Community connections keep us safe in crisis…a lesson I learnt from Landsborough Coffee Group (LCG)
The fire here in Landsborough last week was fast moving and scary. Firefighters and police did an amazing job keeping our community safe. But getting correct, up to date facts was hard. Texts, calls, videos, pics and posts from community connections helped keep us safe.
📣 Public information – slow and generic
When the fire peaked Saturday afternoon, local radio hadn’t started emergency warnings. Community socials had dramatic pictures but few facts on fire location, wind directions, evacuation centres and expected changes. Police and QFES socials showed fire burning and warning level, but the information (yellow blinking triangle) felt generic and hard to relate to.
📶 Local community connections work
I turned to my Landsborough Coffee Group (LCG) friends for fire news and updates. Around 6 of us live in different parts of town and we communicate via a chat Messenger group. See this link: https://buff.ly/3QGChFG to learn about LCG. Sean Smith Bright Leisa Kelly Ridgewell Liza Southern
⏳ Sharing time, location and details help inform
One friend posted a video from the firefront, Emergency crews bulldozing trees and making a fire break. Critically, she gave the time and location of the video. This gave us a snapshot of the extent of the fire in the most dangerous spot.
👭 Friends know friends that help
Another LCG member called and shared fire news from a firefighter working the fire front. This told us the direction the fire was moving and helped us judge the personal risk level.
🆘 Reach out and offer help
Saturday night I called a LCG member closer to the fire hotspot – “how’s things?” I asked. “We’re packed and ready to leave”. I shared all I knew from other LCG members about the fire situation, expected winds. I told her “I’ll leave my phone on tonight. We’re all here if you need help.”
📹 Finding and sharing facts can help
Next morning, I heard helicopters, planes and sirens. Local radio was reporting emergency but risk level was confusing. Local community socials were full of banter and kindness but little factual information. The wind was gusty and hot.
I jumped in my car and drove across town. I saw racing fire trucks. I saw smoke clouds swirling with the wind and heat of the fire. Noisy helicopters hovered above me doing water fill-ups. I stopped at a coffee van. I asked a couple of police officers “what’s the latest?”. They said “ the fire is mostly under control. The wind is expected to turn the fire back towards Landsborough in the next hour.”
I took photos on the drive home and shared pics showing smoke and fire damage with facts from police via LCG.
👥 Camaraderie helps
That night, I got a LCG text “we’re headed to the pub – anyone interested? House ok as far as we know but 6 fire trucks there”. Now, that was a communication I needed to respond to 😊. Build community connection… start where you are. Do what you can
