What the Ready Reserve do

The role you play—whether it’s on the front line or behind the scenes—is important to help Queenslanders get back on their feet.

The role of the Ready Reserve is different to that of response agencies like the SES or Queensland Police. While these first responders may scale roofs of houses to cover them in tarps, our recovery workforce works in roles behind the scenes or with the community, providing information and services.

If you’re deployed in Brisbane to work behind the scenes, your role may include:

  • planning and intelligence
  • marketing
  • administration
  • finance.

If you’re deployed to a disaster affected community, you will:

  • provide people with information
  • refer people to support services
  • help eligible individuals and families with grant applications for financial assistance.

When you are deployed you will be assigned to a role in either the State or District Recovery Event Management Team (SREMT or DREMT), and you will be provided with an Event Role Function document. This document will outline the key responsibilities of your position and list the tools available to support you in undertaking your role.

Community recovery work is dictated by demand. You need to be flexible and prepared to work additional hours to meet that demand. Expect to work weekends and public holidays if your deployment period extends across those days.

You must refresh your training every year before disaster season starts in November.

Code of conduct

While employed as part of Community Recovery, staff represent the Government as public officials and are expected to conduct themselves accordingly. Expectations of staff behaviour is the same as for a public servant at any other time, with additional consideration, sensitivity and understanding for the community members in the impacted area.

It is essential that employees undertaking recovery work do so in a professional manner and abide by the Code of Conduct for the Queensland Public Service. The code always applies when staff are performing official duties for Queensland Government.

Do not wear your Community Recovery shirts after work or discuss any confidential client details in public settings.

More information