With the 2025–26 wet season fast approaching, Cook Shire Council’s Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) recently came together for a Live Disaster Exercise to practise disaster coordination, communication and response ahead of the forthcoming extreme weather season.
The exercise simulated a tropical cyclone event that had caused severe flooding across parts of the Shire. The Disaster Coordination Centre was activated, and it was all hands on deck as the team worked through the process of taking calls from the community, coordinating responses, and ensuring information flowed smoothly between departments, agencies and the public.
Representatives from the Queensland Police Service, Queensland Ambulance Service and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) joined Council staff to test systems, strengthen relationships and refine communication channels. The collaborative exercise allowed the LDMG to identify strengths and areas for improvement in a realistic, hands-on setting.
The session formed part of Cook Shire Council’s ongoing commitment to disaster preparedness and resilience. Living in Far North Queensland means that extreme weather events are inevitable, and preparation is essential to ensuring an effective response when they occur. Exercises like this help ensure that systems, processes and personnel are ready to act quickly and efficiently when a real disaster strikes.
The Live Exercise also supported Cook Shire’s participation in the Queensland-wide Get Ready program, which encourages communities to take proactive steps in preparing for severe weather. Residents are reminded to prepare their own emergency plans, check insurance coverage, and stay informed through Council’s Disaster Dashboard and communication channels.
Cook Shire Council continues to work closely with state and federal agencies to strengthen disaster readiness across the region, ensuring the community is as well prepared as possible for the season ahead.
For more information about disaster preparedness, including how to make a household emergency plan and access local updates, visit the Disaster Dashboard.
