The New South Wales (NSW) government has announced that it will invest over $200 million (US$134 million) in new money to put some of the recommendations from the independent Flood Inquiry into action.
This is following the recent tragic flood events that occurred around the state
The NSW government pledged financing of $199.4 million on December 14 in order to better equip the state’s emergency agencies for future flood emergencies. Along with helping communities from event response to recovery, this grant will do so.
According to reports, 28 recommendations were made as a result of the inquiry, which was overseen by the former chief scientist Mary O’Kane and the former police commissioner Michael Fuller. In August, the NSW state government accepted all 28 recommendations in whole or in principle.
Without the self-organized community-led hubs that offered crucial services to flood-affected and displaced residents, the inquiry found deficiencies in the emergency service organizations’ capacity and came to the conclusion that more lives would have likely been lost.
Read also: Research shows 10% of plant, animal species risk extinction by end of 21st century
Nine people perished when the second spring of devastating floods hit NSW in February 2022.
Nearly $160 million of the funding will be used primarily to improve the capacity of volunteer and emergency services organizations in NSW to deal with floods.
These organizations and agencies include the NSW State Emergency Service (SES), NSW Police, Fire and Rescue NSW, NSW Rural Fire Service, NSW Ambulance, Marine Rescue NSW, Surf Life Saving NSW, and the Volunteer Rescue Association.
While nearly $12 million will be used to assist volunteering and members of the public who might act as volunteers in a crisis, over $16 million will be used to support the delivery and management of welfare activities, including evacuation centres.
The west of Sydney’s Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley, which has experienced numerous floods this year, will also receive $6.5 million for flood evacuation modelling.
Nearly $2 million will be used to support and improve NSW’s climate and weather research capacity, and $1.8 million will be used to improve Service NSW’s grant delivery system for customers who need assistance after a disaster.
Additional specialist flood rescue vehicles, such as 60 inflatable rescue boats and 16 high-clearance vehicles, will also receive funding. According to the inquiry, smooth coordination with evacuation centres and emergency housing will be made possible by training an additional 2,350 persons in flood rescue and support volunteer activities.
This story was adapted from The epoch time.
