Day in Dereel about being emergency ready

RESIDENTS of the wider Dereel district are invited to be part of a community day this weekend.

DIY Dereel is set to attract locals to the Dereel Community Hub to meet their neighbours and connect with local health and emergency services as the fire season approaches.

Staff from Ballarat Community Health, Ambulance Victoria’s Dereel CERT team, and Disaster Legal Help Victoria will be available with information on the services they provide, and free advice.

Also on site will be members of the Dereel CFA, Dereel Men’s Shed, and other community groups, Australian Red Cross representatives, an nbnCo staff member, municipal officers, and even a vintage steam engine display.

Bushfire resilience officer and DIY Dereel organiser Fiona Williamson said the aim of the day is to build household and overall community resilience, all while the fire season approaches.

“We’re hoping to attract the existing, and new residents,” she said.

“Between censuses, we’ve has a lot of people move up here in COVID time, and they may not be familiar with living in the bush.

“We want to connect those two groups together, help build up skills and awareness of fire prevention initiatives, and create local connections which builds that community resilience.

“The best of community resilience is when people know each other, and who they can speak to for help.”

If people have any questions around what emergency equipment they need on their property, how to use a fire pump, who to contact in case of emergency, and where dangerous access roads are, they can head to DIY Dereel for the answers.

There will also be short “lightening talks” on topics including fire management and planned burns, and a fire table from the CFA will give residents a sense of how different fuels burn.

The CERT and CFA teams will be looking to recruit new members, while BCH staff provide free health checks and COVID-19 vaccinations.

Coffee and a breakfast barbecue will be on offer, and a fire emergency bag will be given away to a family of four.

“Anyone from the Shire is welcome to come along and tap into the resources as it’s information that’s relevant to everyone,” Ms Williamson said.

DIY Dereel is being funded and led by Golden Plains Shire, and will be held on Saturday 28 October from 9am to 1pm.