Connected & Prepared – Community Emergency Response

The MVA took the initiative in 2019 to develop a Community Emergency Response Plan (CERP) to be implemented in case of emergencies, such as isolating floods and fires, in addition to more localised emergencies such as power and communication outages, fallen trees etc. 

In our role of lobby group, a key part of this plan is to continue to put pressure on outside agencies (Council, BoM, Endeavour Energy, Telstra etc) to remind them we exist. We need flood mapping completed by the Council and proper collection, forecasting and dissemination of flood information by BoM about the Macdonald Valley. 

In February 2022 the MVA heard that we were successful in our bid for $280,227.00 in federal funding under the Black Summer Bushfire Grant Program.

This funding is to be used over 2-3 years to build a more resilient and better equipped Macdonald Valley community, to better cope with the impact of emergencies and disasters.  The project aims to address major communication problems highlighted by the he 2019/20 bushfires and subsequent major flood events. We will:

1. Create A Residents UHF Radio (CB Radio) network and equip each property to enable an alternate valley-wide communications relay conduit.
2. Provide Emergency Kit Bags, ready with items that will help residents survive and sustain initial recovery from a disaster.
3. Provide a unique Community Emergency Response Plan (CERP) to each property.

The Grant application was prepared by the MVA’s Community Emergency Response Plan (CERP) sub-committee members Lewis Adey, Stephen Brown, Peter Hunter and Veronica Hunter, with input and expertise from the RFS, SES and many members of the community.

In February 2022 we announced: The MVA welcomes the investment in this simple lo-tech, community run, potentially life-saving solution. This will go some way to address significant communication issues in our valley; no mobile coverage and power dependent landline and internet . These inadequacies were critically exposed during recent fire and flood emergencies.

In March 2022 we received the first funding from the government and have now appointed a Project Manager (Stephen Brown) and Technical Advisor (Brad Stapleton of ESSCOM).

There is a grant sub-committee comprising Stephen Brown, Peter Hunter, Len Dragsund and Lewis Adey.

In late 2021 we produced a survey to help with our knowledge of the valley and the areas that become isolated. This has informed the creation of sectors, sub-sectors and islands, resulting in the Warden system being set up to look after these local areas.

The information has been incorporated junto a master spread sheet for use by wardens and other emergency agencies. 

Privacy
Privacy of Information is paramount. All information is held in confidence on a single secure spreadsheet, accessible only by key MVA Wardens and one SES official. Information will only be supplied to nominated local RFS and SES officials as required in an emergency situation. Information will not be shared with Council.

You can of course have access to all information relating to your own property.