EMERGENCY response groups from around the Myall Coast congregated at Hawks Nest Community Hall to begin consolidating a regional emergency plan on Friday, 18 August.

Representatives included the Pindimar/Tea Gardens Rural Fires Service, Stroud SES, Marine Rescue Lemon Tree Passage, MidCoast Council, NSW Government Reconstruction Authority and Disaster Welfare departments, Pindimar-Bundabah Community Association and the Tea Gardens Red Cross met at the invitation of the Hawks Nest Tea Gardens Progress Association (HNTGPA).

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“The primary purpose is to discuss, with the guidance and support of our emergency service organisations, the progress of the emergency plan to date, identify community concerns, and initiate priority actions and events before the onset of disaster season,” stated Joanne Pearce, from the HNTGPA’s Myall Way Community Emergency Planning Group.

The gathering marked a long-awaited comprehensive attempt to crystalise communications between the emergency services and community groups, given that the most recent disaster management plan is many years out of date.

Among the greatest hazards identified were bushfires, storm events and east-coast lows, telecommunications and the bureaucratic realities of cross-boundary communities.

As bushfires, floods and wild storms are an unavoidable part of living in Australia, volunteer organisations like the RFS, SES and Marine Rescue are all well-trained and prepared, however, more keen members are always needed.

Less obvious, but equally hazardous, issues like telecommunications require serious attention on what can be done when, not if, regular mobile phone networks are obliterated by fires, floods or storms, and people need to get in contact and be accounted for.

Cross-boundaries concerns stem from the Federal, State and Local Governmental jurisdictional boundaries in our relatively broad region overlap each other excessively, which can confound planning and execution of emergency assistance.

Residents’ clarity and education on where to go for evacuation from different disaster types is also a top concern.

The recent, beautiful summery days in the middle of ‘winter’ notwithstanding, the wisest among us know that while we can hope for the best, we should be planning for the worst.

By Thomas O’KEEFE