There has been widespread confusion in recent weeks about where residents of Echuca-Moama would need to move to in the event of a major blaze.
When contacted by the Riverine Herald, all emergency departments directed calls to the SCC; and when we contacted the SCC, they said a decision would be made by local authorities.
However, Campaspe Shire Council’s economic and community development general manager Keith Oberin was able to provide some clarity on the issue.
“Council’s role in an emergency situation is to provide resources as requested through the municipal emergency response coordinator (a Victoria Police officer) via the Incident Control Centre and, if required, identify a suitable location for a relief centre, open it and staff it as directed,” he said.
“While council has identified a number of areas considered suitable to be utilised as relief centres across the municipality, each emergency situation will be different and a site that we believe to be appropriate today, may be entirely unsuitable when the actual need arises.
“In each emergency situation, an assessment would be made as to the appropriate centre to open, given the emergency in place at the time.
“In keeping with advice from all emergency response agencies, council encourages all residents and visitors to develop an action plan in case of an emergency. An example of a plan from a fire perspective can be found at www.cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare/your-guide-to-survival”
One of the Campaspe Shire safe places is Echuca South Recreation Reserve, listed as a neighbourhood safe place on its website. Although, the shire’s website clearly states: “these are places of last resort you can go to during a bushfire, which may give you some protection”.
“However, how safe it is can be affected by factors such as the fire’s intensity and your ability to get to this place safely.
“For this reason, it should only be a contingency if your fire-ready plan has failed. It cannot be considered completely safe.”
The NSW Rural Fire Service meanwhile has developed a bushfire survival map for Moama, which is available to be viewed online. The map details the different threat levels which could impact residents north of the border.
It can be found at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/85351/Moama-Bush-Fire-Survival_Map.pdf
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