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Behind the scenes of a downpour
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3 December 2003
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As with any emergency there are often many passers-by and volunteers who are at the scene and able to assist but there is always much more going on than meets the eye. There is always a behind the scene story. Often this story goes untold.
Australian Red Cross, Victoria was activated last night by the Municipal Emergency Resource Officer (MERO) to provide catering and assistance in response to the severe storms and weather conditions experienced overnight.
You may not have known but in times of emergencies Australian Red Cross is part of a bigger team effort with all emergency aid organisations. Red Cross can be activated to provide catering to those affected by an emergency; registering details of those who have been evacuated from their homes; and provide first aid on site.
To coordinate Red Cross's response to the flooding the Emergency Operations Centre EOC has been activated at Australian Red Cross, Victoria offices, North Melbourne. The EOC has put many more volunteers on standby and preparing them for a possible activation. The most heavily affected area was the inner northern suburbs consequently catering, registration and first aid crews from surrounding regions are on alert and ready to kick into action if required.
Australian Red Cross, Victoria Executive Director Andrew Hilton said: "This year has been a particularly busy year for Australian Red Cross and other emergency service agencies. The diversity in the range of weather conditions means that we have provided assistance from everything from drought through to floods.
"There needs to be a better understanding of how the emergency services agencies work together to respond and particularly what happens behind the scenes."
-ENDS-
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Media contacts:
Danielle Ramsey
Marketing and Communications Consultant
Australian Red Cross
Telephone 03 8327 7736
Mobile AT EVENT NUMBER 0407 514 192
dramsey@redcross.org.au
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