Disaster Relief Australia Launches 10th Volunteer Team
The launch of a new northern NSW-based volunteer team will enable national not-for-profit Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) to increase its capability and capacity to assist Australian communities with disaster recovery.
Key Points
- Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) has launched is tenth Disaster Relief Team (DRT).
- The team of volunteers is based in northern NSW.
- A $35,000 grant from Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL Club funded a significant proportion of equipment for the new DRT.
- The addition of the Northern NSW DRT further supports DRA’s mission to increase its capability and capacity to assist Australian communities with disaster recovery.
- The veteran-led volunteer teams also provide an opportunity to support more communities with disaster preparedness, strengthen community relations and support more veteran volunteers.
A $35,000 grant from Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL Club provided a significant boost to the launch of the new disaster relief team (DRT) and was used to purchase essential equipment to assist communities in need.
The enhanced equipment inventory will support the operational activities and the management of the Northern NSW DRT. It will increase operational effectiveness by building capacity to support local and national disaster recovery and enhance DRA’s capabilities in various areas including skills development, safety and volunteer recruitment.
Senator the Hon. Tim Ayres, Assistant Trade Minister, and DRA’s Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Evans, were among those who joined Northern NSW DRT manager Sarah Cannon at the launch of the DRT at Panthers Port Macquarie in late September.
“Many new relationships and engagement opportunities for DRA were established within not only the Port Macquarie area, but more broadly in the Northern NSW footprint,” Sarah said.
The launch of the new DRT also strengthened the existing relationships between DRA and communities in the region, following previous disaster response operations.
With a mission to unite the skills and experience of military veterans with emergency services specialists and motivated civilians, DRA has deployed volunteers on multiple recovery operations in the northern NSW region assisting communities affected by bushfires and flood.
Following devastating bushfires in 2019, DRA conducted a recovery operation based in Willawarrin. DRA returned to the area in 2021 to assist community members in Port Macquarie and surrounding areas after catastrophic flooding, followed by another flood recovery operation based in Coraki in 2022.
DRA’s network of DRTs cover every state and territory, and the addition of the new team brings the national count to 10.
The strategically placed and veteran-led volunteer teams also provide an opportunity to support more communities with disaster preparedness, strengthen community relations and support more veteran volunteers.
To find out more about DRA, click here.
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