Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor has welcomed joint Federal and State funding for a range of projects and resources to build local community resilience to natural disasters.

Mr Taylor said the following projects, funded under the Natural Disaster Resilience Program, would have significant benefit for communities in Hume:

·         $270,000 for a pilot project (to be run by the NSW State Emergency Service) to investigate and evaluate community members getting involved in emergency flood planning.

·         $375,000 (for Fire & Rescue NSW) to develop a communications system for volunteer community fire units to alert them of events in their area

·         $325,000 (for Fire & Rescue NSW) to develop a FloodsNearMe App to help prevent people entering flood waters

·         $100,000 (to NSW Ambulance) to implement the AmbulanceFirstResponder App for community volunteer ambulance first responders.

Mr Taylor also announced Emergency Volunteer Support Scheme funding for resources specific to Hume:

·         $6,900 for the fitout of a Rural Fire Service (RFS) brigade training room at Wallaroo near Canberra

·         $1,500 for the purchase and installation of a television for the training of RFS members at Silverdale in the Wollondilly Shire

·         $4,000 for the purchase of display equipment for an RFS recruitment program in Wollondilly, Camden and Campbelltown

·         $3,200 for the purchase and installation of a projector to assist in SES training at Goulburn

·         $2,060 for the training of a unit controller for the SES areas of Cowra and Blayney

“This funding will saves lives, whether it is through more research into emergencies so we can respond more effectively, or in assisting communities to understand and better prepare for natural disasters,” Mr Taylor said.

“Thankfully in this part of the state, we have had a cooler, wetter summer and the risk of serious bushfire has been relatively low.”

For further information visit www.mpes.nsw.gov.au/emsector/fundingprograms