Preparing for Extreme Weather
by Volunteering Queensland Board Director and Treasurer Richard Williams

Di Morgan speaks to the ABC about the future of volunteering

Australia’s emergency management system is at the heart of our response to major floods, cyclones and bushfires. We have relied on this system for generations to get us through natural catastrophes, and volunteers play a vital role because they are mobilised when big events occur.

The problem is – the emergency response system has evolved to cope with a “business as usual” outlook, whereas scientists and insurers point out that more and more intense extreme weather events are on the cards because of climate change.

Just like the weather is changing, Australian society needs to mobilise in different ways to respond. Our wonderful emergency volunteer base is aging, and Gen X and Y seem to prefer helping out event by event rather than attending regular training sessions.

The good news is we have all of the ingredients to produce a flexible, modern emergency management system. Our business community is willing and able to help, our communities well-developed, and our democratic traditions help people to fully participate if they want to. Volunteers will always play a critical role in protecting the community during natural disasters. 

What is the best way for us to prepare for extreme weather events?  Green Cross is very lucky to have the support of Volunteering Queensland to help us build optimal climate preparedness, and we believe their ideas are of great value to the nation.

Di Morgan is the CEO of Volunteering Queensland which manages Australia’s largest interactive volunteer database. The Volunteering Queensland team have been thinking about Australia’s emergency management system and how volunteers fit into the picture with climate change impacts growing.

'Preparing for Extreme Weather' is an article written by Volunteering Queensland Board Director and Treasurer Richard Williams. It addresses some smart, simple, low cost ways that we can boost our national emergency response system. It can be downloaded from the Resources section to the right.