Paul leads the Disaster Management Unit (DMU), Douglas Shire Council’s dedicated team for emergency planning, preparation, response, and recovery.  

Cyclone Jasper and the subsequent rain event highlighted the need for a specialised disaster team. 

The DMU now works year-round across all four phases of disaster management: prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery, while also managing projects to ensure the Douglas Shire is better prepared and more resilient for the next event.

Before establishing the DMU, Paul had already served the Shire for more than 29 years, beginning in environmental and waste management before stepping into disaster coordination in 2014. 

He has since guided the shire through numerous events, including Cyclone Ita, the 2018 Murphy Street landslips, the 2019 Monsoon and Daintree River flood, and the aftermath of Cyclone Jasper’s record-breaking floods. 

When a disaster strikes, Paul serves as Local Disaster Coordinator under Queensland’s Disaster Management Act, partnering with the Local Disaster Management Group, chaired by the mayor. This group includes representatives from police, ambulance, health services, council staff and other emergency and government agencies. 

When he first stepped into the role of Local Disaster Coordinator in 2014, it was a part-time responsibility, but over time the workload kept growing and disasters kept occurring. “That’s when we knew we needed a dedicated unit and we established the DMU,” Paul explained. 

Paul’s deep local knowledge and calm leadership are vital and are not only shaped by decades of service but by personal experience. 

His role balances strategy and humanity. He liaises with councillors, state agencies, and neighbouring councils to secure funding and coordinate projects, while also connecting with residents on the ground.  

“After Jasper, I met with people in Degarra who were significantly affected,” he recalled. “They’d tell you about their experience and what they’d lost, but also how grateful they were for the help. Those conversations stick with you.” 

In fact, it is what drives him. “I want to ensure residents understand the risks they face, have the tools to make informed decisions, and receive the support they need to recover,” he explained. 

Paul also knows recovery doesn’t end when the response does. He has overseen a shift in approach so that recovery begins alongside response, bringing help sooner and embedding that mindset into the DMU’s operations.  

Looking ahead, Paul sees resilience as a shared journey. From expanding flood studies and warning systems to improving community preparedness through upgrading the Douglas Disaster Dashboard and learning from communities, he believes the more informed people are, the safer the shire becomes.