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Emergency Management Preparedness - Plan And Stay Safe

Emergency Management Preparedness - Plan And Stay Safe

Emergency Management Preparedness – Plan And Stay Safe

Publish Date: 11 October 2022

Preparedness is key in an emergency and we all have a role to play.

Buloke Shire Council has been undertaking staff training and conducting live drills over recent months as part of their annual training to support control agencies, such as the Victoria State Emergency Service, who are responsible for planning for floods, supporting community preparedness and managing floods if they do occur.

It took less than 30 minutes for 20 staff to erect the flood barrier in Camp Street, Donald, on Monday.

The customised barrier is made of marine grade aluminium and retrofits in and around existing infrastructure to provide instantaneous flood protection, forming part of Council’s water defence system.

Since 2019, Council has also invested in key drainage to mitigate risks of flash flooding, secured funding and invested $150,00 to upgrade the Charlton Weir.

New management system

Council is not the lead agency in the event of an emergency, however lends support by providing facilities for the establishment of a management centre and relief centre, and support staff.

Council has signed onto an online emergency management database, CrisisWorks, utilised by the State Emergency Service, to integrate their communications in the event of an emergency.

This system keeps track of all Council activities in their support role, and also logs requests from the community needing support, and offers from the wider community of donations.

Communications

State Incident Control communications have ramped up following recent rain events across Victoria and Council has commenced sharing this information with the community in their support role, via local newspapers and social media on Facebook and Twitter.

Buloke residents and visitors to our shire are encouraged to download apps and monitor conditions from these trusted sources:

VicEmergency – for alerts about incidents in the area

Website https://emergency.vic.gov.au/respond

Facebook page VicEmergency or app

Bureau of Meteorology – for weather reports and river heights

Website http://www.bom.gov.au

Facebook page Bureau of Meteorology or app

Victoria State Emergency Service – preparedness and management of incidents

Website https://www.ses.vic.gov.au

Facebook page Victoria State Emergency Service

VicTraffic – road closures and road hazards

Website https://traffic.vicroads.vic.gov.au

Facebook page VicTraffic

Flood-Eye – individual property reports of flood risk aligned to flood impact.

Website: https://www.nccma.vic.gov.au/flood-eye

Monitoring and preparation

Council has already enacted the Municipal Buloke Flood Plan following announcements of recent weather events potentially causing river rises. This can be found on Council’s website: https://www.buloke.vic.gov.au/plans.

The Plan has been developed in line with the State Emergency Management Plan, which was updated by Council in 2017.

It includes locations where a community relief centre may be established, Council’s responsibility to undertake equipment checks such as generators and fuel supplies, readying sandbag and sand supplies and equipment for immediate deployment and installing road closures for community safety. It also includes directives by the North Central Catchment Authority when to release boards from the Charlton Weir.

We all have a role to play

Council has been actively sharing information with the community to assist them revise their own emergency plans as part of annual emergency management staff training. It is important to engage new residents who have moved to Buloke so that they are aware of historical events and are well informed. If you know someone who has recently moved to the area, reach out to them too.

Council is anticipating announcements of severe weather leading to potential flooding during the Spring-Summer period, and strongly encourages members of the community to visit the State Emergency Service website for information how to prepare:

• Be flood ready: Bag it, block it, lift it and leave

• Plan to be flood ready and stay safe

• Never drive on flooded roads – remember 15cm deep is enough to float a car

• Stay up to date on local flood information

• Understanding the flood history in your area

• When to call VICSES during a flood.

Road Closures

Council has been actively responding at the moment to community advice of localised flooding of roads and installing road closures, following recent flooding. The community is reminded not to drive through flood water for their safety.

The community is reminded to report road hazards to:

VicRoads – operating 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Website: https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/traffic-and-road-use/report-a-road-issue

Phone: 13 11 70

Buloke Shire Council owned roads – operating Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:00pm.

Customer Service phone: 1300 520 520

Buloke Shire Council staff arrived at Camp Street, Donald, for an emergency management training session in flood mitigation, including the erection of a flood barrier. This training is one example of how Council provides support to the control agency, the Victorian State Emergency Service, who are responsible for planning of floods, supporting community preparedness and managing flood response if they do occur.

It took less than 30 minutes for twenty members of the Buloke Shire to erect the flood barrier.

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367 Broadway, Wycheproof VIC 3527

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buloke@buloke.vic.gov.au

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