Flood volunteering

The Kurilpa community has a strong history of neighbours and community services helping each other immediately (and long after) flood disasters. Safely help your community and neighbours in the next flood by upskilling in Psychological First Aid (PFA) through our community webinar, understand different actions to take, and trouble shoot with our Q&A.

What is Psychological First Aid (PFA)?

In a flood disaster, volunteers will often encounter someone experiencing strong emotions caused by distressing situations. PFA is considered the ‘gold standard’ for supporting people through disasters, with many volunteers (such as from the Red Cross) being trained in PFA. Anyone can adopt PFA skills to support friends, family, or neighbours who are in distress. The five principles of PFA are:

  • Reintroduce a sense of physical and psychological safety, as this has been shown to reduce negative reactions over time.

    • If possible, bring people to a safe and private place to chat.

    • Help people meet their basic needs for food, water, shelter, financial and material assistance, or medical attention.

    • Provide physical and emotional support.

    • Ensure children are accompanied by a parent or caregiver.

    • Get an understanding of further risks and protect from additional traumatic experiences or reminders e.g., switching off the news, moving away from scenes of flood damage, receiving bad news in an insensitive or uncontrolled way, etc.

  • This principle refers to helping people cope with strong emotions, as well as creating a calm environment.

    • Find a nice, quiet place away from stressful situations or reminders. E.g., go for a walk outside, sit with a pet, have a cuppa in a quiet room, do some breathing.

    • Listen to people who wish to share their stories.

    • Reduce activities that increase stress e.g., put limits on watching the news, especially with children around.

    • Offer accurate information about the disaster or event. If you don’t know, it’s okay to say “I don’t know, but I’ll see if I can find that out for you.” Maintain honesty and trust so people can rely on you.

    • Most people know what calms them; help them find strategies.

    • Normalise: “This is a normal response to an abnormal situation.”

  • Social connections help people to solve practical problems through information sharing and helping with daily tasks, as well as to gain emotional understanding and acceptance of what has happened.

    • Highlight the importance of supportive interactions.

    • Help them establish contact with their support network, friends, family, community.

    • Foster healing for those who have experienced loss.

    • Link them to services when they’re ready. Offer to call on their behalf to ensure the service is operating and they meet the criteria.

    • Respect cultural norms and requests regarding gender, age, family structures and religion.

  • Self-efficacy is the belief that one’s actions are likely to lead to positive outcomes. This principle highlights that people and communities have many existing strengths and resources, and they are best placed to determine what is best for their situation. It’s about helping people to help themselves, such as by:

    • Being involved in decision-making and action planning to enhance resilience and control.

    • Problem-solving and setting new achievable goals.

    • Combatting unhelpful thoughts with more helpful thoughts.

    • Engaging in the situation as a challenge to be met, which can increase their ability to act both creatively and decisively.

  • Instil hope by helping individuals to understand that their reactions are common, and conveying an expectation that people can recover from trauma. You can support people to take one step at a time and to notice small gains so that they can begin to look forward.

    • Communicate an expectation that they, and the community, will recover.

    • Be there and willing to help.

    • Link them with helpful resources e.g. local information, services, or volunteers.

    • Reduce blame.

    • Help them highlight their strengths e.g., “What’s gotten you through tough times before?”

    • Help them find things to be grateful about.

    • Draw upon personal beliefs, spirituality and values.

Actions to take

  • Early communication and actions is important. If someone is preparing for a flood they may be experiencing feelings such as doubt, worry, tiredness, overwhelm, complacency, etc. Sit with them and let them know that there’s no way of knowing for sure how bad an impending flood may be.

    They may think they’ve done enough, but fresh eyes may help people see they need to do more. Future potential distress and loss can be prevented by ‘over’ preparing early e.g., moving possessions to higher ground, preparing to shelter in place, sandbagging, etc.

    Some residents may require additional ‘check-ins’ and offers for help as they process the risk of flood impacts and make plans.

  • Flood and storm waters affect our streets and neighbourhood differently each time (and with each new development on the floodplain). This makes it hard to predict how a flood event will impact us. Sharing information online via community Facebook groups or in-person with neighbours (e.g., door-knocking) ensures people can make informed choices about their safety. Information might include:

    • If roads and evacuation routes have been blocked.

