Anthony Cook

Disaster Manager 

South Eastern Sydney Local Health District 

“My role is to ensure that the Local Health District is prepared for a disaster by providing expert content and oversight – whether it’s a loss of utilities like power, water or gas, or being prepared for a mass casualty incident. 

My background is in emergency nursing, critical care and trauma. During that time I did a fair bit of disaster training, which set me up perfectly for this role. I’m an AUSMAT clinical team leader for NSW.  If NSW was tasked to send a team to a disaster region around South East Asia or New Zealand I’ve been trained to lead that group.

I deployed with the National Critical Care and Response Centre (NCCTRC) for the 2017 Tour de Timor, looking after 200 cyclists for a week in rural and remote Timor. The team of 24 - made up of doctors, including surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, paramedics, a heat-stress specialist and logisticians, used the race as practice for deployment to disaster zones. We saw a lot of heat affected riders and a few traumas that required expert care. One of the riders hit a pig and landed heavily causing fractures, grazes and intracranial pathology. It was a very challenging, but rewarding week.”