WOOROLOO BUSHFIRE RECOVERY NEWSLETTER JULY 2021

THE STATE RECOVERY COORDINATION GROUP Contents HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED TO COORDINATE • Introduction 1

EFFORTS TO HELP ALL RESIDENTS AFFECTED BY • Message from the State THE WOOROLOO BUSHFIRE OF FEBRUARY 2021. Recovery Controller 2 • On the ground support 2 Led by State Recovery Controller Dr Ron Edwards and supported by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, the group includes • Complex clean-up 3 representatives from State Government departments, the , the , and not-for-profit groups. The intent of the group is to • Operation woods 3 work together to support fire-affected residents through the recovery process. • Financial assistance 4 Eighty-six homes in the City of Swan and Shire of Mundaring were destroyed in the fire and many more properties were damaged, while essential services • Lesson in recovery 4 were disrupted and social networks affected, leaving many people in need of support.

The recovery effort includes the physical clean-up of fire-impacted properties and the removal of rubble, the provision of emergency and ongoing accommodation to residents who have lost their homes and possessions, and the directing of financial relief. It also involves connecting people with other services to help with their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing in the months ahead.

All levels of government, not-for-profit groups and the Western Australian community have committed considerable resources to the clean-up and rebuilding effort. The State Recovery Coordination Group will ensure these resources are well-utilised and affected residents get what they need to start the long recovery process.

To find out how you can access support services, please visit the City of Swan, the Shire of Mundaring, or call the Disaster Response Hotline on 1800 032 965.

If you have any feedback or content ideas please contact [email protected] MESSAGE FROM THE STATE RECOVERY CONTROLLER, DR RON EDWARDS Right across the Western Australian community, the response to the Wooroloo bushfire disaster has been ON THE GROUND rapid, whole-hearted and inspiring. SUPPORT We have seen government Jo said this was a critical part of the agencies at all levels, not-for-profit The Department of Communities process of meeting those affected by groups and local volunteers come (DoC) Bushfire Recovery team have the fire and building relationships. “I together to deal with losses in the been on the ground in Gidgegannup was able to let people know about the immediate aftermath of the fire, from the early days of the Wooroloo services available to them, including and to collaborate effectively in bushfire’s aftermath. financial support and temporary on- the important recovery efforts. We Immediately following the fire, many site accommodation options,” Jo said. have also seen people from across affected people found themselves The third member of the DoC team, the community digging deep and with limited options and were either donating generously. Bushfire Recovery Coordinator living rough on their properties Steph Williams, spent time in the Rebuilding lives and assets will or staying with friends or family recovery centre working directly with be a long, tough journey for those while waiting for emergency bushfire-impacted people, as well affected. I know Western Australians accommodation and relief money to as representing the department at a are resilient, but people who have become available. planning level to manage the recovery lost so much will need all the support The small team of DoC Liaison effort. they can get. Officers were stationed at the The team have been working My message to people in the Bushfire Recovery Centre at Percy closely with the City of Swan, Wooroloo and Gidgegannup Cullen Oval in Gidgegannup to provide the Shire of Mundaring, not-for- communities is that you are not a point of contact for people seeking profit organisations, charities and alone. The people of Western to access services or simply in need volunteers to link people to the goods Australia will be with you all the way. of a chat and some moral support. and services they need, including for The City of Swan and Shire of their psychological wellbeing. “We Mundaring have already put in aim to get the message out that we a lot of hard work to help these are here to help people who need communities get back on their feet different types of welfare services,” and this process will continue for as Ioannis said. “Our work has been all long as there is a need. about establishing a rapport with people and building relationships so As State Recovery Controller, I am people are comfortable with us if they committed to ensuring a cooperative, need to talk about delicate issues.” whole-of-government response, working with State and local Ioannis and Jo The team are still on site five agencies to ease the burden on those days a week at the City of Swan’s impacted by the bushfire. DoC Community Resilience Liaison Gidgegannup office on and one day a week at the I want to reinforce that the recovery Officer Ioannis Dimopoulos said their team worked with people right Wooroloo Hall to maintain contact is community-led. We are here to with the affected communities help any way we can, but we will be from the start to get them back on their feet. His fellow Liaison Officer and make it convenient for people guided by what people need at to contact them. They are also each step of the process. Jo Reimers spent the early part of the recovery process visiting each available to answer any queries via I would like to thank Western affected property with Department of [email protected] Australians for their generosity Water and Environmental Regulation towards those affected by the staff and representatives from GHD, Wooroloo bushfire and commend the company contracted to manage everyone involved in the recovery for the residential clean-up program. their efforts so far. WOOROLOO RECOVERY NEWSLETTER // JULY 2021 There are 137 properties registered the ongoing patience and support of for the Wooroloo Bushfire affected residents.” Coordinated Residential Clean- Residents whose homes have been up Program, which is overseen destroyed or damaged are eligible for by the Department of Water and this program whether or not they are Environmental Regulation (DWER), insured. in collaboration with the City of Swan, the Shire of Mundaring and Experience from previous significant Department of Fire and Emergency bushfires has shown a State-led Services (DFES). residential clean-up program delivers better outcomes for affected Three contracts have been awarded residents, including reduced risk to carry out the works. Environmental of cross-site hazardous waste contractor GHD is managing the site contamination and residential blocks planning meetings and environmental being restored in a coordinated and testing processes, while McMahon effective way. Services have been engaged for the demolition and debris removal, The clean-up program is jointly and asbestos removal specialists funded through the Commonwealth- Thuroona Services will focus on State Disaster Recovery Funding removing asbestos-containing Arrangements, and forms part of materials. a broader $18.1 million community recovery package. DWER’s Director Operations, A COMPLEX Compliance and Enforcement Registered residents seeking Shaun Hodges said each property information about site planning CLEAN-UP poses unique logistical clean-up meetings or the works schedule for their properties can contact The complex work of clearing rubble challenges. “Properties with asbestos, 1800 328 997. and debris from the sites of bushfire those waiting for temporary on-site accommodation and those in low- damaged and destroyed homes is Weekly progress updates, facts lying areas have been given priority continuing, providing the safe removal sheets and FAQs are published at: for clean-up,” Shaun said. “The road of waste to enable community wa.gov.au/wooroloobushfirecleanup members to rebuild on residential to recovery is a long process and the blocks. clean-up program partners appreciate

