The Central Coast community will be better protected during bushfires, storms and flooding thanks to $126,048 in new funding to improve the region’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC).
Parliamentary Secretary for Central Coast, Adam Crouch, said the EOC at Charmhaven serves as the region’s “control room”.
“When a natural disaster occurs, staff from Resilience NSW, our emergency services and Central Coast Council swing into gear and work collaboratively to keep people safe,” Crouch said.
“This facility at Charmhaven has been designated one of NSW’s strategically important ‘backbone’ EOCs because it provides a central site for communication and co-ordination of operations and support.
“The $126,048 in NSW Government funding will deliver new information communications and technology (ICT) and utilities upgrades, including internet infrastructure, laptops, tabards and satellite modems and phones for the paid and volunteer professionals working to keep the Central Coast safe.
“Over the past 18 months we have witnessed a lifetime’s worth of disasters including bushfires, storms and flooding, which is why there has never been a more important time to invest in our emergency services capabilities,” Crouch said.
Central Coast Council Administrator, Rik Hart, said the funding from the NSW Government was timely and ensured that the Coast community continued to be supported throughout local emergencies.
The Charmhaven EOC is operated by Council in conjunction with the NSW Rural Fire Service.
The funding, being delivered by Resilience NSW, forms part of a State wide commitment of $6.2M to enhance the operational capability of strategically important ‘backbone’ EOCs.
Resilience NSW will work closely with Central Coast Council to develop a funding agreement which reflects particular requirements.
Source:
Media release, May 19
Parliamentary Secretary for Central Coast, Adam Crouch