CASSOWARY COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL CYCLONE

RECOVERY NEWSLETTER – EDITION 5 – FEB 15

See inside for cyclone advice and information

A message from the Mayor Cr Bill Shannon:

Now that we are moving from the response to the recovery phase we
are facing an even harder task. The initial response phase was all about
opening roads, restoring power and water supply and ensuring all those
people affected were safe. We can allocate resources into these areas
but what we face now is a much harder task.

For those residents still displaced, or those with no electricity or other

services, we are doing absolutely everything we can to solve these
issues. Both the Federal and State governments have been called on for
assistance.

There are of course other issues that will be faced in the coming weeks.
Issues of employment and insurance, and concerns about the future will
affect everyone differently but we need to be aware of the trauma some
residents still face. I'd like to thank everyone for their patience and
understanding and for their help. Thanks also to those outsiders who
have come to our assistance. Now I'm asking for the same patience,
understanding and resilience to be applied in the recovery and
reconstruction phase. I'm sure the people of the Cassowary Coast region
will understand and respond in the same fashion as they have to the
initial disaster.

Thank you,
Bill Shannon, Mayor, Cassowary Coast Regional Council

*** For advice and assistance on all cyclone-related matters, people can continue
to ring the Disaster Coordination Centre on 1300 188 505. ***
ACCOMMODATION - COMMUNITY RECOVERY LINE - 1800 173 349

The two evacuation centres at Tully are now closed but the Cardwell Community Hall
remains open. There are still 16 people in the Cardwell evacuation centre. Karen
Struthers, the State Minister for Housing and Community Services, says 150 people
have taken up the offer for accommodation in hotels, apartments and caravan parks
locally. Temporary housing is being sourced. The 40-bed self-contained camp at the
Tully Showgrounds is being used by emergency workers from all over the country
who are helping with the recovery effort but as more becomes available families will
be relocated into temporary housing. Rentals and existing government housing in
the Innisfail area is also being used and the Department of Communities is working
with the council to identify as many vacancies as they can.

Ms Struthers says demountable factory-built houses will be brought into these

affected communities as soon as possible. 1600 properties were damaged after
Cyclone Yasi. Three hundred and forty received minor damage and about the same
number received severe damage and are not liveable. Many families have sourced
their own accommodation with friends and family.

ARMY

The 800 troops who proved indispensable in the recovery effort have now returned
to Townsville. Mayor Bill Shannon commends the army and says they’ve completed
all they have been tasked to do. Most public access routes have been cleared and
public infrastructure such as schools is now safe to use.

As we move from the response to reconstruction stage, it is now up to local workers

to take up the challenge as the focus is now on boosting our local economy and
giving jobs to locals. Many of the soldiers who assisted are now getting ready for
active tours of duty.

The army has worked throughout the region, clearing up in Tully, El Arish, Tully and
Hull Heads, Silkwood, Mission Beach, Kurrimine Beach, Cowley Beach and Cardwell.

ASBESTOS - 4030 2222

The State Government has agreed to help in the clean up and removal of asbestos in
the Tully Heads- Hull Heads area where building rubble is widespread because of
storm surge.
It’s important that all areas affected are thoroughly assessed by experts.

An asbestos specialist team, contracted by the Cassowary Coast Regional Council,

has been working in the Tully Heads region since Saturday. The attention is focused
on the safety and wellbeing of workers and residents.
The Minister for Public Works Robert Schwarten announced on Tuesday (Feb 15)
Public Works asbestos experts had been sent to help with the asbestos clean-up.
ASBESTOS CONTINUED
Cassowary Coast Mayor Bill Shannon said that suspected asbestos contamination
had unfortunately slowed the clean up effort at Tully Heads. A number of
contractors and council officers have worked their way along the streets in the Tully
Heads region. Workers are taking all the bagged asbestos and machinery is picking
up the debris and a couple of inches of soil. The asbestos experts will work their way
north to Hull Heads.

Special fact sheets are going out to residents, who are urged to only remove
asbestos if it is already broken and dislodged. In doing so they should follow the
strict safety guidelines.

Asbestos kits with masks and latex gloves, and plastic for double wrapping, is
available at the Tully Civic Centre. Call 4030 2222 to register any asbestos issues.

SAFETY GUIDELINES
* Wear protective clothing like gloves and masks.
* Keep the material wet.
* Place the pieces into a thick plastic bag, and then into another one (called double
bagging) and to seal the bag with a knot or tape.
* Label the bag - "Caution - Asbestos"
* Place the bags on the kerbside, separate to green waste and rubble.

