QRA hitting the pavement with damage assessment follow up across Queensland

Queensland Reconstruction Authority officers are carrying out the first follow-up damage assessments on properties impacted by disasters over the recent summer period.

The Damage Assessment and Reconstruction Monitoring (DARM) operation will take place over two, week-long periods with disaster impacted homes and businesses from Cook Shire to the Gold Coast and inland to Western Downs to be visited.

Almost 3,000 properties will be assessed between 15-19 April and 29 April-3 May.

DARM is an effective way of identifying any ongoing issues people are facing with their recovery from a disaster and helping them resolve those challenges in a fast and effective way.

Officers will be going door to door talking to residents and collecting information on property damage, the status of repair works, insurance claims, and any follow-up requirements for our government’s Community Recovery team.

This week QRA officers are door knocking properties in Far North Queensland, from Cassowary Coast to Cook.

It will see 1,769 properties assessed across major urban areas like Cairns, and remote townships across the local government areas impacted by TC Jasper.

Following this, QRA officers will turn their attention south, with a further 1,200-plus damage assessments to be carried out between 29 April and 3 May.

These activities will cover the Gold Coast, Scenic Rim, Logan, Moreton Bay, Lockyer Valley, Western Downs and Townsville.

DARM audits are conducted at regular intervals following a severe disaster, usually for up to a year, allowing QRA to monitor recovery, identify issues, and ensure communities and residents are getting every bit of support they need.

The vital information collected will also be shared with councils, state and federal agencies, and other relevant support providers.

The properties under assessment were identified as damaged following more than 10,000 rapid assessments done by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) and QRA in the immediate aftermath of cyclones Jasper and Kirrily, and the SEQ storms.