Bushfire Recovery Shoalhaven

Recovery into Readiness Community meetings are being held to protect and prepare Shoalhaven communities for the next emergency/fire season.

The virtual City-wide meetings are open to all residents and ratepayers in which the panel will address the matters relevant and of importance for the Community to consider and prepare in readiness for the next emergency/fire season.

The panel will be made up of emergency management experts, including representatives from the Rural Fire Service, NSW Police and Shoalhaven City.

The virtual meetings, on Wednesday 26 August 2020, at three time slots during the day with the aim to maximise viewing and community participation City-wide.

To access the Recovery into Readiness Community meetings please follow the instructions below.

Webinar Session Links

1pm - Webinar

4pm - Webinar

7pm - Shoalhaven City Council Facebook page

Please submit your questions through the 'Webinar Questions' tab on the Bushfire Recovery web page, if possible, prior to each session.

Each meeting will be recorded and published on this Bushfire Recovery Get Involved web page.

Webinar Access Instructions

Using a mobile device or tablet

Step 1. Download/Install the Microsoft Teams App from the App Store.

Step 2. Select sign up for free.

Step 3. Enter your email address and select next.

Step 4. Select 'For friends and Family' (under how do you want to use teams) and click next.

Step 5. Select Go to Skype and download/install Skype.

Step 6. Click on the link to the Webinar your like to attend.

Step 7. When prompted join as a guest and type in your name.

You are now ready to watch the webinar

Using a computer

Step 1. Click on the link to the Webinar you'd like to attend.

Step 2. When prompted click on ‘Watch on the web instead’

Step 3. Select Join anonymously

You are now ready to watch the webinar.

Please join Australian Red Cross Disaster Recovery Advisors and Mentors Australia as they host Shona Whitton for a virtual community forum to talk to the community about disaster memorials and anniversaries.

When: Sept 2, 2020 04:00 PM Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney

Please register online via the link below for the community forum:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcoceutqD8qG9xpoprEHcPt6TbZCP0yGGOs

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Shona Whitton is the National Coordinator, Recovery and Psychosocial Support at Australian Red Cross. Shona is responsible for the coordination and development of Red Cross’ domestic disaster recovery and psychosocial programs. Prior to returning to Red Cross, Shona worked as a consultant specialising in post disaster recovery, psychosocial support and community resilience, including working as a Field Recovery Specialist with the NSW State Government. Shona has a background with Red Cross where she worked on developing Red Cross’ approach to disaster recovery programs and psychosocial interventions.

In 2015, Shona was awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship to explore approaches to temporary and permanent disaster memorialising in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany and Norway. Shona has since provided technical advice to local and state governments and community organisations in relation to collective memorialising and psychosocial support at temporary memorials following a number of collective trauma events. Shona holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology), a Masters in Community Development (Emergency Management), a Graduate Certificate in Gender Mainstreaming Policy & Analysis and an International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance.

21 August 2020

Lifeline South Coast has been funded to deliver a range of training programs across bushfire impacted communities in the South Coast throughout the 2020/21 year. Training programs include:

• Accidental Counsellor – 19 Sessions (full-day program)

A full-day program which will provide participants with the necessary skills and tools to be able to step into the shoes of an Accidental Counsellor momentarily. Participants will learn to respond appropriately, efficient and effectively to people in crisis or distress. Focusing on the importance of communication, this workshop provides participants with the fundamental skills in organisational, community and individual resilience.

• QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) – 23 Sessions (2-3 hour program)

Just as people trained in CPR help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognise the warning signs of suicide crisis and how to question, persuade and refer someone to help. QPR training provides participants with the knowledge and skills to identify warning signs that someone may be suicidal, confidence to talk to them about suicidal thoughts, tolls to connect them with professional care.

• DV-Aware – 16 sessions (2-3 hour program)

DV-Aware is designed to raise public awareness around the issue of domestic and family violence. Participants will gain a basic understanding of issues, tools to guide in recognising the signs of domestic and family violence, providing the foundations to assess what you can do as an individual or group to prevent domestic and family violence.

• Psychological First Aid (PFA) – 8 sessions (2-3 hour program)

PFA workshops aim to provide basic skills for helping people affected by disaster. Participants will learn how to provide human social support to people impacted by disaster or critical event and aid community recovery. An important aim of PFA is to build people’s capacity to recover. PFA supports recovery by helping people to identify their immediate needs and their strengths and abilities to meet those needs.

Training can be delivered either face-to-face or in a virtual environment. To find out what and when the training programs are being run visit the Training Calendar on the Life Line South Coast website. The calendar will be regularly updated to include new sessions.

If you are aware of particular training needs in communities please let Life Line South Coast know so they can use this to inform training program delivery.

Lifeline south Coast are also looking to continue our engagement with local communities and organisations, and support community events with the aim of promoting community recovery. If there are events you think may benefit from Life Line South Coast's involvement please reach out, they are happy to support organising and participating in the events.

For more information visit the Life Line South Coast website or contact Monique Ferguson, Community Training and Engagement Manager by email Monique.ferguson@llsc.org.au or call m. 0427 193 959 or (02) 4228 1311.

Life Line South Coast would like to acknowledge our funding partners CBA, The Minderoo Foundation and Uniting Church/Target Bushfire Relief Appeal.

19 August 2020

A reinforced concrete bridge across School Creek, Budgong will soon be complete, just seven months after the fires that burnt 80 percent of the Shoalhaven, including five bridges.

Shoalhaven City Council Mayor, Amanda Findley said “The School Creek bridge has been constructed relatively quickly with a crane lifting into place factory-made bridge decks, prepared in Newcastle, ready for the final concrete pour.”

