COMMUNITY doesn’t come from proximity; it’s built when people come together with common goals and interests. A community built in times of trouble, that bands together through resilience, have proven to achieve great things.
The October 2022 floods saw many in the community come together to help each other when it became clear outside help was not coming or was delayed. To help local communities affected by the floods, Resilience in Recovery engaged volunteers in Mooroopna, Bunbartha, Undera and Murchison for Community Emergency Management Planning (CEMP) training to create a plan and empower the community the next time a disaster occurs.
Former researcher with Agricultural Victoria in Tatura, Des Whitfield, was part of the Murchison CEMP committee.
“We came up with a set of dot points and a lot of ‘to do’s’ that will form the basis of a plan. The consultants have done their part of the job. We have a blueprint if you like, and we’re at the part where we need to put a plan together,” said Des.
“The most important decision we made, I think, was to focus on floods, compared to trying to do floods and fire and high temperature.”
While there is still a way to go for Murchison CEMP, the committee will continue to explore recovery and what happens to the community after a disaster, including what support is available as well as a look into the past by recording the history of emergencies within Murchison and its surrounds so they are better prepared in the future.
