Strengthening community resilience through emergency preparedness
Published on 03 June 2025
Residents are invited to participate in the upcoming Community Preparedness Day, an event designed to empower the community with essential knowledge and tools for emergency preparedness.
The event will take place on 22 June 2025 and aims to provide local residents with the opportunity to learn vital flood and storm preparedness strategies, while also offering a chance to connect with key organisations involved in preparedness, flood and storm planning.
The initiative follows the 2022 Maribyrnong River flood, which had a significant impact on the local community. In response to this, Council established a Community Recovery Committee (CRC) to gather feedback and insights from residents. The committee identified preparedness as a priority for both those directly affected by the flood and the wider Maribyrnong community, leading to the development of various programs and activities to support this goal.
City of Maribyrnong Mayor, Cr Pradeep Tiwari, said he encourages all local residents to attend and become an active part of making the community safer and more resilient.
“The Community Preparedness Day is a unique opportunity for all members of the Maribyrnong community to come together, learn about emergency preparedness, and for some, take the first step in creating their own personalised emergency plans,” said Mayor Tiwari.
“Following the 2022 Maribyrnong River flood, our community has shared their experiences and insights on community needs. The feedback we received through the Community Recovery Committee has been invaluable in shaping these programs,” he continued. “Our goal is to ensure that everyone, whether impacted by the flood or not, is better prepared for future emergencies.”
The Community Preparedness Day will be a family-friendly event featuring a wide range of activities. Visitors can engage with emergency preparedness information stalls, where they will learn about the resources available to enhance their readiness and the importance of having a personal emergency plan.
There will also be interactive activities for all ages, including preparedness games aimed at educating children about safety and emergency readiness. The event is designed to balance family-friendly fun with valuable information, making it a great opportunity for all ages to come together and boost preparedness. A free barbeque will also be available on the day.
This event is part of a broader effort by Council to support both flood-affected residents and the wider community. Alongside this event, Council is launching key initiatives to boost preparedness.
This includes the Maribyrnong Neighbourhood Flood Network, where community leaders are trained by VicSES and the Australian Red Cross to share crucial flood-risk and preparedness information with their neighbours. Council is also working with VicSES and Melbourne Water to develop personalised flood-risk cards for at-risk households in the suburb of Maribyrnong. The cards will be distributed via door-knock to ensure the information is shared in a personalised manner.
A Community Planning Day has also been held for flood-impacted residents in Maribyrnong to create a community emergency plan based on local knowledge and learnings from October 2022.
Additionally, a Red Cross Emergency REDI Plan workshop was held in May, which is now followed by household emergency planning monthly drop-in support sessions to provide additional opportunities for residents to develop and refine their emergency plans with guidance from Australian Red Cross volunteers.
Event details
Community Preparedness Day
Sunday 22 June 2025
Location: Maribyrnong Community Centre
More information: Community Preparedness Day - Maribyrnong
These programs are jointly funded by the Australian and Victorian Governments.
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