Oscar Malyon keeps a closer eye than most on the weather app. The Bendigo Community Health Services Flood Recovery Support Worker knows that despite what’s in his diary, mother nature can be the true dictator of his time.
Oscar’s first day back to work in January, 2024, coincided with the region’s most recent major flood event.
Communities in Goornong, Huntly, Redesdale, Mount Camel and other areas around Heathcote were worst hit by storms, resulting in many homes and properties going under water.
“I was speaking to people who’d lived their whole lives in Goornong and they’d never seen flooding like it,” Oscar says. “Lots of people lost everything.”
Oscar was quickly deployed to emergency services meetings, press conferences and the City of Greater Bendigo’s Roving Recovery stations, “helping community members who were just lost,” he says.
“We were able to be there and talk to people and provide a sense of reassurance. We helped them begin to navigate the confusing process of applying for re-establishment grants or insurance claims.
“It can be very daunting to face those challenges – even just getting everyday items in that situation can be hard.
“We were also able to provide referrals to financial counselling, and to counselling within BCHS. Our generalist counselling team opened up appointments for flood affected community members.”
The swift help came from the insights and experiences the BCHS Flood Recovery team gained via supporting victims of the October 2022 flood event, which devastated most of Rochester.
“That’s why it’s critical to retain the knowledge and the resources we now have, rather than disbanding it and relying on a surge workforce when big weather events happen,” Oscar says.
As part of its Alliance of Rural and Regional Community Health membership, BCHS is advocating for permanent Recovery and Resilience programs to be embedded in Community Health services; on hand to respond to natural disasters as they happen, prepare communities for potential disasters, and support people in their long-term recoveries.
In the past ten years, the 11 member agencies of ARRCH have responded to more than 130 significant and debilitating natural disasters, which statistics show are increasing year-by-year.
“It’s really important for Community Health services to have these programs in place,” Oscar says.
“In between disasters it’s important to go out to community events and schools and share plans to prepare communities for the changing climate.”
Oscar says the 12-month anniversary of last January’s floods show just how changeable the climate can be.
“The feedback we’re getting now is that people are really surprised at how starkly different their situation is – to go from having so much rain in one year to the complete other end of the spectrum.
“People in Goornong now don’t have enough water to water their gardens – and they’re still dealing with their own trauma from the floods.
“We’re now talking about the risk of fires, and the preparedness people may require for bushfires.”
Oscar is also supporting people through the longer-term impacts of a natural disaster. He tells of people still battling insurance companies, while having to pay escalating premiums to stay insured. Or, opting out of insurance altogether due to cost-of-living pressures.
“The unaffordability of insurance then adds to the stresses in the home and that’s challenging on relationships,” he says.
Oscar wants to remind communities that despite a year passing since the waters subsided, they’re not alone. He says anyone still facing flood-related challenges should seek help.
“It’s important for people to be able to reach out to a service if they’re affected by a disaster, even if it’s their GP,” he says.
“A lot of people don’t reach out, or they think someone else is in a worse situation. It’s important to talk about things, whether they’re big things or small things, because there’s usually some assistance that can be given.”
Oscar recommends contacting:
Emergency Recovery Hotline: 1800 560 760
Bendigo Community Health Services: 5406 1200 (Ask to speak with a Flood Recovery Team member)
Disaster Legal Help: 1800 113 432
https://www.vic.gov.au/Recovery-services-wellbeing-and-support
– By Lauren Mitchell
