Recovering from an emergency

Recovering from an emergency is a complex process that may take months or even years to overcome.

The recovery process is coordinated by the Council Municipal Recovery Manager through a Recovery Plan to enable the reconstruction of the physical infrastructure and the restoration of emotional, economic and physical wellbeing of the community. Depending on the scale of the emergency, Council will also establish a Community Recovery Committee to deliver specialised services.

More information about emergency recovery assistance and support services can be obtained by contacting the Municipal Recovery Manager on 9262 6333.

Damage to Your Home

If your place of residence is impacted by a house fire, flood or storm damage that has rendered it uninhabitable, emergency relief assistance may be available. Council can assist with information and referral to services that can help you find temporary accommodation, financial assistance, counselling services and more.

If you require assistance in an emergency, please call 9262 6333 (24 hours).

When you call you will be asked to provide the following information:

your name and the address of the affected property
a contact number (i.e. mobile phone or phone number of where you are staying e.g. a neighbour, friend or relative)
your current location (i.e. neighbour’s, friend's or relative’s house)

Moving Back to Your Property

The relevant authority, such as Fire Rescue Victoria, SES or Victoria Police will advise you when it is safe to return to your property. There may be many reasons why you are unable to return home, such as remaining or new hazards, health and hygiene considerations or missing people.

If you return to your property and find it uninhabitable contact the Municipal Recovery Manager on 9262 6333 for assistance.

Trauma Support

People experience a range of emotions following a crisis or after an emergency. If you're going through a tough time and have depression, anxiety or suicidal thoughts, talking about your feelings can be hard. Keeping silent could make it feel even worse.

You or someone you care about don't have to go through this alone. Support from friends, family or a health professional can help with your recovery.

The following documents can assist you to understand the help available to people who may be experiencing depression and or anxiety.

For more information or to talk about your situation you may wish to contact BeyondBlue 1300 22 4636, Lifeline 131144 or the Commonwealth Department of Human Services 132 850 (Multilingual Phone Service on 131 202).

Language	Anxiety, Depression and Reaction to Trauma
English	Beyond Blue	Have the Conversation about Depression and Anxiety
	Services Australia	Crisis and Support Services
	DFFH	Trauma and Families
Simplified Chinese 简体中文	DFFH	Trauma and Families
	Services Australia	Crisis and Support Services
Other Languages	DFFH	Trauma and Families
	Services Australia	Crisis and Support Services

Needing Help After Someone Has Died

When someone dies after an emergency it can be a traumatic and confusing time for families. The links provided will help you work through the tasks that need to be attended to and apply for a bereavement payment from Centrelink.

Language	When Someone Dies
English	Queensland Government	When someone dies: A practical guide for families and friends
	Services Australia	What to do following a Death
Simplified Chinese 简体中文	Queensland Government	When someone dies: A practical guide for families and friends
Other Languages	Queensland Government	When someone dies: A practical guide for families and friends

Financial Matters

Insurance, mortgages and credit, budgeting and financial assistance are all things you will need to consider after an emergency event.

You may be eligible for a crisis or bereavement payment.

Language	Crisis Payments
English	Services Australia	Crisis Payments
	Services Australia	What to do following a Death
	Salvation Army	Disaster Relief and Support
	DFFH	Financial Crisis Support
Simplified Chinese 简体中文	Services Australia	Crisis Payment
	Services Australia	What to do following a Death
Other Languages	Services Australia	Crisis Payment
	Services Australia	What to do following a Death

Insurance

The Insurance Council of Australia provides insurance information to assist with recovering from an emergency.

Making early contact with your insurance company is important. You should speak with your insurer before authorising any major repairs and should only make minor repairs to your property to ensure its safety. It will assist the claims process if you can make an inventory of your lost property, including food, as a result of the emergency.

Legal Support

To assist people to move from crisis to recovery, Eastern Community Legal Centre (ECLC) has released a legal help check tool that walks people through a list of common issues and guides them to get assistance where needed.

The Disaster Recovery Legal Help Check asks residents to consider issues around safety, housing, insurance, employment, children and other areas.

ECLC is the local lead for Disaster Legal Help Victoria in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. The Legal Help Check is based on a similar tool that Victorian CLCs developed following the 2019-20 bush fires.

The Disaster Recovery Legal Help Check can be downloaded here. Please call 1300 325 200 or email eclc@eclc.org.au to find out how they can help.

Damage to Agricultural Property, Livestock and the Environment

Water

If your water has been used by fire management agencies, the State Government will replace essential water for household purposes. Council can help you to arrange this.

If your property relies on tanks, you must check whether the water has been contaminated before consuming. Contamination can sometimes be detected by the appearance of the water (check for floating particles or discoloration), or by having the water tested. Contamination can be reduced by installing a first flush diverter. These are available at most hardware stores.

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