Red Cross' Nambucca Valley Emergency Services Team has been working in evacuation centres and fire affected communities across the Mid North Coast providing psychological first aid and connecting people to vital services.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Significant evacuations were occurring across the region from September with Nambucca Valley volunteers providing support to fire affected communities in Bowraville, Urunga, Kempsey, Ebor, Tyringham, Wauchope and Willawarrin as the extent of the fires grew.
As communities moved into recovery Nambucca volunteers were active in the Disaster Welfare Assistance Points in Kempsey, Macksville and Willawarrin.
Their roles were to meet and greet people, providing personal support, direct them to available support services, and help reconnect families through Register.Find.Reunite.
"Our small team of amazing volunteers has been working tirelessly whenever called upon over many months, travelling long distances to support fire ravaged communities," Red Cross' Nambucca Emergency Services Team Leader Mary Ball said.
"They have carried out their volunteer work with commitment, compassion and respect, which will carry on into the long disaster recovery journey which is unique to each person."
"Our number one priority is the wellbeing and recovery of all those affected by the fires and we will keep working as long and as hard as we can to see it through."
The Nambucca team is part of a broader national effort which has seen Red Cross volunteers respond to more than 20 bushfires across the country, providing support to people in 110 relief and evacuation centres and recovery and information hubs.
More than 2000 Red Cross staff, mostly volunteers like those from Nambucca, have powered this relief effort.
For information about Australian Red Cross's work and volunteering, go to redcross.org.au