Emergency & Important Contacts

Warnings and other emergency information are available to local radio and television stations for broadcast. Tune into your local radio station for the latest emergency information:

• ABC Far North — 106.7FM, 95.7FM, 720AM
• 4AM — 558AM, 91.3FM
• HIT FM — 97.9FM
• Black Star — 91.9FM
• KIK FM — 88.7FM, 87.3FM

The Standard Emergency Warning Signal (SEWS) is an audible signal broadcast via media in an emergency situation. This would typically occur in an area where a tropical cyclone of category 3 or stronger is expected to affect a community within 12 hours. If you hear the SEWS siren you should stop what you are doing and listen very carefully — your life may depend on it!

Social Media

• Facebook.com/TablelandsRegionalCouncil

For general enquiries contact the Senior Advisor Disaster Management on  during office hours.

A member of the Local Disaster Management Group is available to speak to school groups, non-government and volunteer organisations and other agencies interested in disaster management measures.

Emergency Communication Network

Experience from disasters like Cyclones Larry and Yasi led to the development of an emergency community communications network for the Atherton Tablelands. Normal communication channels, such as landlines, mobile phones and the internet, can fail during or immediately after a disaster. If they fail, the UHF Citizen’s Band radio network (UHF-CB) is a good alternative. UHF-CB Channel 10 is designated as the alternative initial contact for use in a disaster event, or when standard communications, such as landlines and mobiles, have failed. This is not meant to replace normal communication channels, but to provide a backup or alternative system if required.

UHF-CB

UHF-CB is accessible to the general community without the need for a license, making it widely available and relatively inexpensive. UHF-CB Channel 10 is the alternative initial contact for disaster events, or when standard communications fail. It is not meant to replace normal communication channels, but to provide a back-up or alternative if required.

Community on Channel 10

In the event of a complete communication failure, people requiring assistance or with information on potential hazards may be able to contact others in the community.

For this system to work, everyone with a two-way radio needs to be listening on UHF-CB Channel 10 when standard communications fail. This applies to residents as well as visitors and travellers, many of whom have CB radio sets in their vehicles. Owning a radio and using Channel 10 is not a guarantee of help, but it does improve chances of contacting others.

In some communities, the initial contact channel may be monitored by members of Community Disaster Teams and other volunteer groups assisting during and after disaster events.

VHF/UHF Amateur Radio Club

• For information on floods and cyclones visit Bureau of Meteorology.
• For bushfire warnings and incidents visit Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.
• For information on preparing for, responding to and recovering from disaster events visit Queensland Government Disaster Management.
• For assistance during storms or floods contact the State Emergency Service (SES) or 13 25 00 (24 hours)
• Satellite Map (Australia)
• Satellite Map (Queensland)