Cyclone Debbie

Severe tropical cyclone Debbie caused significant damage to the Queensland coastal region from Mackay to the Whitsundays. The towns of Bowen, Proserpine, Airlie Beach and the Whitsunday Islands were amongst the worst affected. Many homes and businesses were without power in Bowen, Proserpine and Airlie Beach. Facilities were limited and access issues hindered disaster relief efforts.

The Crawford team responded rapidly with a force of over 20 local adjusters located on the ground in Mackay and Bowen. Interstate and international resources also arrived to assist in the aftermath of Cyclone Debbie, including a team of five from Canada. In order to maximize efficiency, our team was located near the affected areas. We also hired additional support staff to create further capacity. Robyn Stewart, Claims Adjuster at Crawford Canada explained, “Three of us were posted in Melbourne, one in Adelaide and I was sent to a sub-office in Moonta Bay, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Australia. During 30 days I clocked up almost 3500km on the road.”

In an Australian first, Crawford & Company Australia worked with Suncorp to use drones to assess severe weather damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Debbie. CASA-accredited drone operators were ready to be deployed in the area, with the capacity to undertake wide area triage inspections (with street names and lot numbers identified), enabling Crawford and Suncorp to provide immediate first response to customers and to determine the extent of the damage.