November 18, 2025 • 9 mins
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now, as we mentioned a little earlier, we were indeed
(00:03):
expecting the Bureau of Meteorology to release two release, I
should say, the latest tropical cyclone four cast track map,
and they have just done that now. As expected, it
is looking as though tropical Cyclone Fena is heading towards
well Miller Carpety at this point in time at four
(00:23):
am or November twenty two, so I think that works
out to be Sunday if I am looking at that correctly,
and then it is looking like it's still going to
be heading down our way towards Darwin. So certainly a
time for us to all make sure that we are
organized and that we are all prepared. Now joining me
in the studio is Wayne Snell, the Chief Officer of
(00:45):
NT Emergency Services. Good morning to.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Your Wayne, Good morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Great to have you in the studio, and no doubt,
busy day, busy few days for you.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Ahead, busy few days for us. Already we started planning
for this event with the police in last Wednesday, so
we're fairly much ahead of it at this point, but
we will be busy over the next few days I expect.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Yeah, no doubt about it. Now with that latest cyclone
tracking map. I guess for you guys, you plan for
every scenario, really.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Don't you.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
That's it.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
So what we try and plan for is the most
likely scenario, and then we do a branch plan or
a parallel plan for what might be the most dangerous scenario.
So what might be the most hazardous for territory in
And then what we do is we do at least
one other plan where we look at what might be
an outlier from the plan.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Yeah, so at this point in time, how into emergency
services or what are you planning for?
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Yeah, so what we're planning for at the moment is
a potential for a category two cyclone to track across
the top of the top end, and potential for it
to turn and come south at some stage or another
and cross onto the coast. All of the planning that's
in place at the moment is to try and make
sure that the communities are prepared, that we don't have
that much interruption, and that people have taken the precautions
(01:59):
that that we've been talking about now for the last
sort of month or so about preparing for our season.
So those plans are now coming to fruition.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
So which communities at this point in time. Obviously Darwin,
you know, for all of us in the Greater Darwin region,
we're hearing those messages. But what other communities along the
coastline are you sort of keeping a focus on.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Yeah, so at the moment, the focus for me is
the Kobeg Poninsu and the Tea Islands you know, from
Willigimpy to Point Forces basically, and we're also having a
bit of a look at some of the surrounding areas.
Of course, you know, the Bureau do a fantastic job
of their modeling and they do a fantastic job of
producing their track max and things, but there is always
an element of variation in them. So whilst we whilst
(02:42):
we mentioned a couple of areas that we're looking at,
we're also looking at the areas adjacent to and then
potential for other paths of travel for the event for
tropical cyclone Fleina.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Now, what do anti emergency services and our police, all
of our frontline services and agencies sort of do to
make sure that we're prepared, I guess.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
First off, Yeah, so the plan that's been going on
from last week is to come up with a plan
for what we might do. It's also about planning for
what resources might be required, what community messaging needs to
go out. So in the preferedness stage, you know, where
we're just transitioning now from prepare from preparedness to response.
But in the preparedness stage, to make sure that people
(03:23):
understand that the way that the warnings will come out,
what those warnings mean, what sort of plans that they
need to play have in place personally and for their families,
and then some of the artifacts that they need, you know,
some some things like their emergency kit being prepared and
just doing a quick check of that. And I think
we're at that stage now where basically everybody should have
(03:45):
done that by now, and that the their plans have
now been discussed with their family about how they're going
to do things, what their expectations are if the tropical
cyclone does across and make landfall and then and what
is the most appropriate cause of action for their families.