    • If power has been, or may be, cut to your building or area.

    • If river levels are rising and residents are advised to relocate possessions and vehicles from flood-prone areas such as basements and streets, or prepare to evacuate/shelter in place.

    • If health and safety issues arise e.g., sewerage spills, fallen power lines, moved entries and exits in buildings, etc.

    • Requests and offers for recovery resources such as helping hands, generators, cleaning materials, fridge space, etc.

    Stay connected by:

  • An emergency can influence a person’s ability to take in information, think clearly and remember. It can impact their concentration, memory and decision-making.

    Before communicating with someone in distress, consider asking yourself:

    • Is it relevant? E.g., avoid overloading someone with unhelpful information.

    • Is it clear? E.g., avoid jargon and technical terms.

    • Is it targeted? E.g., consider age and language.

    Consider other modes of communication e.g., written material. Ensure you are having a two-way conversation by confirming that the information you’re delivering is in fact relevant and clear to them. They are the expert in their own lives and it’s important to respect how they wish to engage with you.

    People won’t remember exact words but will remember how you made them feel.

  • In the first weeks after a flood, most people only have capacity for very specific questions with ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers. E.g.,

    • Would you like lunch?

    • Can I clean out the chook house?

    • Can I get you a trailer or generator?

    Disorganised thoughts are a normal response to stress and trauma. Flood survivors who experienced this say it led to poor decision-making. Some delayed evacuation or had difficulty managing volunteers during clean up.

  • Well-meaning volunteers can have unintended impacts. Some flood victims from the 2011 disaster reported feeling intruded on, victimised, or guilty about accepting help. After the 2022 flood, one person required help looking for a piece of furniture containing letters from their deceased daughter that had been thrown out by the Mud Army.

    Before helping others, some things to consider might include:

  • While immediate clean up after a flood is important, it is very physical work that comes with safety risks that some individuals may not be able to accept e.g. people with health conditions, pregnant people, elderly people. If you’re able, there are many other ways to help your community to cope with a disaster. For example:

    • Check in with neighbours with support or mobility needs to ensure they have adequate food, power, information, and support. Past residents have reported feeling forgotten and isolated when stranded in their homes without access to lifts, power, alternative accomodation, or their support network.

    • Offer help to your local recovery centre, neighbourhood centre (e.g., West End Community House), church group, body corporate, or elected representative volunteer teams. Volunteer to cook food, sit and listen to people, make a cuppa, do check-ins, clean smaller items (e.g., lego or cutlery).

  • Long term friendships and community groups have been forged in the aftermath of past flood disasters. Continue checking in with your friends, family, neighbours, and local recovery centre to offer a listening ear to those who may need it in the weeks and months after a flood. Connect with services and community groups to understand what is on offer (e.g., art therapy).

Dive into the details

Watch our recorded community webinar where the Disaster Recovery Team at Metro South Health share simple skills for anyone to support their family, friends and neighbours to prepare for, and recover from, floods and other disasters. Contact the Team on 07 3089 4156 or email MSAMHS-PostDisaster-Recovery@health.qld.gov.au

Webinar shortcuts:

00:00 Welcome
04:23 Stories from the Kurilpa Flood Library
09:00 Helen's stories of volunteering in Kurilpa floods
21:55 Introduction to Metro South Health's Disaster Recovery service
24:29 Three phases of trauma recovery
25:31 Common reactions to distress
26:10 What is PFA?
37:25 PFA Action Principles
39:45 What is trauma-informed care?
42:05 Things to say and do
45:27 Managing conflict and difficult conversations
50:44 Self care and compassion
54:03 Q&A

Q&A

  • In past flood events, some apartment body corporates have advised residents to relocate their basement possessions (prior to Council advice) after closely monitoring river level heights themselves. There is also a risk that the rate of river rise happens fast or that Energex cuts the power without warning. This means official flood warnings may be too slow for the relocation of thousands of resident’s cars and belongings to occur in a timely manner.

    Body corporates should help residents prepare for the possibility of relocating basement vehicles and possessions before floods occur. Ensure residents are aware that they may be advised when to act, and to respond to this advice in a timely manner. Refer to our Apartment Toolkit for resident notice templates.

