Resilient Pottsville
Connecting neighbours for a more resilient Pottsville
Resilient Pottsville is a community-led resilience initiative to help the community prepare for floods, bushfires and other natural disasters. This initiative kicked off in July 2022 after a post-flood community meeting where we agreed we wanted a better community response for future events.
This initiative aims to help prepare our community ahead of the next disaster event so that we are able to respond and recover better.
Resilient Pottsville is supported by the SES. We work closely with them in efforts to make this program run as appropriately and effectively as possible. During emergency events, we will get updates from them which we share with the community.
Our Resilient Pottsville action plan
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A trusted communication network
We’re creating a trusted communication network that shares verified information with residents during events, enabling the community to support each other to stay as safe as possible
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Education and resources
We provide households with education and resources so they can be better prepared
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Volunteer database
We’re creating a database of volunteers who can be activated if needed
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Information hub
After a disaster event, we’ll set up an Information Hub as needed—a centralised spot where residents can get updates, request assistance, or simply connect with one another.
Join the Resilient Pottsville network
Interested in joining the Resilient Pottsville network? You can participate in various ways.
Join our communication network
Want to stay prepared and get reliable updates when a disaster strikes?
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You will receive a free Residents Pack, which includes a REDIPlan template, waterproof document holder and other useful resources.
You will be linked to your Street Hero and added to their communication network, so that you will received warnings and other important information during a disaster event.
If your street does not currently have a Street Hero you will receive information directly from the Resilient Pottsville leadership team instead.
See the FAQs below for privacy related information.
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When you sign up, you will be asked how you want to be contacted. It will also depend on the status of internet and telecommunications services but it is likely to be a combination of Whatsapp or Facebook messenger, email, phone/SMS, via our news and events page, or in person.
We will do our best to communicate with you using your preferred method.
Become a Street Hero
Are you a friendly, community-minded person who might already be connected to some of your neighbours? We are looking for heroes on every street—people who can stay connected to their neighbors before, during, and after disasters.
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Connect with their neighbours and sign up interested households into our Resilient Pottsville database (see FAQs below for privacy details)
Share information with neighbours during emergencies and check in on more vulnerable neighbours
Connect your neighbours with those who can help
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Sign up households who aren’t interested
Perform tasks outside of your skill level or comfort zone to help your neighbours
Be available 24/7, we aim to set you up with a deputy/partner or backup person
To the best of our knowledge, people acting as part of Resilient Pottsville are covered under the Good Samaritan Act. Under the Good Samaritan laws, a person who is acting in good faith in providing assistance to someone in need is protected from any personal liability in an emergency situation. (See source)
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Training from us on how to be a Street Hero
Full support from the leadership team
A Street Hero pack, including hi vis vest, clipboard and printed information
Become a spontaneous volunteer
Short on time but still want to help? Spontaneous volunteers are only active during natural disaster events and can help in a variety of ways.
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You can volunteer in any capacity - from lifting and moving items, cooking food, cleaning, mental health, administration etc.
During a natural disaster your skills will be matched with any needs for help.
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By signing up you will be added to our database of volunteers and receive an induction (online or in person). The induction process means you are covered by insurance.
FAQs
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Resilient Pottsville is based on the Red Cross Community-led Resilience Team (CRT) project, which supports local villages and other communities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters and other emergency events.
The project commenced in Northern NSW after widespread flooding following Tropical Cyclone Debbie in 2017. It has now been developed as an ‘all hazards’ community-led response to fires, floods, and pandemic.
The model is flexible enough to work in any community, and for any emergency, with the use of the practical step-by-step guide.
The Red Cross CRT project won the NSW Resilient Australia Community Award in 2020. It has been developed in close collaboration with emergency services agencies and local Councils, and led by the communities themselves.
For more information, see the resources page on the Red Cross website.
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Members of the Pottsville CRT Leadership Group and other CRT and community members are encouraged to become SES Community Action Team members. This gives us access to additional training and insurance cover in the event of an emergency.
To find out more about Community Action Team volunteers, visit the SES website.
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TBC
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During an emergency, your contact details will be used by your Street Hero to communicate verified information – such as evacuation notices – to you. You may also be contacted to see if you can help a particular individual, for instance if you have particular skills or assets (e.g. generator) or live close to someone in need.
In addition, the Resilient Pottsville leaders maintain a small amount of contact info for you in case your street coordinator can’t be reached during an emergency.
When you register your household with Resilient Pottsville, you will also be added to the mailing list to be notified of future events and provided with disaster preparation tools and information (unless you opt out).
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The information you provide to us will be kept on monday.com, a secure work management platform. Monday.com is a trusted database tool used by many well-known companies and has many certifications to keep your data safe and secure. See their trust centre for more details.
Once you fill out the registration form, your details will be passed to your Street Hero and their deputy. If no Street Hero is available, the information will instead be passed to the Resilient Pottsville leadership group.
Sensitive information such as date of birth or other person data (Medicare, Drivers Licence no., bank account details) is never collected. If you are asked for this information, or have any other concerns, please contact togetherpottsville@gmail.com
Your Street Hero will add your details to their street contact register on monday.com, which can only be accessed by your Street Hero and the Resilient Pottsville leadership group.
Your information will only be shared with members of the Emergency Operating Committee including Tweed Shire Council, SES and RFS, if absolutely necessary to assist you during an emergency.
Your Street Hero may also store these details on a private spreadsheet, and your number in their mobile phone if you have opted to be part of the street WhatsApp group or to receive text message notifications during an emergency.
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Email us at togetherpottsville@gmail.com and tell us your full name and address. Once you do so, we will delete all the details you have provided us from our systems.