KERANG SES unit has been working diligently to ensure it is flood ready after last month’s La Nina alert from the Bureau of Meteorology, and is urging community members to ensure they are too.
With the expectation of likely heavier-than-average rainfall this spring, the unit’s controller Glyndia Gee said there is a focus on equipment and training.
Flood preparation has included servicing all equipment, such as pumps and generators, and carrying out a comprehensive stock take of the unit to identify any equipment requirements.
“Our Kerang SES unit has been extremely busy for the past three weeks,” Ms Gee said, expressing pride in the efforts of its dedicated volunteers.
As well as their work to ensure equipment is ready, all unit members have recently been given flood awareness training.
Only three of them were part of the SES during the region’s 2011 and 2016 floods.
Past unit controller Mark Gardner spoke to all unit members recently, sharing his experiences from previous floods.
Ms Gee said the SES is the primary agency for dealing with flooding and the organisation’s head office provides its units with advice on what they need to be ready for.
The controller has been busy preparing reports for head office detailing operational matters such as which suppliers in the Kerang area can provide the unit with sand and loam if required.
Ms Gee said Gannawarra Shire Council has been supportive of Kerang SES unit’s flood preparations.
Late last month, the unit swapped one of its boats for a smaller one suited to channels and rivers, an ideal tool for flood situations.
Community members are advised to download the VicEmergency App and set up a watch zone for where they live.
Multiple watch zones can be established, enabling a resident to monitor other areas such as those in which vulnerable family members live.
The Victorian SES has developed local flood guides for every region in the state and advises people to be familiar with those applicable to their area and understand the flood history in their township. Local flood guides provide information about the risk of riverine and flash flooding in your locality and identify low lying areas. They also detail whether or not your region has a local flood warning service. Visit ses.vic.gov.au/get-ready/your-local-flood-information and find your local flood guide or obtain a hard copy by contacting Kerang SES, or visiting Gannawarra Shire Council offices in Cohuna or Kerang.
Bag it, block it, lift it and leave (SES campaign): Lay sandbags where water can enter your home, block your toilet and drains with plastic-bag-covered sandbags to prevent back-flow, lift valuables onto tables and benchtops and leave early.
Never attempt to drive through flood water: The SES advises you should never drive through flood water, with just 15cm of water sufficient to float some cars.
