Strong planning leads QAS through COVID-19 and weather extremes in early 2022 As the Christmas edition of Insight was published, the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) was preparing for a busy start to 2022 with anticipated COVID-19 peaks combined with the return of some major events across the state, Emma Sayle writes.
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Despite COVID-19 cases rising in Southeast Queensland (3318 cases recorded on the 31 December 2021), the return of New Year’s Eve celebrations saw an increased focus on mass gathering events and their potential impact on QAS demand. These events, heralding the start of a fresh new year, represented the first ‘unrestricted’ celebrations since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
QAS liaison activation for the State Health Emergency Coordination Centre
Strategic Planning Team Activated. Concept of Operations 1 commenced
Mid- Cycle event review
Transition of the QAS SIMR to the State Operations Coordination Centre (SOCC)
The recent spread of the Omicron variant and release of interstate travel restrictions highlighted the need for an ‘all hazards’ approach to managing the event.
COVID-19 Timeline
27 Jan 2020 30 Jan 2020
QAS “Stood Up” QAS State Incident Management Room (SIMR)
14 Mar 2020
Incident Management Team Established
24 Nov 2020
QAS Concept of Operations 2
01 Feb 2020
16 Aug 2020
10 May 2020 Nov 2021
COVID-19 “peak” Omicron Queensland
Planning was completed regionally with an overarching QAS State Event Plan outlining the enhanced strategic coordination arrangements, risk assessments and event incident action plans. QAS planning established key accountabilities for executive, management, and supervisory staff to ensure the safety and welfare of QAS frontline staff, the community, and stakeholders.
25 Jan 2022
The QAS executives would like to acknowledge the work completed in the lead up and during the 2021-2022 NYE event and thank all QAS staff who worked to see in the new year.
NYE celebrations were successfully navigated across the state, and like so many years prior, the QAS once again showed its depth and experience in major event response.
As the state prepared for a potential COVID-19 peak in mid-to-late January, the QAS was activating preparedness measures. QAS was bolstering services, enhancing staff numbers, and activating
Autumn 2022
QAS Strategic Action Plan
planning strategies in preparation for any impacts on service delivery. In January the omicron strain of COVID-19 arrived in Queensland. QAS planning successfully covered this anticipated effect on our workforce through staff furloughing (sickness or carer responsibility), as well as the potential increase in workload demand.
