Taraidh Colquhoun has always led an active lifestyle – but 18 months ago that changed when a mountain bike accident in Hobart left him a quadriplegic.

“I went over the handlebars and I woke up probably five minutes later, we think,” Colquhoun said.

It’s a new reality he and his wife, Darlene Svamvur, are still adjusting to – and one that came into sharp focus when a bushfire struck too close for comfort to their lush Margate property last year.

Even though they weren’t in the collision line, Svamvur realized she didn’t know what she would do if a forest fire were to strike closer.

A new program underway in Tasmania to better equip people with disabilities to prepare for an emergency has turned that around.

New program, training “will save lives”

Run by the Tasmanian Fire and Rescue Service, the program uses the person-centered readiness modeldeveloped in New South Wales, to empower people with disabilities to actively participate in their own preparedness.

It includes workshops run with service providers, to help people understand their unique circumstances, covering things like what type of equipment a participant might need to survive in the event of an evacuation, and who needs to be part of their planning.

Ms Svamvur, who did the training online, said it was “invaluable”.

“With all the equipment, all the considerations, what it would look like to move the family, my husband … it put it in a method that I could understand.

“This will save lives in the long run.”

Programs that build trust

Mr Colquhoun said it had been confronting when he realized last year he would no longer be able to help pack up in the event of a bushfire.

Now, he said, he felt more confident about the role he could play.

He said the couple had also discussed what would happen in the event of a flood or power cut, with Mr Colquhoun relying on air conditioning to help regulate his body temperature, and his mattress having to be pressure-relieving and height-adjustable.

“If fires come, or if there’s flooding or the power goes off, it’s really stressful,” he said.

Programs run by people with lived experience

SES Emergency Preparedness Facilitator Richard Witbreuk said the program was about ensuring the whole community was involved in planning and giving participants the opportunity to individually tailor their preparations.

Mr Witbreuk said that could include considering transport, assistance animals and making sure people have the right phone number for emergency contacts.

“Personally, for myself, I have two prosthetic legs, so I need power to load my legs,” Witbreuk said.

“If the power goes out, I’d have to look at options like battery-powered chargers, and there would be a range of wheelchair issues that affect that.”

He said having the program developed and delivered by people with disabilities or experience of mobility issues was a key part of its effectiveness – as was ensuring participants were heard.

“They know their problems better than we do,” Witbreuk said.

Lessons learned on all sides

ParaQuad Tasmania has helped run the workshops.

Community activist Georgia Hardy said too often, people only considered planning when it was too late – but that no matter your experience, there was always something to learn.

“We see that the participants learn from each other, but also the facilitators… also learn something new each session, which we can then incorporate and pass on to the next participant.”

More workshops will be held online and the overall program will run for three years.

Those interested are encouraged to contact SES.

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