Bushfire Assistance

The NSW RFS engaged the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre (BNHCRC) to conduct research into community preparedness, warnings and responses to the 2019-20 NSW bushfires. The NSW RFS identified eight key themes for investigation, including: (i) risk communication; (ii) effect of prolonged and repeated exposure to bushfire on planning, preparation and responses; (iii) effect of previous experience and exposure to bushfire on planning, preparation and responses; (iv)...

Equipping locals for future emergency events You’re invited to learn about disaster preparedness and community resilience through a FREE online virtual event on Saturday, 20 November 2021 from 6pm to 7.00pm. Engaging presentations and information from local emergency services, community organisations and businesses will cover the following topics: Bushfire seasonal update Weeds and environment / FireWise Gardens Bushfire design and construction Good habits to reduce your house and property...

Step by Step Recovery Support Service is a personalised service which assists people who have been affected by the bush fires or other emergency events. Their wonderful Wellbeing Steppers are offering a program of online zoom workshops Free to join over the next six weeks:  LETS GET TALKING - FREE ONLINE ZOOM WORKSHOPS  Tuesdays 10am – 10.40am  FACILITATED BY WELL BEING COUNSELLORS  JOIN ONE OR AS MANY AS YOU LIKE book with workshop facilitator    Week...

For disaster affected residents in Lithgow, Mid-Western, Hawkesbury & Blue Mountains   Gateway Family Support Services and Wentworth Healthcare are partnering to provide free outreach wellbeing support for residents in Lithgow, Hawkesbury and the Blue Mountains. The Well Being program sits alongside Gateway’s Step by Step Recovery Support Service to provide a comprehensive range of practical, emotional and psychological support to residents affected by the 2019/20 bushfires and the...

Phoenix Australia is offering free workshops across regional Australia to help frontline workers support trauma-impacted employees, colleagues and community members. The training will help anyone who’s on the frontline to better help people affected by the recent bushfires and floods, as well as stressors like COVID-19. Workshops like these are a valuable opportunity to learn new skills, brush up on old ones, and meet other frontline workers in your region. The training offers simple,...

Community expectations of warnings and information appear to be growing, shows new NSW-based research with UOW: University of Wollongong, Australia, and Macquarie University. The Bushfire and Natural Hazard Cooperative Research Centre spoke to 200+ people and surveyed 1000+ others for a report commissioned by the NSW Rural Fire Service to explore people’s experiences during the Black Summer fires in NSW. The research shows the challenges around community expectations of warnings, with many...

The webinars coincide with the launch of Renew’s Green Rebuild Toolkit (http://greenrebuildtoolkit.com/) a set of online resources, articles, and information to assist fire-affected communities to plan for, retrofit and rebuild their homes to suit our changing climate. As publishers of both Renew and Sanctuary magazine, Renew draws on over forty years of experience in this sector as well as an extensive network of technical experts, architects and designers. The webinars will feature experts...

 Local residents, including Emergency Service volunteers and people impacted by last year's bushfires - came over the weekend for the special event hosted by Lithgow City Council. The Bushfire Recovery & Community Day was a free, Covid-safe event organised to help residents connect with recovery services, plan and prepare for the future and thank RFS and emergency service volunteers following last summer's horror bushfire season - which started in late October and burned into early...

A big newsletter for October and an even bigger thank you to everyone who has completed Council's Outreach Survey. We've seen a strong number of responses and feedback from across the LGA, which has assisted Council in being able to follow up on available supports, identify principal themes and issues and collect important information for recovery operations. If you would like to complete the survey there is still time, please email Recovery@Lithgow.nsw.gov.au or call 6354 9960. Since starting...

At the 13 January 2020 Extraordinary Meeting, Council resolved to implement a number of bushfire recovery assistance measures. Council is now offering the following assistance measures for bushfire affected residents: Relief from domestic waste charges for properties where dwellings were fire damaged. A rebate for water usage charges during the bush fire crisis (upon application). The waiver of fees for Development Applications and associated charges for replacement dwellings if such costs are...