Often the locations and availability of Evacuation Centres can be a cause of concern for our community in times of natural disaster.
Bellingen Shire Council is inviting the community to an information session on Thursday 14 August to hear from Emergency Service and Support Agencies to understand how Evacuation Centres in the Bellingen Shire are established and operated in times of emergency.
Recent weather events, including Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred in March 2025 and the May 2025 flood event, have highlighted how quickly conditions can change and the critical need for timely coordination between our Combat agencies.
During such emergencies, decisions about the location, timing and operation of Evacuation Centres are made by the Local Emergency Operations Controller (usually the Police Officer in charge of the Emergency Operation Centre) in collaboration with the combat agency in charge of the disaster response. Which agency this is depends on the type of disaster – in case of fire, it will likely be the RFS, and in flood the SES.
Council’s role in these instances is to support the response, by providing access to community buildings when requested by the EOC. However, this can sometimes lead to confusion in the community, particularly when location expectations around evacuation sites do not match the official response.
Bellingen Shire Council General Manager Mark Griffioen encouraged people to attend the session, reminding residents that understanding how local emergency services operate in your area is an important part of being prepared for the next event.
“This is a great opportunity for you to gain insights from multiple first responder agencies such as NSW Police, SES, RFS and the Department of Communities & Justice,” said Mr Griffioen.
“You will have the opportunity in this information session to ensure you have enough information to develop your own Emergency Plan so you can be prepared for potential future fire and flood events.”
“Emergency Services will inform attendants on how centres are set up and run, who makes the decisions in times of emergency, and why your input matters.”
This information session is designed to provide clarity on the process and to help people understand the reasoning behind the decisions made regarding evacuation centres during an emergency.
The Emergency Evacuation Centre Information Session will be held at the Bellingen Neighbourhood Centre, at 31 Hyde Street, Bellingen. The session will begin at 10am on Thursday 14 August, and there will be no charge for entry.
For more information visit our events page on the Bellingen Shire Council website:
bellingen.nsw.gov.au/Home/Tabs/Events/Information-Session-Emergency-Evacuation-Centres