Eurobodalla Shire Council’s local emergency management officer Angus Barnes with Von Hutcheson and Sandra Makdessi at the launch of the Eurobodalla Preparedness Guide. Photo: Supplied.
A new guide has been published to help Eurobodalla residents prepare themselves and their property for the next emergency event.
It has gathered heaps of information from trusted emergency services so that everything people need is in one place and fits into one folding A3 page that can live on the household fridge for quick and easy access.
As well as being a practical guide with simple checklists of actions, it is also intended to start conversations with friends, family, neighbours and community groups. The aim is when the next emergency event happens, people are prepared, know what to do, and can act together and be effective.
The Eurobodalla Preparedness Guide was created by locals Sandra Makdessi and Von Hutcheson. They were supported by South Coast Health and Sustainability Association (SHASA), Anglicare, Eurobodalla Council, Moruya Rotary, Supporting Spontaneous Volunteers Program, Eurobodalla Community Service Network and SAGE.
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Council will have the guide delivered to every household in the shire between 10 and 14 November.
In 2022 Ms Makdessi and Ms Hutcheson joined a leadership course run by the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation. SHASA organised the course and got funding for it.
Course participants were asked to pitch ideas to regenerate the shire.
“It was after the bushfires and COVID and we still hadn’t recovered from the fires and still didn’t feel safe,” Ms Makdessi said. “So before regenerating the shire, we first had to create a resilient shire and make people feel safe again.”
Sandra Makdessi, Dr Brett Henderson, Von Hutcheson and Fiona Phillips MP showing what the Eurobodalla Emergency Preparedness guide looks like. Photo: Supplied.
There is a “before an emergency” section which points to services such as the RFS AIDER program and what equipment to have ready in a survival pack.
That section has a checklist of simple items to work through that allows people to create an action plan that is relevant to them.
“What was important during the fires was having emergency power, battery-operated portable radios, waterproof torch, first aid and emergency contact numbers,” Ms Makdessi said. “It is encouraging people to put together an emergency survival pack, so they don’t have to worry about it.”
They have also compiled information from organisations including the RFS, SES, Red Cross, NSW Health, and Australian Breastfeeding Association. The RSPCA and Department of Primary Industries has given advice on what to do with pets and livestock during emergencies.
The “during an emergency” section has information on getting ready to leave, and staying connected and informed, with a list of emergency services numbers.
It includes a list of useful apps such as Live Traffic Emergency Plus, Hazards Near Me and the ABC listen app so that people can access emergency broadcasts.
Von Hutcheon and Sarah Makdessi created the Eurobodalla Preparedness Guide. Photo: Supplied.
During the Black Summer bushfires Ms Makdessi turned to the RFS Bushfire Survival Plan.
“What was really helpful was it gave clear tips about what you need to do so we are hoping this guide will encourage people to do at least one thing, and talk about it with friends, family, work colleagues and neighbours,” she said.
“In an emergency when we know each other, and know how to respond and support each other, then we can act together and be effective.”
That approach means vulnerable residents can be helped, and people know what each other are doing.
“A key message is to plan your preparations so you can leave early, plan your property and get yourself and your family organised so you are feeling less attached to staying and ready to leave,” Ms Makdessi said.
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The guide was launched in Moruya on 14 October. Dr Brett Henderson was a guest speaker. He is a retired police commander, SES volunteer and recently completed his doctoral thesis “Sharing the Responsibility for Emergency Management” which focuses on the Eurobodalla.
“We have had such a reliance on emergency services in the past and now, with cascading and compounding disasters, individual and household preparedness is paramount as response agency resources could be exhausted during critical times,” Dr Henderson said.
He said the guide encouraged people to assess their physical and psychological preparedness for emergency events instead of relying solely on emergency services.
Dr Henderson said people knew what their risks were, and they could mitigate those risks better than anyone else.
“It is really important that we have a level of individual and household preparedness,” he said.
“I hope we create a sense of calmness and as a community we are supporting each other and creating a more resilient and thriving community,” Ms Makdessi said.
