Local Red Cross trained volunteers give support during bushfires

Beechworth Red Cross Branch emergency service team members this month joined other Red Cross colleagues from around the region at Wodonga and Tallangatta emergency relief centres for people fleeing the devasting bushfires around Walwa. Beechworth Red Cross Branch chair Julia Smith said 11 trained Red Cross volunteers from the local branch travelled to assist people in need at the centres. “We helped out from Thursday 8 to 15 January,” she said. Ms Smith said the local team is part of the Outer North East Indigo emergency services division with volunteers from Chiltern, Wangaratta, Corryong and Tangambalanga. “We also have a divisional operations officer who lives in the area,” she said. “We have members from other teams from around Victoria who come and help as well. “Our members sometimes are also deployed anywhere they are needed as long as they are able to go such as the Queensland floods. “We're fully trained in psychological first aid which is personal support, and to also help people register to find and reunite people who are evacuated from their homes. “It's not compulsory, but we advise they do register because if any family or friends started searching for them, they know that they would have come into the relief centre. “We worked with many other agencies there as we usually meet and greet people as the first point of contact and we also mingle people to make sure they’re okay. “We’re a trusted organisation and if people see someone in Red Cross tops, they feel safe and come and talk to us. “There's community connection at a dreadful time when they had to leave and they don't know whether their house is still standing. “People can stay at the centres as long as they need to and it’s a good place to be.” Ms Smith said among agencies at the centres to help people included the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing advising people about eligible grants as well as AusNet. Among others included Lifeline, St John's Ambulance offices, Victorian Police and Albury Wodonga Food Share. “There was also had an area for people to bring their pets that was calming for them,” Ms Smith said. Local Red Cross branch member of 18 years and part of the emergency service team Diane Schultz said she undertook two rosters in Wodonga and one in Tallangatta. Ms Schultz said the Red Cross teams help people by making it easier for them when they arrive at the relief centres. The team handed out trauma teddies as well as Red Cross activity books for children. Ms Smith said recovery support will continue for some time for people in affected bushfire areas and Red Cross may be asked to offer further Psychological First Aid.

Local Red Cross trained volunteers give support during bushfires

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