Killcare Community Association develops community resilience plan

Killcare Wagstaffe Rural Fire Brigade Station

With hotter months and the fire season upon us, Wagstaffe to Killcare Community Association has partnered with other local community groups to create a Community Resilience Plan.

President of Wagstaffe to Killcare Community Association (WTKCA) Mike Allsop said the new project would keep the community informed and aware of fire safety and emergency action plans.

“WTKCA, Hardy’s Bay Residents Group, Killy Cares, Rural Fire Service and Killcare Surf Life Saving Club have been supporting a Community Resilience Plan which goes well beyond bushfire matters,” Allsop said.

“The objective is to ensure that our community and their visitors are made aware of the emergency arrangements for our little area, know who to call, what services to expect, and to understand who may need particular assistance.

“The idea stemmed from November last year when we had those catastrophic days, and people were concerned about what to do if a disaster occurred.”

A website for the Community Resilience Plan will be available in early December and will have helpful links, contacts, evacuation points, action plans and various weather warnings.

Allsop said they had also organised flyers with the information to be sent out to homes for residents to keep.

“We want to be an assistance to emergency services,” Allsop said.

“We are only a small community, with one road in and one road out – if something were to happen, we would be completely isolated.”

Killcare Wagstaffe Rural Fire Brigade Captain Michelle Biddulph said due to COVID-19 restrictions, regular community meetings and safety presentations had not been held.

“We understand that there are a lot of community members nervous about fire season,” Biddulph said.

“Normally, we have our monthly cake stalls and our open day where people would come for a chat about their concerns.

“Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, these have not been possible.”

Biddulph said community members were invited to visit the fire station at 7.30pm Wednesdays to have a chat and ask questions.

Rural Fire Service packs that assist community members in developing bushfire survival plans are also available at Killcare Cellars, Bouddi Gallery, and the Killcare Wagstaffe Rural Fire Brigade.

Hayley McMahon