During the 2019-20 bushfire season North West Region avoided significant fires, but CFA members observed increased anxiety in sections of the Greater Bendigo community particularly those who had recently settled here from overseas.
Bendigo is home to more than 4,000 Karen residents, more than 300 Afghan Hazara, and increasing numbers of South Sudanese community members. Bendigo is surrounded by bushland with an extreme fire risk and a high risk of flooding. CFA members realised that these new community members didn’t understand the natural risks they faced and didn’t know how to access the most appropriate help when needed. A lack of understanding of how emergency services work in Victoria contributed to this dilemma.
With a strong connection to community, Bendigo Health Services partnered with CFA, VICSES and the City of Greater Bendigo to develop a program to increase the community’s understanding about bushfire, flood and heat health, and where to find information about these risks.
Crucial to the success of the program was the decision to recruit local, trusted members of the communities as ‘community champions’ to help deliver the key messages. CFA members, along with other program coordinators, gave education and training to these champions so they could help deliver the messaging. This program truly put the community at the centre of everything we do.
CFA’s District 2 community safety presenters and community champions delivered the fire component in the field, and the champions provided continued support to their communities after the face-to-face sessions. The champions were invaluable because of their insight into the best ways to engage the various communities.
The community safety presenters are enthusiastic about the program and they can see real results.
“I’ve worked with several Karen groups made up of all ages from toddlers to the elderly,” presenter Lin Quarrier said. “I’ve found the secondary school age kids so supportive and respectful of their families. They helped to install the VicEmergency app on their parent’s phones and contributed to the session well.”
“The process of working with Bendigo Health Services and VICSES to develop a model of working with community champions to reach the refugee communities has been an invaluable grass roots strategy to enable more effective engagement by CFA with vulnerable people,” presenter Sue Bull said.
“We spent quite a bit of time using the VicEmergency app. At the end, one of the older women said via the interpreter ‘I feel so empowered’,” presenter Rob Reid-Smith said. “Church on Sunday afternoon is a family affair for parents and children. The Karen champions have done well in linking the fire safety sessions with church services.”
Participants left the sessions with a greater understanding of the risks.
“I’ve never seen people getting killed and properties destroyed by bushfires back in my home country,” said one community member.
“After attending the bushfire information session, I learned that Australian bushfire is more dangerous than I thought. But now I know what I must do to prepare for bushfire and know where to ask for help when I need it,” said another.
At the end of the fire season, the champions were asked to give their feedback so that the program could be improved. Now in its fifth year of delivery, the program’s success has been proven.
Overall, about 6,000 members of one of the area’s most at-risk communities have received fire safety information, and during the 2023-24 season the program reached 2,160 community members at more than 20 sessions.
North West Region is hoping to extend the program to cover home fire safety.
| Submitted by |
Rohan Thornton |