BOIL WATER ALERT

Water should continue to be boiled for one minute on a rolling boil for anyone living
south of Liverpool Creek. Contamination has been detected in the water supply so
until further notice continue boil the tap water.
For those people south of Liverpool Creek who do not have the facilities to boil their
water, drinking water is being trucked in or is available at businesses.
Water can be picked up at Cardwell Community Hall, Tully’s Igloo in the
showgrounds, Tully Heads Community Centre, Jumbun Community Centre, Mission
Beach Police Station, Kurrimine Beach Police Station, The El Arish Tavern and
Silkwood Police Station.

BUSINESS ASSISTANCE - 1800 173 349

There are a range of assistance packages available to help businesses affected by
Cyclone Yasi.
All information is available on this website: www.communities.qld.gov.au or
www.disasterassist.gov.au for federal government information.

CENTRELINK - 1802266
Centrelink can be contacted for emergency relief payments between 8am and 8pm.
Centrelink staff are also at Recovery Centres and outreach centres in the
communities
DENGUE FEVER
There are 17 confirmed cases and another 17 pending.
These cases are so far contained in the East Innisfail area and all efforts are being
made to keep it isolated. Qld Department of Health and council workers are spraying
affected areas. Traps are also in place to lure and kill the adult mosquitoes to help
break the breeding cycle. Residents are asked to assist by not leaving water around
in palm fronds and containers.
Residents are advised to use insect repellent and mosquito coils, and indoor surface
spray, and to check their yards for breeding sites.

ELECTRIC ANTS
Have been seen in Bingil Bay. Mayor Bill Shannon says special processes are
underway in relation to moving vegetation. It’s important that in the cyclone
recovery process we don’t spread electric ants through the community. Two streets
have been isolated in this area. They are Plumb Street and Bicton Close. Residents in
these areas are urged not to remove green waste at this time.

ELECTRICITY/POWER SUPPLY
It’s been an enormous issue. There are 600 Ergon workers on the ground. It’s
anticipated all areas north of Innisfail will be reconnected in the next day or so.
The plan is for all supply to be returned by the end of the month. There are 82
generators currently operating mainly supplying public areas and business precincts.

LOCAL CONTRACTORS
The council is using local contractors wherever possible.
Mayor Bill Shannon says Council will primarily use its current list of contractors,
along with additions who have contacted the council in the past few days indicating
they have backhoes, trucks or certain skills that were required in the clean-up effort.

QLD FIRE & RESCUE

The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service has scaled back to normal operations. A
priority is to conduct checks in budget accommodation.

ROADS
The road network has been fully inspected and there is at least one-lane access on all
council roads.

SES 132500
Despite many local SES workers having to return to work, the State Emergency
Service has ramped up its efforts, with 284 volunteers on the ground. Fourteen
volunteers have arrived from Weipa and are now on the ground in Tully.
A total of 2700 requests for assistance have been lodged with the SES. 1944 have
been completed. Anyone requiring assistant should contact is 132500.
WASTE DISPOSAL
Normal collection services have resumed for most of the Cassowary Coast region
except for the Tully Heads and Hull Heads region where collections will now be made
on alternate days.

A dozen extra 240 litre bins have been placed on the main streets in Tully Heads and
Hull Heads. Residents should leave their bins on the roadside.

The region’s transfer stations are open for all normal waste and cyclone debris
(except Stoters Hill re cyclone debris). They can be used at no cost.

The removal of kerbsite waste such as rubble will begin as soon as assessments are
carried out on any hazardous material. Green waste removal has begun and it will
be mulched and made available to the public. Along with the permanent transfer
stations located at Cardwell, Tully, Hull Heads, Murray Upper, Mission Beach, Bells
Creek near El Arish and Stoters Hill at Innisfail, extra sites have been established:

Tully: The council reserve on Anderson St beside the council depot for green waste.
For cyclone debris, trailers and utes can go to the council reserve on Aerodrome Rd
while trucks should go to the Tully landfill on Tully Gorge Rd.

Mission Beach: Trucks with green waste go to the car park area at MARCS Park.

El Arish: Area near Council depot, trailers and utes (green waste & cyclone debris).

Kurrimine Beach: The old landfill on Waldock Rd for green waste only.

Mena Creek: Sharpies Park for green waste only.

Innisfail: The old high school site on Stitt St for green waste only.

For advice and assistance on all cyclone-related matters,

people can continue to ring the DISASTER COORDINATION
CENTRE on 1300 188 505.