Photo, left to right: Shane Fitzsimmons (Commissioner Resilience NSW), Tim Yapp, Cliff Hoare, Mike Parsons (Group Liaison) Vicki Connell (Chairperson) and representatives from Save the Children (joint winner).
The Harrington and Crowdy Heady Community Resilience Team have been shortlisted as finalists for the 2022 Suncorp Resilient Australia National Community Award in December.
Team members, Mr Timothy Yapp, Mr Mike Parsons and Mr Cliff Hoare will represent the group at the national awards night in Hobart on 6 December.
The team came equal first, with Save the Children, in the Resilient Australia Community Award category. Their win, which was announced on October 7 at the NSW Government Get Ready Community and Resilient Australia Awards ceremony at State Parliament, has put the team in line for a national award in Hobart.
The group formed after the 'black summer' bushfires and March 2021 floods impacted the small coastal communities of Harrington and Crowdy Head.
During these events, closure of the Pacific Highway left the community isolated, with community members uncertain about what to do and where to go as these threats unfolded.
Soon after the 2021 flood event, MidCoast Council's Community Recovery Officer Janine Friedrich hosted a flood and bushfire recovery community meeting at Harrington. The meeting led to the creation of a volunteer group which has become known as the Harrington and Crowdy Head Community Resilience Team. This team has been led by Vicki Connell, Chairperson and supported by Janine for the last 18 months.
The aim of this group is to support the Harrington and Crowdy Head community to better prepare for, respond to and recover from future disaster events which may impact the community.
To achieve this, the group has undertaken a range of activities, including obtaining the active support of relevant agencies, reaching out to existing local community groups, engaging with the broader community, and researching and developing two booklets – the Harrington and Crowdy Head Community Emergency Guide for emergency services organisations, and Harrington and Crowdy Head: A Resilient Community for all households in the community.
The work of the group has fostered a shared understanding of community vulnerabilities, needs and resources as well as the complementary roles of these different emergency groups and how they can best work together.
The broader community is being educated on the role different organisations play when an emergency unfolds as well as actions that individuals and households can take to facilitate better preparation, response and recovery.
"We're very proud to have such community-minded people on the MidCoast," said MidCoast Council's Director of Liveable Communities, Paul De Szell.
"The work of the Harrington and Crowdy Head Community Resilience Team has resulted in building greater capacity within the community to prepare, respond and recover in the event of emergencies."