Ron Edwards said the contribution “Throughout the week we helped OPERATION WOODS provided by DRA was invaluable. “The dozens of homeowners,” Bec said. Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) DRA volunteers generously gave up “For some we were felling burnt and unites the skills and experience of their own time to help community dangerous trees to help them regain military veterans with emergency members in need,” Dr Edwards said. access to their property, for others service specialists to rapidly deploy “In the aftermath of this devastating we were rolling up damaged fences. disaster relief teams in Australia and bushfire, they were there on the We cleared house and shed debris, around the world the wake of natural ground to help people take their first and we sifted ashes to search for disasters. DRA conducted bushfire steps towards recovery.” jewellery, war medals and treasures. recovery operations, named Operation “Regardless of the job we did, the Bec Talbot, who grew up in the Woods, in the around the same feeling was felt by the Strike Hills, was a dedicated first-time City of Swan and Shire of Mundaring. Teams: to be able to help these volunteer with DRA for the Wooroloo Commencing on the 24 February residents through their time of crisis bushfire recovery. She spent a week 2021 and continuing over eight weeks and devastation was such a privilege.” on the ground with the DRA Strike until the 24 April 2021, Operation Teams and enjoyed the sense of *Content sourced from an original article by Woods was DRA’s first major accomplishment and camaraderie DRA’s Wayne O’Brien. operation in and from their work. DRA’s largest operation to date with 219 volunteers deployed from every State and Territory across Australia. They contributed a total of 11,064 volunteer hours, completing 103 work orders and achieving cost savings of $545,497 to the community. DRA collaborated closely with the State Recovery team and attended meetings of the State Recovery Coordination Group Partnership Forum. State Recovery Controller

