| Biographical Non-Fiction posted July 3, 2022 |
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Preparing for ...
The next disaster
by Wendy G
I am a member of our local Disaster Recovery team, and once again – for the third time (or is it the fourth?) this year – we are planning long shifts at Evacuation Centres as yet another rain event promises a disastrous fortnight for the eastern coast.
We work alongside government agencies. Our role is to offer emotional support as well as immediate material aid, food, medications and accommodation, and then guide the victims through processes to access government assistance and counselling in the longer term. We also try to find temporary accommodation for pets. Farm animals are rescued too, where possible.
Ongoing help means that our centres only recently closed after the last floods. We had record breaking floods last year as well; those records were smashed twice earlier this year.
The Disaster Recovery Team consists entirely of volunteers, mostly aged over sixty. The role can be quite demanding as people are frightened, anxious and confused.
Our home is safe, and although only about four kilometres from the river and lakes, we are high on a hill. Our biggest problem is that access roads may be cut, and even if we can get to the centres safely in the morning, we may not necessarily be able to return at night. We therefore have to organise our own needs such as medications, phone rechargers, torches and sufficient warm clothing, and consider the needs of our own pets.
Our water reservoirs are still at maximum capacity from our record floods in February and April, and water must be released from them in a controlled manner into the river, which is already almost in flood, nearing the top of the river banks. Heavy rains are predicted for the next ten days. There is nowhere for the water to go, as there are a couple of "chokes" where the water is bottled up and cannot flow out to sea fast enough.
Homes near the junction of two rivers, although built high – several metres above previous record levels – were inundated last time when the water rose at an alarming rate. Rescues by helicopter were necessary as well as with boats of all shapes and sizes. There were many deaths when cars were swept away in rapidly rising water. Many wild animals as well as farm animals were lost in the last floods. Thousands of businesses were ruined, either premises or equipment, or both. Children have been traumatised by the sound of rainfall even before this present rain and new unfolding drama.
We've just had news that the dam (our main water supply) has now spilled over, and we are facing another life-threatening emergency. Trees are coming down as the saturated soil can't hold them, and this can happen even in "safe" areas.
I guess it's a variation from our more usual call-ups - bush-fires. We had catastrophic bushfires in the summer of 2019-2020, with devastating loss of wildlife, and many human deaths. Communities have still not recovered from that either - many small country towns were simply razed by fire. That was our worst natural disaster when so much of our eastern coast was alight. It's been a difficult three years. What a country! But we love it, and we work together to look after it, and its people.
If you are a person who prays, please join in praying for this evolving situation.
I am a member of our local Disaster Recovery team, and once again – for the third time (or is it the fourth?) this year – we are planning long shifts at Evacuation Centres as yet another rain event promises a disastrous fortnight for the eastern coast.
We work alongside government agencies. Our role is to offer emotional support as well as immediate material aid, food, medications and accommodation, and then guide the victims through processes to access government assistance and counselling in the longer term. We also try to find temporary accommodation for pets. Farm animals are rescued too, where possible.
Ongoing help means that our centres only recently closed after the last floods. We had record breaking floods last year as well; those records were smashed twice earlier this year.
The Disaster Recovery Team consists entirely of volunteers, mostly aged over sixty. The role can be quite demanding as people are frightened, anxious and confused.
Our home is safe, and although only about four kilometres from the river and lakes, we are high on a hill. Our biggest problem is that access roads may be cut, and even if we can get to the centres safely in the morning, we may not necessarily be able to return at night. We therefore have to organise our own needs such as medications, phone rechargers, torches and sufficient warm clothing, and consider the needs of our own pets.
Our water reservoirs are still at maximum capacity from our record floods in February and April, and water must be released from them in a controlled manner into the river, which is already almost in flood, nearing the top of the river banks. Heavy rains are predicted for the next ten days. There is nowhere for the water to go, as there are a couple of "chokes" where the water is bottled up and cannot flow out to sea fast enough.
Homes near the junction of two rivers, although built high – several metres above previous record levels – were inundated last time when the water rose at an alarming rate. Rescues by helicopter were necessary as well as with boats of all shapes and sizes. There were many deaths when cars were swept away in rapidly rising water. Many wild animals as well as farm animals were lost in the last floods. Thousands of businesses were ruined, either premises or equipment, or both. Children have been traumatised by the sound of rainfall even before this present rain and new unfolding drama.
We've just had news that the dam (our main water supply) has now spilled over, and we are facing another life-threatening emergency. Trees are coming down as the saturated soil can't hold them, and this can happen even in "safe" areas.
I guess it's a variation from our more usual call-ups - bush-fires. We had catastrophic bushfires in the summer of 2019-2020, with devastating loss of wildlife, and many human deaths. Communities have still not recovered from that either - many small country towns were simply razed by fire. That was our worst natural disaster when so much of our eastern coast was alight. It's been a difficult three years. What a country! But we love it, and we work together to look after it, and its people.
If you are a person who prays, please join in praying for this evolving situation.
We work alongside government agencies. Our role is to offer emotional support as well as immediate material aid, food, medications and accommodation, and then guide the victims through processes to access government assistance and counselling in the longer term. We also try to find temporary accommodation for pets. Farm animals are rescued too, where possible.
Ongoing help means that our centres only recently closed after the last floods. We had record breaking floods last year as well; those records were smashed twice earlier this year.
The Disaster Recovery Team consists entirely of volunteers, mostly aged over sixty. The role can be quite demanding as people are frightened, anxious and confused.
Our home is safe, and although only about four kilometres from the river and lakes, we are high on a hill. Our biggest problem is that access roads may be cut, and even if we can get to the centres safely in the morning, we may not necessarily be able to return at night. We therefore have to organise our own needs such as medications, phone rechargers, torches and sufficient warm clothing, and consider the needs of our own pets.
Our water reservoirs are still at maximum capacity from our record floods in February and April, and water must be released from them in a controlled manner into the river, which is already almost in flood, nearing the top of the river banks. Heavy rains are predicted for the next ten days. There is nowhere for the water to go, as there are a couple of "chokes" where the water is bottled up and cannot flow out to sea fast enough.
Homes near the junction of two rivers, although built high – several metres above previous record levels – were inundated last time when the water rose at an alarming rate. Rescues by helicopter were necessary as well as with boats of all shapes and sizes. There were many deaths when cars were swept away in rapidly rising water. Many wild animals as well as farm animals were lost in the last floods. Thousands of businesses were ruined, either premises or equipment, or both. Children have been traumatised by the sound of rainfall even before this present rain and new unfolding drama.
We've just had news that the dam (our main water supply) has now spilled over, and we are facing another life-threatening emergency. Trees are coming down as the saturated soil can't hold them, and this can happen even in "safe" areas.
I guess it's a variation from our more usual call-ups - bush-fires. We had catastrophic bushfires in the summer of 2019-2020, with devastating loss of wildlife, and many human deaths. Communities have still not recovered from that either - many small country towns were simply razed by fire. That was our worst natural disaster when so much of our eastern coast was alight. It's been a difficult three years. What a country! But we love it, and we work together to look after it, and its people.
If you are a person who prays, please join in praying for this evolving situation.
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