By Candice Boyle
THE religious and cultural needs of residents will be upheld in the event of a civil emergency in the City of Maribyrnong, according to new council guidelines.
With the release of its award-winning guidelines, the council now has a better understanding of managing the needs of the diverse community in an emergency situation.
Maribyrnong City Council was recognised in the state section of the Australian Safer Communities Awards for developing guidelines to manage the needs of people from a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background in the event of a civil emergency.
Mayor Michael Clarke said the guidelines – Emergency Relief Centre Management Guidelines for CALD Communities – were created as part of a research project funded by the Commonwealth Government.
The guidelines outline the diet, clothing, washing, prayer, sleeping arrangements and personal support needs of residents in the first 24 to 72 hours at an emergency relief centre.
The council’s guidelines, created by Cube Management Solutions, were judged against applications from other local governments, volunteer organisations, government agencies, community groups and the private sector.
Councillor Clarke said the annual awards recognised leading contributions to emergency management and community safety. He said that the council was named as “one of just four state winners, so it is a fantastic recognition”.
The council will now progress to the finals of the Australian Safer Communities Awards in December.
The award coincides with a range of other safety activities planned to celebrate Community Safety Month.
Maribyrnong Safety Task Force representative Cr Catherine Cumming said the activities organised for residents were aimed at preventing injury, crime and violence in the community by empowering members to take control of their lives through viable safety measures.
“By taking an active part in securing our property, reducing congestion on the roads by walking, or joining a Neighbourhood Watch scheme, we can make Maribyrnong safer to live, work and play in,” she said.
Activities across the municipality include a community safety day at the Quang Minh Temple, National Ride to Work Day and anti-theft screw day, where you can have your car’s number plates fitted with anti-theft screws for a gold coin donation and the West Footscray Neighbourhood Watch launch, this Saturday at 1pm, in the Sims supermarket car park in Barkley St.
