NSW LAUNCHES COVID-SAFE EVACUATION PLAN

The way large scale evacuations in NSW are carried out is set to change with the introduction of a number of safety initiatives to protect the health and lives of the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said the crisis has required the Government and emergency services agencies to be agile and rethink how they would undertake any future evacuations.

A new evacuation assistance hotline is in the final stages of creation and will be activated during emergencies to assist with registering evacuees and providing immediate welfare requirements. Importantly, the hotline will be used to arrange temporary accommodation for those who need it, which will reduce the need for, or attendance at evacuation centres.

Commissioner of Resilience NSW Shane Fitzsimmons said challenging circumstances require adaptation and innovation.

The new evacuation initiatives will be introduced in all evacuation centres including for bushfires and floods.