Shoalhaven Heads Community Forum.

Meeting Date 5th July 2010 (draft)
Meeting Opened at '7pm
Meeting Chaired By Noel Schneider

Attendance 24 Names are recorded in the attendance book.
Apologies 8 Names recorded in the attendance book.

Evacuation Committee Report July 2010 (presented by Ron Prowse)
Background
" It is now more than one year since the Forum started to investigate emergency evacuation arrangements for the village of Shoalhaven Heads
" Enquiries have been made through government agencies such as SES, RFS and the Shoalhaven Council, which has published its disaster procedures, shown on its website under the heading DISPLAN " Several specific enquiries have been made via the Council's DISPLAN co-ordinating officer Update
" Council's co-ordinator has other duties and some of our enquiries were unanswered for long periods, or only partially answered. This led to specific follow-up questions, relating always to our village concerns rather than the "larger Shoalhaven" picture.
" It became apparent very early in our investigations that much work has been done to co-ordinate services like Police, SES, RFS, and Ambulance and to establish procedures for large scale emergencies, but that little consideration has been given to identifying special needs of individual villages. It is clear that large scale disasters would see a co-ordinated response, but individual villages and needy individuals within those villages would only receive consideration if the disaster was classified as having a wide scope, justifying the mobilisation of the DISPLAN.
" The DISPLAN makes claims that the Emergency Committee keeps "detailed lists of individuals" in the Shoalhaven area who may require special assistance if evacuation becomes necessary. The claim, reinforced by responses to the Forum by the DISPLAN co-ordinator, is that the "Health Representative" on the DISPLAN committee regularly updates the alleged list by contact with "agencies such as Meals on Wheels and Home Care".
" The Forum Emergency Evacuation Committee ran a local campaign to raise awareness of the need for every householder to have a detailed evacuation plan and we believe that we have achieved positive outcomes. We also surveyed local residents and identified a number who would require individual assistance if evacuation became necessary. This prompted us to seek specific information about the alleged "detailed lists".
" The latest response from the DISPLAN co-ordinator finally states what we have long suspected that "it is up to individuals to make their own arrangements (for evacuation), whether it be by private transport, or if they are incapacitated, the NSW Ambulance Service". This statement appears to be in conflict with the DISPLAN claim re the maintenance of "detailed lists of needy individuals" and even casts doubt on the existence of such lists.
" We have been unable to obtain the name of the "Health Representative" on the Disaster Committee and fully appreciate that privacy requirements may make enquiries difficult, but our informal questions to local and District Meals on Wheels officials have been met with the statement that they are not aware of any agency's request for identification of needy individuals. Once again we note an apparent discrepancy between the DISPLAN and the co-ordinator's statements.
" We have not made specific enquiries of Home Care officers as it will be up to the Forum to decide whether such further steps need to be taken.

Outcomes
" We believe that, despite the apparent inaccuracies in the published DISPLAN and the no-doubt genuine beliefs of the co-ordinator, there is little point in pursuing this matter further.
" We recommend that the following statement be placed in the Heads News;

EMERGENCY EVACUATION OF INDIVIDUALS.
The Community Forum has conducted extensive investigation of local evacuation plans, including those detailed in Council's DISPLAN (Disaster Plan) and now wishes all residents to know that;
IN ANY EMERGENCY REQUIRING EVACUATION OF INDIVIDUALS, IT IS UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL, SUPPORTED BY RELATIVES OR FRIENDS, TO ARRANGE THEIR OWN EVACUATION, WHETHER BY PRIVATE TRANSPORT OR BY AMBULANCE.
Following our survey, we have assisted a number of people to develop their own evacuation plan and we hope that our newspaper articles have helped raise awareness of the need for ALL RESIDENTS TO HAVE A PROPERLY FORMULATED EVACUATION PLAN AND AN AWARENESS OF ANY NEIGHBOURS WHO MIGHT NEED ASSISTANCE.
We are still willing to assist individuals to develop a plan and ask anyone needing help to contact either Ron Prowse (4448 5959) or Roger Tilley ( 4448 7812) who will be able to organise a home visit and appropriate assistance

Guest Speakers
Inspector John Behrendt the guest speaker listened intently to the presentation and then gave a detailed overview of the area Local Emergency Management Committee and its operations. While he believed there are lists of establishments where people with a disability may live - eg hospitals and nursing homes he was unaware of any lists where individual names were recorded. He spoke on issues of evacuation in general and the need to make decisions which ensure the majority are safe. He then spoke briefly on the gaol and advised there will be two open days in November. He congratulated the forum on taking on local emergency initiatives.