But also looking at the individual communities. So the communities
have also been working hard, working with the police and
(04:08):
the Northern Territory Emergency Service with the development of their
local emergency committees, So making sure their committees are meeting
and that their plans are out they were all updated
this year. All plans are all updated this year, and
that those plans are able to be put into place.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Well and for all of you know, for all the
territorians listening this morning, anybody that's got a family, or
maybe doesn't have a family, they've got animals, you know,
whatever their situation might be, what steps should they be
taking at.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
The momat you know, the first thing is to think
about all of those things you've just described, Katie, and
that's really important is to get to have it and
have a plan. So you need to decide if you
are going to stay in the event. Usually the advice
that we give is that if your house is built
to code, then the safest place for you is actually
in your home. But if you are going to evacuate,
(04:58):
to do that once we get to the an act
stage and you are backed and you go, so your
plan is in place to achieve that if you do
intend to as part of your plan, if you do
intend to go to an emergency shelter, Emergency shelters are
for very short periods of time and they don't provide services.
So if you are planning to go to an emergency shelter,
(05:18):
and there are a number of them across the top
of the territory. Then you need to bring all of
your own resources with you. That includes water, food, blankets,
all the stuff that's basically in your emergency kit. You
need to take that with you. You also need a plan
about how you're going to deal with your pets, and
pets are generally not welcome in the emergency shelters there are.
They usually only welcome in the underground car parks around
(05:40):
the place, So you know that should help influence the
decision making around your personal emergency plan.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
When do those shelters open.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Generally speaking, they open once the risk is once the
risk is identified and the area of impact is identified,
and then messaging go out. But that's going to be
opened up so at this stage that the triggers a
little bit different from time to time, so there's no
set trigger. We are working towards that and being able
to communicate that nice and early, which is one of
the reasons why you'll see mister Gill, myself and others
(06:14):
on the radio to try and help people with that
and to try and communicate that nice and early.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Now, Wayne, at this point in time, from emergency services perspective.
You know, the communities like Minjolaying, Miller Carpady, those that
are you know, within the area of this cyclone potentially
going to are any residents needing to be evacuated or
anything at this.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Point, So that planning, now that it's starting to form up,
is being done right now as we speak. So I
can't answer that question right now. No advice has been
given to me about evacuations at this point. So what
what I would be looking at at the moment is
what the level of impact is potentially going to be
on those communities. If that is the case, then that
will be communicated fairly rapidly. So that assessment is going
(06:55):
on right now.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Yeah. Now, in terms of the level of rainfall that
we are potentially expecting, I guess it's still you know,
like it's still hard to say. We never know exactly
what these systems are going to do. But are we
expecting a huge amount of rainfall and what could that
sort of mean in the days following?
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Yeah, so the police and the Northern Church Emergency Service
are definitely planning for a large amount of rainfall at
this page. We can't put a number on it. Or
that sort of thing at this particular time, but we
are planning for that. Some advice that we have been
given is likely to be localized within the coastal regions.
It's not likely to penetrate too far in land. So
it's a little bit helpful for us because we do
(07:34):
have some wet catchments a little bit further south which
would create floating problems. But we can't rule it out. Again,
as the situation develops and as the risk is further
identified with the path of travel for tropical cyclones, Fleena,
that advice could very well change, all.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Right, Wayne, to anybody out there listening this morning, I
mean if you could give them one piece of advice
that you really hope that they take in what is
a yes? Okay?
Speaker 2 (08:01):
So the piece of advice is to stay connected at
this point and keep the information, keep the information channels
open to you wherever you are around the place, so
that you are able to make that decision about implementing
your emergency plan about make decisions nice and early. If
your plan has you evacuating or your plan has you
going to a place of safety, that you are able
(08:21):
to do that early. Make sure that you have organized
all the bits and pieces that are important to you
to go into your emergency kit that you may have
to protect during that period of time, including things like
passports and birth documents. Those sorts of things are really
important documents that are difficult to replace. And also to
(08:42):
make sure that you maintain situation awareness around you about
what's going on so that you can act immediately upon
receiving that information.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Well, Wayne Snell, Chief Officer of NT Emergency Services, I
anticipate that we may talk again in the next twenty
four to forty eight hours. Thank you so much for
your time.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
More than happy, Katie, talk to you and your listeners
all the any time.