    If a resident does not respond to this advice during a flood event, remain respectful and compassionate. There are many reasons why someone might be in denial or not ready to listen. E.g. they may need help to move their possessions or they feel overwhelmed by the task. Start a conversation to try and find out their reason for not listening or acting. Sometimes we can help people process the need to act by talking through it, outlining the risks above, or the steps involved.

    Ultimately, it is an individual’s choice to relocate their possessions (unless authorities have ordered the building or street to evacuate). However, if it is a matter of personal or community safety enlist the support of someone else.

  • In past flood events, flood damaged household objects (including kids toys) accumulated in heaps on footpaths waiting to be removed by the Council for several days. Young children might also be upset by seeing and hearing about flood impacts on the news.

    • Be honest. Help them understand what is involved in the clean up process. Point out that lots of volunteers are cleaning many different places in Brisbane and there’s only so many people and trucks to help.

    • Reassure them. Let children know that the volunteers will be helping clean up your neighbourhood, street or building. Point out how many people are getting together to help out.

    • Validate how they’re feeling. Acknowledge that we’ve had a flood and some people have been affected, and that it’s okay to feel scared or worried. Big feelings are normal. Coping with these feelings is important.

    • Read a story. Watch or read Birdie and the Flood which are designed to help young children and their families cope with floods. These are available for free on the Children’s Health Queensland website.

    • Get prepared. Involve kids in getting prepared for floods by letting them know about any flood response procedures. (E.g. we may have to move our car and basement storage belongings, the lifts and power might go out, or we may need to use the stairs for a few days, or stay with friends for a few days). Red Cross’ Pillowcase Program encourages kids to pack some things that are important to them into a pillowcase as an emergency kit.

  • Some people may not be able to help with cleaning up muddy streets and homes, cleaning flood-damaged belongings, or go near flood waters due to health and safety issues. There are still many ways to help out, such as offering to:

    • Volunteer at a community or neighbourhood centre (such as the West End Community House). In the past elderly and pregnant volunteers have helped with food preparation and to address basic needs such as making a cup of tea, listening to people, recharging devices, and linking people to services.

    • Check in with your neighbours, especially if they are elderly or disabled. In the past, some residents have felt forgotten or overlooked. Offer to listen to them or help them access support if possible. Check in again in the weeks or even months after a flood to see how people are going. For some, the effects of a disaster can continue long-term, when most people appear to have ‘moved on’ from the event.

    • Prepare food for flood volunteers or flooded households on your street.

    • Clean salvageable items such as cleaning kids toys. Sometimes these ‘smaller’ acts of help have a big impact for affected residents and families.

    • Take care of children when parents need time to make flood recovery arrangements.

    • Navigate services, government assistance, or insurance claims.

    • Temporarily accomodate friends, family or neighbours until their homes are clean and liveable again.

  • While there is no harm in offering help to nearby neighbours who have been impacted by a flood disaster, in some cases, it may be unwanted (they have enough help) or even dangerous (if you have to travel through flood-impacted areas to get to them).

    Find your local recovery hub by reaching out to local services such as Community Plus and Micah Projects to ask them when and what you can do to help. For example, during the last flood there were a number of international students who didn’t know where to go or what to do and some who struggled to understand English. You might offer to take their phone numbers so you can follow-up with them later. You can direct them to locations where they can recharge their devices. You can offer to transport them to a recovery hub, especially if public transport is out.

    You might also contact local elected representatives to see what is needed.

    Communities are here for the long haul. They are the critical energy that will see people through.

  • Volunteers in a flood event may be exposed to many stories and experiences of distress and trauma. It’s important to look after yourself and recognise (in yourself and in your colleagues) when you may need to take a break to ‘empty our stress cup’. This gives you more space to act effectively and more capacity to endure what you see and hear.

    • Take 90 second breaks throughout the day e.g., walking away or to quiet space, listening to a song, lying down, breathing exercises.

    • Plan debrief sessions with colleagues or your family to talk through the day’s events.

    • Take time for lunch and meal breaks.

    • Rest.

    • Plan fun and/or social activities to look forward to.

    • Recognise your own limits and be accountable for your own stress management and emotional regulation.

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