Submitted by PDG Janne Speirs - Rotary Club of Traralgon
As D9820 Emergency Management Chair, I would like to make a few comments on the wonderful and practical work being done by the East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid Committee on behalf of all Rotarians in the District;…. and on your behalf, we are currently working on the initial stages of a number of significant Global Grants which, if brought to fruition will be of huge future benefit in the region. Here’s hoping – first reactions have been positive.
Geographically, the recovery task is huge and of course the issues we and indeed the whole world face now with COVID-19 is intensifying the challenges being faced.
Where possible, people are continuing to receive assistance in many forms, regardless of the pandemic, and your Committee has been working tirelessly to make life easier for those who have suffered so much. We have also been able to assist some individuals through our District Trust and this has been much appreciated.
On the Labour Day weekend, DG Adrian and I spent time in Mallacoota, talking with a number of Community leaders regarding ways in which we as D9820 may be able to assist with the rebuilding of their Community. We were given a very thorough tour of the town, which was extremely sobering, but also showed how incredibly lucky the town was not to have suffered far more than it did! One thing I became very conscious of was the fatigue being suffered by people in hospitality within the town – they went through the trauma, but then almost immediately had to cater for those who were dropped in – Emergency Services, Military etc. Then, with those returning to rescue caravans etc and eventually new holiday makers returning to the area.
The upshot is they have had no time to actually process their own emotions and reactions and therefore some are feeling quite ‘overcome’, even those who had no physical losses.
For me though, the highlight was visiting a gentleman in Genoa, who was so grateful to receive shopping vouchers and some of the work wear. He had a typically Australian laid back approach to the whole thing, but has been impacted quite severely. In fact to top it all off, when he took his wife up to Southern NSW to get away from it all, her car was washed away in the floods!!!!
As I conclude I would just like to thank PDG Jane Cox for donating a number of Resilience Diaries from Australian Rotary Health – they have been very well received.
