Brisbane. The
group also included officers
from Australian Defence
Force, Hinchinbrook Shire
Council and the Department
of Communities.
Acting Superintendent
Owens said while the
Disaster Management team
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