Twelve months ago almost to the day the small communities of Scotsburn and Wye River, including my own property at Clarendon, were hit by fire storms.
Luckily no lives were lost but large tracts of land were blackened, many hundreds of homes, sheds and thousands of livestock were destroyed and countless kilometres of fencing have needed to be replaced.
The result of major catastrophes like these two events is devastating to those caught in their path and facing the trauma of putting our lives back together.
At the heart of every major disaster, whether it be fire, flood or wind is the outpouring of community support that rallies around donating essential time, goods and an extraordinary amount of cash to assist the affected.
To mark the one year anniversary of the Scotsburn blaze a new partnership to ensure community donations are used effectively and efficiently during disasters has been announced.
In a Victorian first, Emergency Management Victoria and the Bendigo Bank have partnered to support communities impacted by emergencies, providing those wanting to donate with an immediate avenue to assist.
The new agreement, formally signed at my local reserve at Clarendon, means Bendigo Bank can set up a locally managed Community Relief Fund in partnership with a local council, EMV and an affected community after such an emergency.
Moorabool Shire Councillor Tom Sullivan, a key driver of the partnership, said the initiative gave residents ownership and power to do what was necessary with the money.
Bendigo Bank head of community banking Mark Cunneen said the idea came after the Buninyong Community Bank raised nearly $100,000 for the community after the Scotsburn fires.
“This removes red tape and through our local banks – if needed- we could flick a switch tomorrow and the money could be used,” Mr Cunneen said.
The Community Relief Fund will be activated when there is significant community need and public interest in donating. The fund provides a formal channel for the public to donate directly to an affected community.
Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley said Victorians were known for their generous nature, however said it was difficult to establish an appropriate fund at short notice and this led to an ad hoc approach to collecting and allocating donations.
Mr Lapsley said the partnership meant Bendigo Bank would act as the facilitator to ensure the money goes to the most at need. “It will simplify the process for Victorians wanting to donate after an emergency” he said.