Now, as we mentioned a little earlier, we were indeed
(00:03):
expecting the Bureau of Meteorology to release two release, I
should say, the latest tropical cyclone four cast track map,
and they have just done that now. As expected, it
is looking as though tropical Cyclone Fena is heading towards
well Miller Carpety at this point in time at four
(00:23):
am or November twenty two, so I think that works
out to be Sunday if I am looking at that correctly,
and then it is looking like it's still going to
be heading down our way towards Darwin. So certainly a
time for us to all make sure that we are
organized and that we are all prepared. Now joining me
in the studio is Wayne Snell, the Chief Officer of
(00:45):
NT Emergency Services. Good morning to.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Your Wayne, Good morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Great to have you in the studio, and no doubt,
busy day, busy few days for you.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Ahead, busy few days for us. Already we started planning
for this event with the police in last Wednesday, so
we're fairly much ahead of it at this point, but
we will be busy over the next few days I expect.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Yeah, no doubt about it. Now with that latest cyclone
tracking map. I guess for you guys, you plan for
every scenario, really.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Don't you.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
That's it.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
So what we try and plan for is the most
likely scenario, and then we do a branch plan or
a parallel plan for what might be the most dangerous scenario.
So what might be the most hazardous for territory in
And then what we do is we do at least
one other plan where we look at what might be
an outlier from the plan.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Yeah, so at this point in time, how into emergency
services or what are you planning for?
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Yeah, so what we're planning for at the moment is
a potential for a category two cyclone to track across
the top of the top end, and potential for it
to turn and come south at some stage or another
and cross onto the coast. All of the planning that's
in place at the moment is to try and make
sure that the communities are prepared, that we don't have
that much interruption, and that people have taken the precautions
(01:59):
that that we've been talking about now for the last
sort of month or so about preparing for our season.
So those plans are now coming to fruition.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
So which communities at this point in time. Obviously Darwin,
you know, for all of us in the Greater Darwin region,
we're hearing those messages. But what other communities along the
coastline are you sort of keeping a focus on.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Yeah, so at the moment, the focus for me is
the Kobeg Poninsu and the Tea Islands you know, from
Willigimpy to Point Forces basically, and we're also having a
bit of a look at some of the surrounding areas.
Of course, you know, the Bureau do a fantastic job
of their modeling and they do a fantastic job of
producing their track max and things, but there is always
an element of variation in them. So whilst we whilst
(02:42):
we mentioned a couple of areas that we're looking at,
we're also looking at the areas adjacent to and then
potential for other paths of travel for the event for
tropical cyclone Fleina.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Now, what do anti emergency services and our police, all
of our frontline services and agencies sort of do to
make sure that we're prepared, I guess.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
First off, Yeah, so the plan that's been going on
from last week is to come up with a plan
for what we might do. It's also about planning for
what resources might be required, what community messaging needs to
go out. So in the preferedness stage, you know, where
we're just transitioning now from prepare from preparedness to response.
But in the preparedness stage, to make sure that people
(03:23):
understand that the way that the warnings will come out,
what those warnings mean, what sort of plans that they
need to play have in place personally and for their families,
and then some of the artifacts that they need, you know,
some some things like their emergency kit being prepared and
just doing a quick check of that. And I think
we're at that stage now where basically everybody should have
(03:45):
done that by now, and that the their plans have
now been discussed with their family about how they're going
to do things, what their expectations are if the tropical
cyclone does across and make landfall and then and what
is the most appropriate cause of action for their families.
