In the wake of recent storm and power outage events, a couple of inter-agency Community Recovery Meetings were held last week - at Grantville and Kernot to debrief on recent challenges faced by the community and explore opportunities for enhancing future disaster resilience.
The events were well attended by community and had representatives from key agencies, including the State Emergency Service (SES), Country Fire Authority (CFA), Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, Emergency Recovery Victoria, Red Cross, and AusNet. Additionally, MP Jordan Crugnale was also present at Grantville, demonstrating the collaborative effort to support and engage with the local community.
The sessions commenced with opening remarks from Bass Coast Shire Councillors, highlighting the importance of community resilience and the role of collective action in overcoming challenges. AusNet, then presented and fielded questions from attendees. Community members were able to raise concerns directly, as well as to obtain further information on support services, including individual payment assistance.
The SES provided an overview of the storm and power outage events, shedding light on the operational aspects and emergency response efforts. This session was followed by a lively discussion where community members had the opportunity to ask questions, share their experiences, discuss challenges, and raise key issues for future consideration.
At Grantville, Councilor Ellis expressed gratitude on behalf of Council and the community to all response agencies for their dedication and support during challenging times. The collaborative spirit displayed during the session underscored the importance of community resilience and the effectiveness of multi-agency coordination in disaster response and recovery efforts.
Bass Coast Mayor, Cr Clare Le Serve said she valued all the agencies coming together. "It's been really important for us in terms of a proper recovery to come together and meet with community members to have meaningful discussions about how we can futureproof our region with large storm events and others" she said.
As the session ended, agency representatives remained to engage with community members and ensure individuals received the necessary support and information.
Community members that were unable to attend or have further questions can contact AusNet through their website.
To access information and support for disaster recovery, please visit vic.gov.au/recovery-support, call 1800 560 760 or contact Council's Emergency Management Team
