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Earlier this month, South-east Queensland and North-east New South Wales experienced a category 2 cyclone, the first to make landfall since 1974. Most might not know this, but a large amount of Inclusion Tree’s participants and staff live in this area, so this event deeply impacted us. We have an odd 300 participants in this area alone who were affected by Cyclone Alfred, whose well-being is our top priority. After the storm, we look back over the past couple of weeks and can say we rose to the occasion.
First a bit of back story, in 2022, before Inclusion Tree was created, most of our current staff and founders worked in similar roles in the same area, most notably the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. As most remember, the area was devastated by a flood due to prolonged rainfall thanks to a longer-than-average La Niña season. The flooding destroyed homes and businesses, not to mention profoundly affecting participants in the area. Now, in 2025, facing a similar situation, thanks to advanced warnings, and experience, staff were able to come up with plans and tactics to help participants through the weather event.
This time around, knowing what enormous amounts of rainfall meant for the area and with advanced warning about the storm, we were able to do a lot of prep work before it hit.
“Whereas with the 2022 floods, we were in recovery mode. We were trying to scramble to find supports.” Lisa Zulfiqar.
Part of our early prep work included setting up a “Working Group.” This was a group of our staff who were either in the affected area or outside the area and had the capacity to lend a hand. The Working Group contacted our participants to ensure their safety and readiness. Our approach focused on thorough, compassionate communication broken into several key conversations.
Initial Check-Ins:
The first step was checking in with our participants to assess their well-being and confirm whether they needed immediate support. This initial conversation laid the foundation for understanding their needs during the crisis.
Evacuation Support:
We then discussed evacuation plans if needed, asking if they had somewhere safe to go and whether they needed assistance reaching out to family, friends, or support networks. We also checked if they had the means to evacuate and whether their support workers were in contact with them, offering to reach out to these workers if necessary.
Preparations for Power Loss:
Something else we needed to consider was alternatives for power. We reminded participants to ensure they had torches, batteries, candles, and other essentials. Medication, food, and water supplies were checked to ensure they had enough to last through potential disruptions. For those who might lose access to clean water, we suggested filling bathtubs, pots, pans, and snap-lock bags as makeshift solutions.
Property and Safety Concerns:
We also addressed property damage, evacuation logistics, and additional food for animals, or sandbagging support. We referred participants to the SES and police for welfare checks or other resources where necessary.
Continued Adaptation:
As the situation evolved, we adapted our responses to include new recommendations, such as downloading the Hazard app, ensuring access to a radio in case of power loss, and providing up-to-date advice based on emerging needs. We realised some participants were underprepared and proactively worked to close these gaps.
Supporting Our Staff:
Recognising the potential challenges posed by the incoming cyclone, we took proactive measures to support our team. One key step we implemented was processing payroll a day early. We anticipated that power outages could disrupt systems and wanted to ensure everyone had access to their wages without delay.
Our reasoning was straightforward: immediate access to funds could make a critical difference in an emergency. We understood that some of our staff might be in a tight financial spot during the fortnight, and we didn’t want anyone to feel unprepared to purchase essential supplies. This small but significant step was part of our commitment to ensuring our team felt ready and supported in the lead-up to the cyclone.
Glenda Tucker and Rick Scammell demonstrated exceptional commitment and teamwork throughout the cyclone preparation. Even though many of the participants they supported were not their own, they eagerly stepped up to help in any way they could. They took on significant responsibilities, contacting participants, checking their welfare, and updating the system to provide clear insights into everyone’s situation.
Glenda and Rick are relatively new to their roles. While still gaining experience, Glenda approached the situation with confidence and compassion. Being even newer to the position, Rick embraced the challenge wholeheartedly, taking on duties beyond what was expected of him.
Glenda and Rick also volunteered as emergency contacts, with their names in all communications, including emails and SMS messages, as points of contact for urgent support. Their readiness to step into this critical role without hesitation exemplifies their dedication to supporting participants and the team.
Their proactive approach extended to participating in every planning meeting, offering support, and learning from the experience. Their willingness to go above and beyond did not go unnoticed, and their contributions played a key role in ensuring the safety and well-being of our participants during a challenging time.
We also don’t want to undermine the contributions of the other staff in the Working Group. All of their help made a tremendous difference, which allowed us to ensure the safety of all our participants and staff during this natural disaster. We thank all of them for their contribution and want to say that we, as an organisation, are lucky to have such dedicated staff members.
Facing our first major natural disaster as a company was undeniably a challenge but also an opportunity to learn and grow. Overall, our response to the cyclone was strong, particularly considering the scale of the event and the number of staff and participants affected. However, we firmly believe there’s always room for improvement.
This experience highlighted key areas where we can enhance our preparedness. We’ve already started working on solutions, including forming a Working Group dedicated to refining our processes. Additionally, a team of staff members has volunteered to help us develop strategies to improve our approach for future events.
One of the initiatives we’re implementing is creating a comprehensive disaster management plan tailored to the needs of our participants. During the cyclone, we developed and shared checklists with practical advice, such as stocking up on essential items and preparing for potential power outages. Moving forward, we’ll formalise these resources into a laminated checklist that will be shared with every participant, ensuring they’re ready for future emergencies.
Another key improvement involves staff training. We’ve identified the need to provide more explicit guidance and set expectations around disaster response. By equipping our team with the knowledge and tools they need, we aim to strengthen our overall readiness.
This has been a learning curve for all of us, and even as leaders, we’ve recognised areas where communication could have been more proactive. For instance, reminders to prioritise self-care while supporting others should have been sent out earlier. While no plan is perfect, this experience has provided us with a solid foundation to build upon, helping us better serve our participants and staff in the future.
We want to thank all staff for their dedication and support during this challenging time. Your efforts in looking out for one another and ensuring the health and well-being of our participants have been truly commendable.
We also want to thank our participants for their patience and openness to our communication throughout the storm. Together, we overcame this difficult period and emerged stronger.
We acknowledge the connections of First Nations People of Australia to the land, sea and community on which we live and work. As custodians of this sacred land we respect and acknowledge Elders, past, present and emerging.