People with lived experience shared powerful insights as part of a Surf Coast-Colac Otway workshop, shaping disability inclusive regional emergency planning, aiming to leave no-one behind.
Surf Coast and Colac Otway Shire Councils combined to host a Country Fire Authority (CFA) forum and 30 attendees included representatives from the CFA, Red Cross, disability providers and advocacy groups and council emergency management and disability inclusion staff.
The forum discussion, led by Professor Michelle Villeneuve of Sydney University’s Centre for Disability Research and Policy, helped broaden understanding of existing planning and resources and explored potential development of community disability inclusive disaster risk reduction policies and practices.
The workshop was funded through a program managed by Emergency Management Victoria as part of a Clearing the Path to Disability Inclusive Fire and Emergency Planning project being rolled out in five Victorian municipalities.
As a follow on from the workshop, each council will support the CFA’s Emergency Planning Advice Service program.
Surf Coast Shire Deputy Mayor, Councillor Mike Bodsworth, welcomed the workshop collaboration.
“We thank and commend everyone who contributed to this forum, especially those with first-hand experiences of the particular challenges people with disability and their carers can face in times of emergency,” Cr Bodsworth said.
“This has helped mobilise a process with such high purpose – building a structure and better understanding around caring for our most vulnerable in times of crisis, and one of the most important outcomes from the workshop was the local networking.
“We look forward to sharing the University of Sydney insights from the workshop with all participants, emergency services and service providers, and continuing the conversation during coming months.”
People in Surf Coast and Colac Otway Shires can register with the free CFA Emergency Planning Advice Service during 2023.
The service supports people who live with disability, are older or have a chronic or acute medical conditions by creation of a fire plan.
Consultation is conversation-based, with Red Cross and CFA representatives visiting people in their homes.
People can phone Council on 5261 0600 to learn more.