But also looking at the individual communities. So the communities
have also been working hard, working with the police and
(04:08):
the Northern Territory Emergency Service with the development of their
local emergency committees, So making sure their committees are meeting
and that their plans are out they were all updated
this year. All plans are all updated this year, and
that those plans are able to be put into place.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Well and for all of you know, for all the
territorians listening this morning, anybody that's got a family, or
maybe doesn't have a family, they've got animals, you know,
whatever their situation might be, what steps should they be
taking at.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
The momat you know, the first thing is to think
about all of those things you've just described, Katie, and
that's really important is to get to have it and
have a plan. So you need to decide if you
are going to stay in the event. Usually the advice
that we give is that if your house is built
to code, then the safest place for you is actually
in your home. But if you are going to evacuate,
(04:58):
to do that once we get to the an act
stage and you are backed and you go, so your
plan is in place to achieve that if you do
intend to as part of your plan, if you do
intend to go to an emergency shelter, Emergency shelters are
for very short periods of time and they don't provide services.
So if you are planning to go to an emergency shelter,
(05:18):
and there are a number of them across the top
of the territory. Then you need to bring all of
your own resources with you. That includes water, food, blankets,
all the stuff that's basically in your emergency kit. You
need to take that with you. You also need a plan
about how you're going to deal with your pets, and
pets are generally not welcome in the emergency shelters there are.
They usually only welcome in the underground car parks around
(05:40):
the place, So you know that should help influence the
decision making around your personal emergency plan.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
When do those shelters open.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Generally speaking, they open once the risk is once the
risk is identified and the area of impact is identified,
and then messaging go out. But that's going to be
opened up so at this stage that the triggers a
little bit different from time to time, so there's no
set trigger. We are working towards that and being able
to communicate that nice and early, which is one of
the reasons why you'll see mister Gill, myself and others
(06:14):
on the radio to try and help people with that
and to try and communicate that nice and early.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Now, Wayne, at this point in time, from emergency services perspective.
You know, the communities like Minjolaying, Miller Carpady, those that
are you know, within the area of this cyclone potentially
going to are any residents needing to be evacuated or
anything at this.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Point, So that planning, now that it's starting to form up,
is being done right now as we speak. So I
can't answer that question right now. No advice has been
given to me about evacuations at this point. So what
what I would be looking at at the moment is
what the level of impact is potentially going to be
on those communities. If that is the case, then that
will be communicated fairly rapidly. So that assessment is going
(06:55):
on right now.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Yeah. Now, in terms of the level of rainfall that
we are potentially expecting, I guess it's still you know,
like it's still hard to say. We never know exactly
what these systems are going to do. But are we
expecting a huge amount of rainfall and what could that
sort of mean in the days following?
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Yeah, so the police and the Northern Church Emergency Service
are definitely planning for a large amount of rainfall at
this page. We can't put a number on it. Or
that sort of thing at this particular time, but we
are planning for that. Some advice that we have been
given is likely to be localized within the coastal regions.
It's not likely to penetrate too far in land. So
it's a little bit helpful for us because we do
(07:34):
have some wet catchments a little bit further south which
would create floating problems. But we can't rule it out. Again,
as the situation develops and as the risk is further
identified with the path of travel for tropical cyclones, Fleena,
that advice could very well change, all.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Right, Wayne, to anybody out there listening this morning, I
mean if you could give them one piece of advice
that you really hope that they take in what is
a yes? Okay?
Speaker 2 (08:01):
So the piece of advice is to stay connected at
this point and keep the information, keep the information channels
open to you wherever you are around the place, so
that you are able to make that decision about implementing
your emergency plan about make decisions nice and early. If
your plan has you evacuating or your plan has you
going to a place of safety, that you are able
(08:21):
to do that early. Make sure that you have organized
all the bits and pieces that are important to you
to go into your emergency kit that you may have
to protect during that period of time, including things like
passports and birth documents. Those sorts of things are really
important documents that are difficult to replace. And also to
(08:42):
make sure that you maintain situation awareness around you about
what's going on so that you can act immediately upon
receiving that information.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Well, Wayne Snell, Chief Officer of NT Emergency Services, I
anticipate that we may talk again in the next twenty
four to forty eight hours. Thank you so much for
your time.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
More than happy, Katie, talk to you and your listeners
all the any time.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.