Dr Michael Holland, Member for Bega, spoke in the NSW Parliament this week on Natural Disaster Resilience saying:
I speak tonight about disaster resilience, with specific reference to the bushfire experience of the Bega electorate.
Natural disasters such as these are increasing in frequency and intensity. The recent heatwaves and wild fires in North America and Europe demonstrate the consequence of man-made climate change.
The Black Summer bushfires followed 10 years of El Niño, with drought and rising average temperatures. There has been a La Niña event over the past few years, with wetter and cooler conditions causing significant regrowth. The threat of drier, hotter conditions returns, as it will cyclically on our continent. Our State and my electorate need to look at resilience, preparation, response and recovery.
Resilience is the ability of individuals, communities, organisations and States to adapt and recover without compromising long-term prospects for development. It requires adaptability and planning.
But natural disasters are not always totally natural events. There are human factors that influence whether a natural event becomes a disaster or a catastrophe. Disasters can be caused by poor local planning, a lack of early warning systems and inadequate emergency response strategies.
Preparation for natural disasters is a collective responsibility.
Local, State and Federal governments must cooperate to implement resilient infrastructure and effective emergency response systems. At a local level, community information and education is necessary to allow knowledge and preparation for the events. The community must know evacuation routes and prepare disaster kits and an action plan.
Our emergency services need to understand risks, assess vulnerability and implement mitigation measures. Sustainable land-use policies will assist in prevention, and early warning systems will allow preparation for action. Plans need to prioritise the most vulnerable, which includes the elderly, the disabled, and infants and children.
In fact, disaster preparation and the development of resilience is an issue of social equity and justice. Those with the least resources need the greatest help, which leads to a more equitable and fair society.
My experience of the Black Summer bushfires was at the Moruya Showground evacuation centre. The indoor basketball court was full of unsegregated people, and the football oval and showground arena were occupied by vehicles of all kinds. Domestic and farm animals filled other areas. There were limited sanitary facilities and food preparation areas. The greatest concern for the local hospital was an outbreak of gastroenteritis, which would have overwhelmed the service.
That stimulated my examination of the need for safe and secure evacuation centres and safe havens. Power is everything. Without it, there is no communication, no running water, no fuel pumps and no sanitation or food preparation.
We need to see safe havens with sustainable energy from solar panels, battery storage and diesel or gas backup. Our communities can be self-sufficient, with solar microgrids and the security of underground powerlines or fire-resistant power poles. Already, with the assistance of the Federal member for Gilmore, Fiona Phillips, MP, the Eurobodalla has the security of the Mount Wandera telecommunications site, the Telstra site and fire‑resistant poles at South Durras.
With power, the evacuation centres will require quarantined supply and storage of both drinking and non‑potable water. That will support sanitation, including washing and sewerage as well as cooking.
The structure itself must be fire resistant and equipped with a sprinkler system. Air quality and cooling for evacuees will require adequate air-conditioning systems. Internally, organised spaces to segregate the elderly, the disabled and women with infants and children are necessary.
We are dangerously vulnerable medically, with our medication reserves being less than our baseline fuel reserves. We depend on overseas supply of medicines and medical equipment.
Local, State and Federal governments need a coordinated natural disaster public health policy, with local officials prepared to implement a local public health response. The role will be to provide immediate health and sanitation responses, with secondary responses providing medication, medical supplies and treatment synchronised with local hospital services. Finally, in terms of emergency services coordination and response capability, I look forward to the construction of the Eurobodalla emergency operations precinct, for which the previous State Government committed $15 million, increased by a further $10 million by the Federal Labor Government and the New South Wales Labor Government. source:
