A NEW project to help educate residents with refugee backgrounds to better understand how to prepare and what to during severe weather events has been launched in Bendigo.
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Bendigo Community Health Services together with the City of Great Bendigo, State Emergency Services and Country Fire Authority developed an Emergency Preparedness Project - two years in the making.
Working together with staff and communities of refugee lived experiences, the program will help provide more information on how to stay safe from fire, floods and heat.
BCHS Refugee Project Worker Mr Nido said Australia presented a new and different environment for many residents.
"Our residents of refugee background are the most at risk to the danger of bushfires, floods and heat as Australia is a new environment for them," he said.
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"They often have very little knowledge of preparing and planning for these weather events and how to stay safe during events of fires, floods and heat."
In the past 12 years, Bendigo has welcomed around 3,000 Karen, 300 Afghan and 150 South Sudanese humanitarian refugees.
Community members report that they are very grateful that they have access to such important information which they can read and listen to in their own languages.
- BCHS Refugee Project Worker Mr Nido
Mr Nido said this year, BCHS had already received reports of community members feeling panicked about the recent storms and flash floods.
"Many have become very worried as they've also heard the temperature may be very high this year," he said.
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"The project has been a success so far in the last a couple of year, with members of the Karen, Afghan and South Sudanese communities feeling very supported and feeling safer because they've learnt more information regarding emergency preparedness."
Project resources are available for staying safe in fire, flood, and heat events, including a model for education.
Resources include printed information about bushfire and heatwave action plan resources in Karen, Dari, and Dinka.
A three part in language series of bushfire and flood audio-visual tools. The information outlines what to do before and during a weather event.
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There was also an explainer video on how to use the Vic Emergency App to stay informed, Mr Nido said.
"Community members report that they are very grateful they have access to such important information which they can read and listen to in their own languages," he said.
"We will continue to work with our partners, content experts, and our residents of refugee background to keep out community safe."
BCHS acknowledges funding from the Lord Mayors Charitable Fund.
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