Neighbourhood Watch
Police Report Senior Constable Paul Nancekivell was not able to be present at the meeting.
Minutes of Previous Meeting of 2/6/2010
Tabled and confirmed Moved Robyn Flack
Seconded Roger Tilley
Business Arising
Inward Correspondence
1. Matt Brown MP - following up retirement village letter

Outward Correspondence
1. Matt Brown MP - request to follow up retirement village
Moved: Robyn Flack Seconded Ron Randall
that incoming correspondence be accepted and outgoing correspondence be endorsed.

Treasurer's Report Opening Balance     $1646.45
Income - Raffle proceeds     $56.00
Interest     $0.09
Expenditure    SHBRC     $78.00
Raffle voucher     $25.00
Bank balance     $1466.59
Cash on hand     $ 132.95
Total     $1599.54

Moved: Judy Moate Sec Trevor Aspin that the report be accepted. Carried unanimously.

Report of the Shoalhaven Heads Chamber of Commerce and Tourism -
Anne-Louise O'Connor spoke on the history project being undertaken by Chris and Laurie Talbot - a lot of work has been done with researching the growth of the village. It is hoped that a book will be the final outcome.

Shoalhaven Heads Community Forum Bushcare Report
The local bushcare groups have been busy in June, with bitou being treated from the sand spit along the dunes to Seven Mile Beach National Park. Dangerous coral trees are to be removed at the end of River Rd for Tree Day plantings to take place on Friday 30th July at 10:00am. Pupils from Shoalhaven Heads Public School will be involved for tree day. Weeds have been removed & treated around Holiday Haven & at Berry's Canal. Residents are reminded not to throw garden refuse in bushland as it is difficult to control. Volunteers are still required and times & day can be arranged to suit, if you are interested please contact a co-ordinator. River Rd Group, Lynne 44487903, Coolangatta Mountain Group, contact Myke 0418297436, Shoalhaven Heads Group or Golfers Group contact Noel 44487680.

Report of the Shoalhaven Heads Community and Progress Association.
John Dogterom tabled Council documents and noted that a tender was called recently for the Sewage treatment works upgrade.
Men's Shed Report - No Report
Shoalhaven Heads Community Centre Report - No Report
Curtis Park Arboretum
Things have been very quiet in the Arboretum this past month as we have no money and up until Friday no mulch.

We missed out on the first round of the CDSE funding and we are now hoping we may get something in the second round so that the under storey planting may be completed for spring so that we can take advantage of the new growing season.

We have had a number of incidents of vehicles doing burnouts in Curtis Park but fortunately no damage has been incurred to the Arboretum.
The bird life in the Arboretum is increasing and we are now faced with the problem of domestic cats finding a happy hunting ground.
If the problem continues we will begin trapping and turn the animals in to the Council pound.
Brian Molineaux is preparing CAD drawings for the proposed storage shed and we hope to have a DA in by the end of the month.
Moved: Ron Randall Seconded: Cec Knight that all reports be accepted - carried unanimously

1 The forum has been invited by the Vietnam Veterans to lay a wreath on 16th August.
2 Moved Noel Schnieder - seconded Roger Tilley that a notice be placed in the Heads News of the AGM of the Forum in September - carried unanimously.
3 President Noel Schneider spoke on the following:
Anne Louise O'Connor and Ken Merrifield will be the contacts in regard to the landscaping on the perimeter of the Sewage Treatment works.
Noel spoke with Warwick Watkins regarding the land adjacent to the golf course and the village need for a retirement village. The subcommittee of Terry Lillie, Noel and Robyn Flack will continue to pursue this priority with Local and State Government officers. Noel also sought endorsement to follow up incorporation of the forum - agreed unanimously.
It was Moved by D Riddell seconded Noel Schneider that a notice to residents by placed in the Heads news outlining the individuals responsibility to arrange emergency evacuation as outlined in Ron Prowse report and that Shoalhaven Council be advised of the inadequacies of the Emergency Plan. - Carried by majority -
Robyn Flack wished to give Council the opportunity to respond before the notice was placed as this also affects other villages - It was agreed that Gareth Ward will be asked to follow up the Plans deficiencies and that as it was concluded that time is of the essence with warnings the notice should go ahead in the Heads News without delay.

Raffle was won by Roger Tilley
Meeting closed at 8.35pm Next Meeting 4th August