WOOROLOO RECOVERY NEWSLETTER // JULY 2021 by the Department of Communities In addition, the WA Government FINANCIAL and local governments. It includes authorised extra power outage ASSISTANCE financial assistance for things such payments for those affected by as emergency food, clothing or the Wooroloo bushfire and many The Western Australian Government temporary accommodation. Other State Government agencies and the responded quickly in the wake of the personal hardship assistance is also affected local governments have also Wooroloo bushfire, announcing an available for replacement of essential waived fees and charges associated immediate allocation of $2 million to household contents and housing with some reconnections and the Lord Mayor’s Distress Relief Fund repairs, subject to certain eligibility approvals. – Wooroloo Appeal. Overall the fund criteria including means testing. raised more than $16.7 million, with To determine if you are people affected by the bushfire able Significantly, under the DRFAWA a eligible and how to apply for to apply directly for assistance. Community Recovery Package’ worth the financial assistance provided $18.1 million was announced on 25 by the State please visit: The WA Government also made February 2021 to support impacted available emergency Bushfire Relief individuals and communities. The Payments of $4,000 to residents who package covers: USEFUL LINKS lost their home and $2,000 to people whose home was damaged, with this • the coordinated residential clean-up City of Swan money distributed through the City of program, providing safe removal of swan.wa.gov.au/Your-Services/ Swan and Shire of Mundaring. bushfire damaged waste to enable Emergency-management/Fire/ rebuilding Wooroloo-Bushfire-Recovery- The Wooroloo Bushfire was dashboard/Financial-support proclaimed an eligible disaster • a community recovery and outreach under the Disaster Recovery Funding program, including services and Shire of Mundaring Arrangements Western Australia initiatives such as the Bushfire mundaring.wa.gov.au/Wooroloo- (DRFAWA) in February 2021. The Recovery Centre, emotional support Fire/Pages/Financial-Assistance. DRFAWA is a joint Commonwealth services, and community-driven aspx recovery projects and State Government arrangement Department of Fire and Emergency that provides financial assistance • a community recreational asset Services to residents and the two local restoration program, assisting emergency.wa.gov.au/recovery governments who have been directly with the clean-up and repair dfes.wa.gov.au/recovery/Pages/ impacted by the bushfire. of community and recreational Individuals-and-Families.aspx The emergency assistance available assets (for example, walking trails, to individuals and families is managed footpaths, picnic furniture and toilets).

decisions that would assist the With the Department of Communities wellbeing of staff, students and their opening evacuation centres in the families at the schools in the bushfire area, school psychologists provided emergency area. support in the centres after hours and throughout the weekend from The Deputy Director General Student Thursday 4 to Sunday 7 February, and Achievement Jim Bell said the pastoral critical incident response Department of Education mapped the chaplains were also available. location of staff and students living in the bushfire zone whose homes may A bushfire recovery kit was developed have been affected and put supports for school psychologists to use within A LESSON IN in place to assist those families the schools to assist students, and should they need it. Twelve students short and long term supports for RECOVERY in the affected area were identified as the recovery of impacted school The Wooroloo bushfire caused major possibly requiring significant support. communities were established. disruption across the region, but “We committed that every student As the bushfire coincided with the thanks to the coordinated efforts who was impacted by the bushfire COVID-19 lockdown in the Perth and of multiple agencies the impact on would be provided with anything they regions, schools were fortunately schools and on the education of needed to attend school the following closed during the emergency students was minimal. week. This included clothing, shoes, period. As soon as the warning for At the height of the emergency on backpacks, stationery, lunch boxes the bushfire was downgraded to an 2 February, there were as many as and water bottles,” Mr Bell said. Advice, the Department of Education 15 schools impacted. However, the team worked with the Department The Department worked closely strong relationship between the of Finance staff to inspect and clean across sectors to ensure affected Department of Education and DFES each of the schools where necessary students and staff at private and enabled a swift flow of information to make them ready for students and independent schools were also between agencies. This allowed the teachers when schools reopened the looked after. Department of Education to make following week. WOOROLOO RECOVERY NEWSLETTER // JULY 2021