As the weather warms up, regional community volunteers are brushing up on their fire and flood hazard strategies. Locals gathered recently at Clunes for the quarterly Interhall Committee meeting.
The meeting heard from Mayor Steve Krieg, Helen Carlos of the RFS, and Kathie Heyman from the Northern Rivers Resilience Alliance.
It was a true warmup for what’s ahead – not just the fire season, but the full range of flood and fire hazards that Clunes may face, at any time.
Volunteers from the Clunes Old School Association (COSA) and the Clunes Coronation Hall Committee attended the meeting and networked with others to gather the best community information available, all in order to share it with the families and neighbours who make up our community.
The fires of 2020 and the floods of 2022
A spokesperson for the association, Ashley Brunner, said that Cr Krieg reminded the group that the fires of 2020 and the floods of 2022 were catastrophic wakeup calls. ‘He said that Council is now working closely with State and Federal programs to strengthen local preparedness.’
The RFS presentation by Helen Carlos, who has nearly forty years experience, and a special interest in Women and Firefighting Australasia (WAFA), offered practical tools and advice.
If there is enough community interest, COSA and the Hall will host a community information session covering topics such as “Four Simple Steps to Prepare for Bushfire” and “Before You Light That Fire – Advice for Landowners”, along with guidance on using apps
like Hazards Near Me and Live Traffic NSW.
Kathie Heyman, CEO of the Northern Rivers Resilience Alliance, and a Clunes local, explained how grass roots responses to disaster have shaped new partnerships between communities and government. ‘When traditional emergency services are stretched, local
networks become vital – and that’s where Clunes really shines.’
‘In the end, preparedness begins with participation,’ she said. ‘If you see a post about a meeting in your community, share it. If it relates to you, attend it. And if you notice something that needs attention – speak up about it.’
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