Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) is a not-for-profit organisation that unites the skills and experience of Australian Defence Force veterans with emergency services specialists to rapidly deploy disaster relief teams in Australia and around the world in the wake of disasters. 

During the two major floods in February and March, they say they have "developed a significant bond within this region after we conducted our largest disaster response activity since the inception of the organisation in 2016.

"As families came to grip with the catastrophic flooding in Coraki (NSW) on the morning of Wednesday 2 March 2022, our specialist teams picked their way through receding floodwaters to respond and establish our operational footprint".

"Over the next 13 weeks, DRA deployed 714 volunteers from across the country, logging 25,767 hours, completing 526 work orders, saving the community $1.4 Million in recovery costs. Our entire operation was funded by community groups, partnerships, donations, and government grants". 

"As part of our relief and recovery capability, DRA has developed the ‘Operational Big Map’.

"This unique capability allows us to visualise and interpret the bigger picture and by doing so we collectively increase our knowledge and awareness of community vulnerabilities, infrastructure capabilities and capacity and most importantly clearly define where our true risk lies.

"This unique experience becomes most invaluable when the right people are with us on the map to share their experience, their knowledge but above all their passion for the region in which they live. 

"This is an opportunity for the community to come and stand on a large-scale map of the Richmond River Catchment and contribute your knowledge and awareness of community vulnerabilities to strengthen our capability and capacity to provide relief and recovery when required".

You are invited to attend a Disaster Relief Australia ‘Operation Big Map’ event today (Saturday 10th of September) between 9:00am – 3:30pm at the Goonellabah Sports and Aquatic Centre, 50 Oliver Avenue, Goonellabah. This unique event is the ‘flag ship’ of Disaster Relief Australia operations across our nation.

Today DRA held a similar event specifically attended by Emergency Services, University Staff, Local, State and Federal Government representatives and was successful in discussing complex issues relating to better preparedness, response, planning and recovery in the future, however, DRA want to ensure all voices are heard to make sure nothing is left unsaid or undiscovered, when it comes to ways to better manage disasters in the future.

The map itself is an impressive satellite map which you can walk on, and get a true "bird-eye view" of our catchment area, while the team have drones in the air simultaneously, showing real-time imagery of the area, including important aspects such as flood gauges and water storage area's, all marked clearly on the map.

Joanna Jones SES Deputy Zone Commander Superintendent addressed the attendees today with an exciting update, around the changes SES have enacted, which will be in full effect by the end of the month, regarding warnings for future events, making things clearer and responding sooner. The Lismore App will report on the full details as soon as they are released.

Morning tea and lunch will be provided and participants are asked to RSVP to: resilience@disasterreliefaus.org