The town of Karuah have put their heads together since the cyclonic storms back in April, gathering some wise locals to form the Karuah Disaster committee, stemming from an idea raised at the storm recovery meetings back in April.
Fred McInerney, Peter Fidden, Ken Smee and Ross Parr.
Committee members have recently held the second monthly meeting brain storming ideas to provide better assistance for the community in further unprecedented weather events or natural disasters, especially with recent storms providing extra fossil fuel for this upcoming bushfire season.
Karuah & District RSL Secretary Manager Ross Parr told Myall Coast News, “This committee is not about personalities, its all about the town and what’s happening in the town to better prepare for disaster situations.”
A small grant has just been approved to the Karuah & District RSL Club to purchase a Telstra Satellite phone and cover the running costs for three years, a generous local as also kindly donated $2,500 towards the purchase of a 10s siren to be connected to the top of the RSL Club and has been estimated to be heard as far away as the Swan Bay roundabout.
Committee members will be testing the siren in the near future but will notify locals of when this will happen.
They are also working on designated information points around the town, and are looking into better equipping the Karuah & District RSL Club with power, water and amenities so the club can be approved for an evacuation centre.
There will also be a second and possibly third backup plan for worst case scenarios such as if the RSL Club were to perish in an emergency situation.
“Shadow Minister for Emergency Services Guy Zangari was very impressed with our little committee we have put together, he was wrapped with how quickly we have come up with certain plans and resources, and would like to be kept up to date with progress as he thinks more towns should adopt the Disaster Committee idea.”
“Our Committee are also on the look out for registered and qualified medical personnel as well as certain equipment.
“If anyone would be interested in helping out they can contact me at the Club on 49975297,” Mr Parr said.
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