The Illawarra has been battered by storms and flooding this year, including Evans Street in Wollongong. The Red Cross wants to help people be prepared. Photo: NSW SES Wollongong Unit.
Val Hussein became a Red Cross volunteer after feeling helpless when a friend was in danger during the devastating 1998 Wollongong floods.
“A friend of mine rang me in tears at 10 o’clock at night, saying, ‘We’re up in the roof space, there’s water all around us and the cars are floating – what do I do?’ ” Val told Region Illawarra in 2023.
“I had no idea what to tell her to do and I had never felt helpless before. I’ve always been able to help people and guide them in the right direction and I felt totally helpless. I didn’t know what to do, didn’t know who to call.”
A few years later, Val responded to a Red Cross recruitment drive and signed up.
Now she is leading two emergency preparedness workshops in the Illawarra this week to help residents learn about preparing for emergencies and how to take steps towards building their individual and household resilience.
The free EmergencyRedi workshops will be held at Dapto Ribbonwood Centre on Thursday, 15 August, and at Thirroul Library on Friday, 16 August.
The workshops will help people learn about local risks and the practical, psychological and social steps they can take to prepare for emergencies and minimise the impacts of disasters and other crises.
It covers four key areas and will help residents to create their own RediPlan:
1. Get in the Know – know the risks you face, including weather risks in your area, how your life might be disrupted and who can help
2. Get Connected – how to connect to your community to help each other in an emergency
3. Get Organised – make a plan and ensure you’re covered to reduce stress and save you precious time as you recover
4. Get Packing – learn what items to pack that will help you during and after an emergency.
Click here for more information on the Red Cross EmergencyRedi workshops.
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