Industry-Focused Disaster Management Forums

Target audiences:
Aged care providers, agriculture and livestock operators, small businesses, tourism operators, caravan parks and campgrounds.

What it looks like:
Host a half-day or evening forum tailored to a specific industry, focusing on local disaster risks, continuity planning and lessons learned from past events.

Cost-saving opportunities:

• Use council-owned venues such as community halls, civic centres or council conference rooms
• Invite internal emergency management, local SES, RFS or council disaster staff as speakers
• Make sure you have a keynote speaker like your Mayor or other community leaders
• Provide light catering (tea/coffee, sandwiches) through a local supplier or council contract

Estimated cost: $2,000–$4,000
 

Small Business Disaster Readiness Breakfast or Evening Session

What it looks like:
Bring multiple industries together for a short, high-impact session with guest speakers and facilitated discussion on shared risks and response coordination.

Keynote speakers could include:

• Mayor or Deputy Mayor
• Local Disaster Management Group Chair
• Respected local business or industry leader
• Community recovery or emergency services representative

Cost-saving opportunities:

• Council venue and AV
• Speakers drawn from local leadership (no speaker fees)
• Simple breakfast or grazing platters

Estimated cost: $2,500–$5,000
 

Council-Hosted Agriculture Industry roundtables with a Big Map exercise

What it looks like:
Invite key local operators from one industry to a roundtable discussion on disaster risks, interdependencies and local solutions.

Cost-saving opportunities:

• Local Cattle Sale yards, Council boardroom or civic centre
• Tea/coffee and light refreshments only
• No external facilitators required

Estimated cost: up to $5,000 for the printing of the big map
**Contact Get Ready Queensland to find out how to order a big map for your local government area

Industry-Specific Site Walk-Throughs or Tours

What it looks like:
Council facilitated on-site visits (e.g. caravan parks, camp sites, resorts and hotels) to discuss risk, mitigation and response considerations in real-world settings, alongside emergency services.

Cost-saving opportunities:

• No venue hire
• Council staff and local emergency services lead discussions with business owners
• Identify actual risks and provide planning considerations for park owners to implement ahead of the next severe weather event.

Stakholders:

• Involve your colleagues for example, if the site is backing on to bushland, take a Bushfire Safety Officer along with you from  QFD or Rural Fire Brigade. 

Estimated cost: $3,000 promotion through social media and a direct mail out inviting business owners to contact council to book in a site visit.
 

Tourism-Specific Workshops (Small Group Format)

What it looks like:
Run focused workshops for individual sectors (e.g. caravan parks or aged care providers) to work through evacuation planning, business continuity and communication challenges.

Cost-saving opportunities:

• Council staff facilitate using existing templates
• Use council meeting rooms or community centres
• Print simple worksheets in-house

Keynote speakers could include:

• Mayor or Deputy Mayor
• Local Disaster Management Group Chair
• Trusted Emergency Services Agencies involved in evacuation (SES, QPS, Queensland Ambulance Service) 

Estimated cost: $1,500–$3,000 per workshop
 

Aged Care Emergency Evacuation & Disaster Response Forum

Budget: Up to $5,000

A dedicated forum for aged care facility staff across the Local Government Area to receive clear, consistent and authoritative information directly from emergency services about evacuation, response roles and responsibilities during a disaster.

What it looks like

Host a half-day or extended morning forum bringing together staff from all residential aged care facilities within the LGA. The session focuses on what happens when a disaster escalates to a full evacuation scenario — including what emergency services can and cannot do, expectations of providers, and how coordination works in real events.

This forum supports staff to better understand decision-making processes,  uncertainty during emergencies and strengthens relationships between aged care providers, council and emergency services.

Key topics covered

• Local disaster risks and escalation triggers
• Evacuation decision-making: who decides and when
• What emergency services can and cannot provide during evacuations
• Roles and responsibilities of aged care providers
• Transport, staffing, medication and resident care considerations
• Communication during an evacuation event
• Lessons learned from past disasters

Speakers

• Local emergency services representatives (SES, QFES, QAS, Police)
• Council disaster management staff
• Local Disaster Management Group representative
• Optional welcome or opening remarks from the Mayor or Councillor

Cost-saving opportunities

• Use a council-owned conference centre, civic centre or community hall
• Leverage emergency services and council staff as speakers (no fees)
• Use existing AV equipment
• Promote digitally through council and industry networks
• Provide digital resources and QR codes instead of printed packs

Estimated budget breakdown (up to 80 attendees)

• Venue hire: $0 (council-owned facility)
• Catering (morning tea or light lunch): $2,000–$2,800
• Event materials, signage and name tags: $300–$500
• Accessibility considerations (print resources, program/agenda): $200–$300
• Contingency: $200–$400

Total: Under $5,000