By Matthew Sims
Disaster Relief Australia [DRA] volunteers have been hard at work alongside community volunteers as part of ongoing flood clean-up efforts in Maribyrnong.
Launched in 2016, DRA is a not-for-profit organisation uniting the skills and experiences of Australian Defence Force veterans, emergency responders and civilians.
Hitting the ground on Sunday, October 23, 67 DRA volunteers have been on the ground in Maribyrnong, including 35 disaster volunteers and 32 spontaneous volunteers.
Maribyrnong council has been working with government to bring in DRA experts to help with the mammoth clean-up, which has so far seen more than 4000 cubic metres of hard waste collected, 160 tonnes of mud and silt removed from the impacted area and 120,000 cubic metres of debris removed from open spaces.
Maribyrnong mayor Anthony Tran said the council commended community members who have been supporting their neighbours in the aftermath of this devastating flood event.
“The way residents from across the municipality have been pitching in exemplifies the spirit of the Maribyrnong community and we could not be more proud of the way our residents have come together to help,” she said.
A State Control Centre spokesperson said no formal advice or notice was issued by the state response controller or DRA to stop volunteers assisting with the clean-up due to concerns around asbestos.
“We thank the generous support from people helping to clean up communities,” the spokesperson said.
“We ask that they be cautious and to prioritise the safety of themselves and our emergency service personnel – some locations may be unsafe to enter and the flood risk for many communities remains in place.”
“All DRA volunteers receive a health and safety briefing and are provided with the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) needed to work in flood affected areas.”
Anyone wanting to volunteer can register in-person at the Raleigh Road Activity Centre at 54 Raleigh Road in Maribyrnong, online via disasterreliefaus.org/volunteer or by calling 1300 372 287.
Details: www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/Residents/Emergency-Management/Maribyrnong-Flood-Waters or 1800 560 760
