Emergency Ready Week

On 27 September the Nambucca Valley Australian Red Cross Emergency Services team hosted a free, drop-in emergency preparedness information event for our Get Ready Week at the Red Cross Teahouse in Bowra Street.

The team displayed a sample emergency kit to show people what they could pack, gave out ABC Emergency bags and shared other Red Cross ES resources with the community.

The team was joined by Jan Rooney from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA – formerly NRRA) and our thanks to our community for participating in this event.

Community Event

A Community Preparedness Talk was held at the Macksville Ex-Services Club on 5 October 2022 for members of the Nambucca/Macksville Evening VIEW Club.

Lesley Smith from Nambucca Valley Red Cross Emergency Services team presented an overview of the Red Cross RediPlan and provided handouts on the importance of preparing your individual/family Emergency Kit. For example, important documents, medication, and things which matter the most.

If your group or organisation would like to have a member of the local Red Cross Emergency Services Team come along to talk about being prepared, please contact Lesley Smith on 0421 593 323 or Maria Quintero on 0473 670 491.

NSW SES Australian Warning System

The NSW SES moved to the Australian Warning System for flood and tsunami warnings on 30 September 2022.

The Australian Warning System (AWS) is a nationally consistent, three-tiered approach designed to make warnings clearer and assists people to take action ahead of severe weather events.

There are three levels within the AWS:

1. Advice – an incident has started. Stay up to date in case the situation changes.

· Stay informed
· Monitor conditions
· Reduced threat: return with caution

2. Watch & Act – conditions are changing and you need to start taking action now to protect you and your family. Do not enter floodwater.

· Prepare to evacuate
· Prepare to isolate
· Avoid the area

3. Emergency Warning – the highest level of warning.

You may be in danger and need to take action immediately.

· Evacuate now / Evacuate before [time]
· Shelter now
· Move to higher ground

For each level, there are a series of clear action statements to guide positive action by the community which include ‘stay informed’, ‘prepare to evacuate’ and ‘move to higher ground’.

By Nambucca Valley Australian Red Cross Emergency Services