The Forbes, Lachlan and Parkes Shires have been listed as at high risk in NSW.
Australia Post will lend a helping hand to high-risk communities across Australia by supporting Australian Red Cross deliver Pillowcase workshops, an initiative aiming to help kids in schools across the nation understand the importance of being prepared for a disaster. Since 2019, Australia Post has raised more than $1.8 million for Australian Red Cross and contributed towards supporting 470,000 people across 133 emergency events.
Over the next three years, Australia Post is expanding on its support to include the Pillowcase workshops, a disaster preparedness education program for 8 to 10 year-old students living in areas at high risk of disaster, like bushfires and flooding. The workshops teach kids practical skills like what to pack for an emergency and how to prepare their minds for the thoughts and feelings that may arise before, during and after an emergency.
Australia Post will support Australian Red Cross to provide Pillowcase workshops and resources – including supplying the emergency kit pillowcases.
Australia Post Executive General Manager of Community, Sustainability and Stakeholder Engagement, Tanny Mangos, said that Australia Post’s unique presence in regional and remote Australian communities meant it was important to contribute to, and support, disaster resilience.
“Working in every community across Australia, our team members are often at the frontline of disaster. We see firsthand how a disaster can affect a community.
“Ahead of what is already being predicted as a hot, dry summer, our work with Australian Red Cross on Pillowcase is especially critical. The workshops and resources will arm children in high-risk areas with practical skills in the event of extreme weather like bushfires.
“As disasters increase across Australia so does the impact on our communities and wellbeing. Evidence and research continue to show that preparing both psychologically and practically for an emergency improves people’s ability to cope with their impacts.”