Joint statement - Safeguarding communities in natural disasters

• 2014 Resilient Australia Awards (WA) announced

• Awards recognise efforts to safeguard communities in times of emergency

A partnership between the Shire of Augusta Margaret River and the Australian Red Cross has taken out the top honour in this year's Resilient Australia Awards (WA).

Now in their 15th year, the awards recognise innovative projects and campaigns that make communities more resilient when facing emergencies and natural disasters such as bushfires, floods and destructive storms.

Federal Minister for Justice Michael Keenan and WA Emergency Services Minister Joe Francis announced the WA winners in the categories for Not for Profit, Local Government and State Government.

They are:

• WA Local Government Association

• Shire of Augusta Margaret River and Australian Red Cross

• Department of Fire and Emergency Services (WA) and Department of Education (WA)

Mr Keenan said the Federal Government was pleased to partner with the WA Government to boost the resilience of WA communities.

"We live in a lucky country and we are very lucky to be Australians, but we also live in a challenging environment, subject to significant natural disasters," he said.  "Addressing local needs and building a greater understanding of potential risks through projects that educate and encourage participation will go a long way towards ensuring that our communities are better prepared for the unexpected."

Mr Francis said the overall State winner, the Get Ready project by the Shire of Augusta Margaret River and the Red Cross, involved a successful campaign encouraging residents to adopt a 'shared responsibility' approach to emergency preparedness.

"As well as preparing people for disasters, the program stressed the importance of getting to know your neighbours and learning how to help elderly and disabled neighbours," Mr Francis said.

Evaluation of the project showed that a big increase in the number of residents with an evacuation plan and an emergency kit. Most now knew how to access information during an emergency and had shared their disaster preparation knowledge with others.

The State Government winner was 'Bushfire Patrol', a bushfire education program devised by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services and the WA Department of Education.

       Fact File

• See the list of winners and highly commended attached

• Category winners could win national awards on November 24, 2014

• Awards sponsored by the Federal Attorney-General's department in conjunction with the States and Territories

Emergency Services Minister's office - 6552 6500

2014 Resilient Australia (WA) Awards

Winning entries

1.         Not-for-profit:

WA Local Government Association - Building Emergency Management Capacity in Local Government

The Emergency Management Act 2005 introduced extra responsibilities for local governments. With this in mind, WALGA developed a suite of emergency management training tailor made for local government. The training has made resources available, addressed risk and vulnerability and focused on increased planning and preparedness measures for communities across WA. The training is available to all local government emergency management personnel (including volunteers), CEOs, Executives and Elected Members. The knowledge gained has enabled local governments across the State to improve their capacity to plan and prepare before, during and after an emergency.

2.         Local Government:

Shire of Augusta Margaret River and Australian Red Cross - Community Preparedness 'Get Ready!' project

A joint partnership between the Australian Red Cross and local government saw a successful campaign encouraging the local community to adopt a 'shared responsibility' approach to preparedness. The program used the expertise from all emergency management agencies as well as the local experiences and knowledge of community members.

Highlights included:

• Information on a wide range of hazards and preparedness activities. Recent bushfires, flooding, storm damage and widespread power outages highlighted the need for an all hazards approach.  Resources through the Shire website, email lists, stalls at the Agricultural Show, Senior's Expo, Farmers Markets and at Recreation Centres, Shire Offices and Libraries

• Getting to know your neighbours was one of four key messages promoted

• A street party at a disability group home where neighbours met the residents and learned how they can help them, if needed

• The evaluation showed:

• Participants with an evacuation plan increased by 36% to 83%

• Participants with an emergency kit increased from 37% to 66%

• Overall, 97% of participants knew which disasters were most likely in their area

• 97% knew how to access information during an emergency

• 71% had recently reviewed their insurance coverage

• 64% had exchanged contact numbers with their neighbours

• 91% of participants shared knowledge gained through the sessions with others.

3.         State Government:

Department of Fire and Emergency Services (WA) and Department of Education (WA) - Bushfire Patrol

The 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission, after the Black Saturday bushfires disaster, highlighted that there was limited bushfire education in Australian schools. To address this, Bushfire Patrol makes explicit links to the Geography and Science Australian Curriculum Learning Areas of the Australian Curriculum. Bushfire Patrol is a curriculum linked resource that addresses the risk of bushfire to children, who are one of the most vulnerable groups in natural disasters.  Students are encouraged to undertake research and form opinions, which results in greater connectedness to the content being taught.  The 5E's inquiry learning model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate) was used as a framework to develop the structure of five cognitively appropriate lessons each for Year 2s; Year 3 and 4s; and Year 5 and 6 students.  The program includes take-home activities where students can work with their families to conduct a simple assessment of their bushfire risk and implement some easy but effective bushfire preparedness activities.  Preliminary evaluation suggests the families conducted more home preparation activities and were more likely to have a bushfire survival plan.

Highly Commended Entries

Local Government

City of Bunbury - 'Are U ready 4 72 hours' (U-4-72)

U-4-72 aimed to "switch people on" to the reality that they may have to rely on themselves for up to 72 hours (3 days) in the event of a major disaster or emergency. It has encouraged people to take responsibility for their own preparedness and take real steps to be prepared, regardless of the hazard. By building self-responsibility and resilience to all hazards, the project has prepared people for worst-case scenarios. People are now aware that emergency events do occur and that simple preparation and planning can help keep them, their family, friends and neighbours safe without reliance on other agencies.

State Government

Department for Child Protection and Family Support; Adventist Development and Relief Agency; Volunteering WA; Salvation Army and Australia Red Cross - State Welfare Community Joint Communication and Collaboration Exercise Training (SWEET)

The 'SWEET' project involved developing a training package to increase awareness, community resilience and capacity of agencies to deal with the welfare aspects of a significant emergency.  Key community groups and local and state agencies developed a network and a shared understanding of their various roles in providing welfare support.

Department of Fire and Emergency Services - Bushfire Ready Program

The Bushfire Ready program builds community resilience by supporting residents to understand their bushfire risk, work together at a local level and take responsibility for their own fire safety through property preparedness.  In the State Emergency Management Committee's review of the Parkerville Stoneville Mount Helena Bushfires (June 2014) the program is described in terms of community engagement approaches, as 'offering a far stronger mechanism to achieve the desired behaviour change and level of preparedness by drawing on volunteer community facilitators'.  The review highlighted the fact that DFES, the Shire of Mundaring and its bushfire volunteers (including 13 Bushfire Ready facilitators) made significant efforts to help residents recognise bushfire risk and to act accordingly.