"All that remained of the bridge after it was destroyed by fire, on January 4, were the concrete piers," said Clr Findley.

"Understandably local residents have found the lack of a bridge difficult, especially following the trauma of the fires. Without a bridge, the journey to Nowra or Kangaroo Valley could take an hour by car. Thankfully a landowner has generously allowed some local vehicles under a temporary 2 tonne culvert crossing via private property, but that has been dry weather dependent," she said.

"Council has worked as quickly as possible to rebuild infrastructure damaged by the fires with more fire resilient replacements which has taken time to secure funding, finalise tenders and arrange contracts. It is heartening to see Budgong residents can now enjoy a high-quality concrete bridge, a replacement for the previous aged timber bridge," said Clr Findley.

Shoalhaven Council was the first local government authority to place an order for the InQuik bridge at School Creek and Toomboolomobah in the Shoalhaven area, and as a result have led the way for other municipalities to use this type of fast track installation. InQuik has now been commissioned to install over 20 bridges as a result of the Currowan fire.

"It is also pleasing that all businesses and workers involved in the reconstruction, earthworks and cranage are local and/or regional NSW-based businesses. Contractor Inquik's internationally patented Bridging System has enabled the bridge to be built quickly and providing an enduring permanent solution at a competitive cost to temporary bridging solutions thanks to the innovative semi-modular construction method," said Clr Findley.

The replacement of the bridge over School Creek on Bugong Road is the last of the five destroyed bridges in the Shoalhaven to be replaced as a result of the Currowan fire, and just one the significant achievements of Council and its Recovery Committee.

Saint Vincent de Paul are offering one-off grants, of up to $20,000, to local organisations in bushfire-affected areas to help their communities to rebuild and recover.

Registered community groups and local organisations are eligible for the funding to support projects that have a community-wide impact

Please apply by 23 August 2020 be considered in Stage 1 of the Vinnies NSW Community Bushfire Grant Program.

If you aren’t able to get your application ready in time, don’t worry – Stage 2 applications will be opened up after Stage 1 closes.

For more information , including how to apply please visit the St Vincent de Paul Bushfire Grants web page.

Damien Greer Lawyers is inviting organisations to apply for a $1,000 Community Grant in 2020.

The Damien Greer Lawyers Community Grant program recognises and celebrates organisations that strive to make a positive impact within their local community.

Five (5) $1,000 grants are available in 2020.

The Community Grant program aims to support organisations that work within their local community and encourage the following values:

• Helping the community in times of need
• Building community togetherness and sense of belonging
• Promoting positive health and wellbeing
• Supporting community services and groups
• Nurturing the local environment.

Your organisation is eligible to apply if you meet at least one of the below criteria:

• Promote sustainable environmentally friendly practices within the community
• Support health and wellbeing initiatives
• Provide services in the local community
• Facilitate community awareness and education programs
• Support at-risk and/or in need individuals in the local community.

Applications close 15 November 2020.

For more information, including how to apply, please visit the Damien Greer Lawyers website.

Service NSW are visiting bushfire-affected communities to help people to replace their lost or damaged documents such as birth or marriage certificates, driver licences, photo cards, and Fair Trading licences and permits free of charge.

There will also be help available to access a range of government support services and initiatives.

Service NSW are visiting the following areas in the Shoalhaven:

St Georges Basin
Where: The Country Club, Links Avenue, Sanctuary Point
When: 13 August 2020
Time: 10:00am to 3:00pm

Sussex Inlet
Where: RSL Club, 200 Jacobs Drive, Sussex Inlet
When: 14 August 2020
Time: 9:00am to 12:00pm

The details of additional locations will be provided once they are received.

Those requiring emergency assistance such as food, water or shelter should contact the Disaster Welfare Assistance Line on 1800 018 444.

For more information on the services available visit the Service NSW Bushfire Customer Care service website.

Stormbirds is a program to support children and young people that have experienced a natural disaster.

A free training session to become a ‘Companion’ to deliver the Stormbirds program in schools will be held in Ulladulla on 13 August for teachers, professionals and volunteers.

Two 1.5 hour online sessions are also available to support parents in understanding their children's needs following natural disaster in their community.

Free Ulladulla Training Session

Date: Thursday 13 August

Time: 9 - 3pm

Venue: Ulladulla Civic Centre

City/State: 81B Princes Hwy, Ulladulla NSW 2539

Contact: Louise Hall louise.hall@goodgrief.org.au

To Register: https://www.goodgrief.org.au/product/850

Online training sessions for parents

Date: Wednesday 5 August

Time: 12:00pm

To Register: https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=638046&

Date: Monday 17 August

Time: 6:30pm

To Register: https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=638051&

Vinnies is offering funding to local organisations to help your community rebuild and recover.

• Grants available up to $20,000

• Registered community groups and organisations are eligible

• Funding will support projects with community-wide impact

Find out more and apply at www.vinnies.org.au/bushfiregrants

Budget Direct's Sponsorships Solved funding may benefit those impacted by the recent bushfire in the Shoalhaven.

Sponsorship Solved aim to support registered organisations or associations that:

• provide local or statewide community services
• run community awareness and education programs
• promote health and wellbeing (e.g. sports clubs)
• advocate for road safety
• provide emergency services
• support in need or at-risk Australians
• help build strong, vibrant communities.

Each year there are four rounds of sponsorship funding:

Round 1 - 1 July 2020 to 30 September 2020

Round 2 - 1 October 2020 - 31 December 2020

Round 3 - 1 January 2021 - 31 March 2021

Round 4 - 1 April 2021 - 30 June 2021

For more information, including how to apply, visit the Budget Direct Sponsorship Solved web page.