Response plans are adequate, say emergency planners
Local emergency planners are confident that current flood emergency response plans for the Peninsula are adequate to cope with more intense storms and sea level rise caused by climate change.
While admitting no plan exists for sea level rise, they have said that a flood would not leave Peninsula residents stranded.
They were responding to a Senate committee report predicting sea levels could rise more than 80cm by the end of this century.
The report recommended urgent action to improve evacuation routes for coastal communities during extreme storms and flooding
Gosford Local Government Area SES controller Mr Rolf Garda, an SES volunteer for over 20 years, said: "If people were at risk, (we) would get there quite quickly."
"We have boats on the water; RFS, Police, Coastal Patrol and MSB, there's no shortage of players on the Central Coast for emergency response." Garda said.
However, Gosford mayor Cr Chris Holstein said combining flood with the impacts of rising sea levels required attention.
He said: "You'll have more impact to address the flood level ... than you will have with sea level."
Chair of Gosford Local Emergency Management Committee, Mr Robin Benson, said: "This is more on the horizon than any immediate threat ... so whilst the local SES have a local flood plan and we have a bush fire operations plan and a whole lot of other plans, there's certainly not been a plan developed for sea level rise."
Mr Benson said SES flood emergency response plans identify vulnerable members of the community.
Institutions such as hospitals, nursing homes and schools were listed in what is called a "vulnerable group" and contingency planning was in place, where evacuation may be necessary, he said.
In addition, institutions such as Brisbane Waters Private Hospital would have contingency plans, separate to the Local Flood Plan.
The SES is responsible for emergency response to coastal hazards including storm surge, coastal inundation and coastal erosion, as outlined in the Gosford Local Flood Plan.
Acting Manager for Planning in NSW State Emergency Service, Ms Belinda Davies said:
"That plan is currently under review to include some more details."
SES reviews its plans every five years.
When preparing for flood, Ms Davies said it was best to evacuate before flooding started.
"People need to evacuate well ahead of time ... listen to the warnings ... and be prepared to evacuate."
Mr Garda said boats were often used for emergency rescues and people could be rescued from the water if a severe flood required it.
In a flood, the SES advises people to move valuables off the floor, and move away from any flood hazards as safely as possible, by foot, not car, he said.
"It's the same thing with any sort of tsunami event, you've got a warning, logically you move your gear and retract to higher ground."
Mr Garda said the response was usually much less severe.
In a recent flood in Umina: "No one was at risk ... Council just opens the lagoon up and the water flows out ... any inundation on the road is only for a very short period of time."
Email, 30 Oct 2009
Gabby Greyem, Umina