Hawkesbury Community Groups To Help Reduce Disaster Risks

Today, Friday, October 13, is International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, with a focus on “Fighting inequality for a resilient future’.

To that end, the NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS) has invited Hawkesbury community organisations and local services to engage with a new disaster preparedness project in the region.

With a forecasted hot, dry summer approaching, NCOSS has appointed Peppercorn Services Inc as the host service for the Community Sector Disaster Capability project to help reduce the impacts of future disasters on vulnerable communities in the Hawkesbury.

The project aims to build a more collaborative approach to disaster risk reduction, working with vulnerable communities and non-government organisations to strengthen links between community organisations and emergency management agencies.

Peppercorn Services is a well-known and respected community service provider that has been active in the ongoing recovery after recent floods.

Peppercorn CEO, Jess Innes said the project was an opportunity to find out what the barriers were to local services preparing for disasters and what could be done to address them.

“Every organisation and community member is at a different point in this journey, depending on who they’ve connected with and how they were impacted,” Ms Innes said.

Key community stakeholders with an interest in community emergency response, recovery, preparedness, and ongoing support are being consulted about their experiences of recent disasters.

Bligh Park Community Services has partnered with Peppercorn to deliver the project.

A launch breakfast will be held with community stakeholders on Thursday, October 26 to provide information on the role of government agencies in disasters, discuss disaster risks and service gaps from the perspective of local services and groups, and explore ways to collaborate in the future to build resilience in the Hawkesubry community.

NCOSS CEO, Joanna Quilty has welcomed the engagement of Peppercorn and Bligh Park Community Services to deliver the project.

“We know that certain communities and population groups - people with disability, those who are homeless or in precarious housing, older people - are more vulnerable and will be most impacted by disasters,” Ms Quilty said.

“But too often, these communities and the local organisations who support them are not involved in the early stages of disaster management, and subsequently not well included as part of the ongoing recovery.

“If the community sector is better included in planning for disasters, preventative action can be taken to reduce risks, such as working together to ensure everyone is prepared and has a plan.

“Better involvement of social service organisations should also improve communication and coordination during and after disasters.”

NCOSS has partnered with AbSec and the local Community Services Association to deliver the Community Sector Disaster Capability project in three locations - Hawkesbury, Southern NSW and the Northern Rivers.

This project is funded through the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRFF) which is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales Governments.

DRRF projects are targeted at locally-led initiatives to help keep communities safe in the future.

Visit www.ncoss.org.au/disaster-capability/ for more information about the project.

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