Be prepared for anything

Gerard Mann of the MFB, Simon Callen of CFA Dandenong and Daniel Pastean of SES Greater Dandenong with water rescue dog Abbey. 185486_02 Picture: ROB CAREW

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Four councils have joined forces on water and bushfire safety ahead of the summer season.

Greater Dandenong will join with Kingston, Frankston and Mornington Peninsula to launch Operation Emergency Ready at Harmony Square, Dandenong.

The event on Saturday, 13 October will include safety demonstrations and interactions from CFA, SES and MFB members.

The campaign includes booklets, eight preparedness videos and an interactive website to help people make emergency plans.

Greater Dandenong mayor Youhorn Chea said the awareness-raising was necessary, given a quarter of residents in the four council areas had arrived in Australia only in the past decade.

“This event is not only an opportunity to learn more about what these services do but also a chance to learn more about the role everyone can play in being emergency ready,” Cr Chea said.

Having an emergency action plan helps families to know what to do in times of emergency, Kingston mayor Steve Staikos said.

“It’s always better to be safe than sorry.”

The need was demonstrated earlier this year when a bushfire caused a community evacuation in Carrum Downs.

We don’t know how we will react in an emergency until it happens,” Frankston mayor Colin Hampton said.

“But having everything you need ready to go means that you can grab what you need most, without wasting time by over thinking it.”

Operation Emergency Ready is a free event. It runs 10am to 3pm on Saturday, 13 October.