Emergency Readiness

Multicultural Friendship Group (MFG) members came together last Wednesday to learn how to plan and protect themselves and their families in the event of an emergency.
MFG members learnt about Baw Baw Shire's emergency dashboard, how to prepare for emergencies, and received emergency readiness resources at the session held at Warragul Community House.
These Emergency Readiness Workshops are being held across the region for vulnerable groups who are often the most impacted by emergency events or disasters.
MFG co-ordinator Soudabeh Kamari said before the workshop she met with members to find out what information they both wanted and needed.
"We gave them the information that they have asked for. That could be getting help with accessing information on safety, at Vic Roads or even jobs," Ms Kamari explained.
"This is very good for the Multicultural Friendship Group because many members are older, from different cultures and speak English as a second language.
"But with photos and booklets that have translations that show you how to protect yourself and your family, it is excellent, because the information is not available outside of these workshops."
Eleven workshops will be held, including at the Longwarry Caravan Park and Foodbank, Drouin Football Club, for rural and remote communities in Rawson, Athlone, Thorpdale, Walhalla and Willow Grove.
Baw Baw Shire's senior community resilience officer in emergency management Cherie Howe runs the workshops particularly for vulnerable groups, with funding from AusNet of $18,000.
"The intention of these workshops is to make sure those who are impacted by emergency events on a far greater scale and who bear a greater burden, financially, socially and emotionally, have access to information about how to plan, prepare for and respond to emergency events.
"It includes things like accessing insurance, planning for and thinking about emergencies and where they could go in the event of an emergency," she said.