Join Free Workshops to Prepare for Future Natural Disasters

Published on 22 January 2024

Emergencies can happen anywhere and at any time and often leave significant and long-term impacts.

With this in mind, residents in the Leeton Shire Council area will have the opportunity to become better prepared for emergencies through free Australian Red Cross Rediplan workshops being held in Leeton, Whitton and Yanco.

The Riverina and Murray Joint Organisation (RAMJO) and Leeton Shire Council have engaged the Red Cross to facilitate the workshops as part of a Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF) project administered by the NSW Reconstruction Authority and jointly funded by the Commonwealth and New South Wales governments.

The RediPlan workshops will help community members begin their own household emergency RediPlan and provide them with the knowledge and tools needed to continue preparing themselves, and the people most important to them, for emergencies.

“One of the aims of the DRRF project is to build community preparedness for times of disaster. We saw an opportunity to work with the Red Cross to help residents create RediPlans, and they have enthusiastically come onboard to facilitate the workshops”, said Emily Sharp, Project Manager at RAMJO.

Cr Tony Reneker, Leeton Shire Council Mayor, said, “We’ve seen the broad and long-lasting impact of storm events and flooding on our communities recently, and we want to help our residents prepare for future emergencies by considering different emergency situations, what they should do to prepare, and how they will respond”. 

“Taking action prior to an emergency has long been recognised as a way to reduce the impacts of disasters,” Australian Red Cross Emergency Services Regional Officer Kate Johanson said.

“We know that having a plan helps people cope during and after a disaster because they’ve already thought about how they will react and feel if an emergency happens.”

Community members are encouraged to attend one of the free Red Cross RediPlan workshops in the local area which will be held at the following locations and times: 

• 7 February 2024 – 1.00-4.00pm – Leeton Street Stall / Jarrah Mall
• 8 February 2024 – 1.00-3.30pm – Leeton Ex-Serviceman’s Club – Regency Room
• 8 February 2024 – 6.00-8.30pm – Yanco Community Hall

A light lunch/supper will be provided and all participants will go in a free raffle to win an emergency kit worth $200. Community members can RSVP to RAMJO Project Manager Emily Sharp on 0436 370 722 or Emily.Sharp@ramjo.nsw.gov.au.

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT:

Emily Sharp
Disaster Risk Reduction Fund Project Manager
Riverina and Murray Joint Organisation (RAMJO)
T. 0436 370 722
E. emily.sharp@ramjo.nsw.gov.au

About the Riverina and Murray Joint Organisation (RAMJO):

The Riverina and Murray Joint Organisation (RAMJO) supports 11 regional councils to work together to improve service delivery in key priority areas such as water security, energy, transport, digital connectivity, waste management and health.  The RAMJO region covers an area of over 80,000 square kilometres and has a population of over 153,000 people. Member councils include: Albury City Council; Berrigan Shire Council; Carrathool Shire Council; Edward River Council; Federation Council; Griffith City Council; Hay Shire Council; Leeton Shire Council; Murray River Council; Murrumbidgee Council; Narrandera Shire Council.