Community Story: Aaron Nimmo
Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) responded in the community of Rosedale left devastated by bushfires in 2019. Many residents lost houses, sheds, stables, fences, stock and the clean up efforts are ongoing. There are stories that pull on your heart strings and bring you...
Community Story: Brendan and Deb Clarke
Brendan Clarke and his wife Deb are one of the few District Coast locals who lost everything, including their home in the Deepwater Bushfires that swept through the region in late 2018, early 2019. They had initially stayed to protect their property and thinking it...
Feeling of accomplishment – Sean
I am a civilian currently on deployment with DRA on Operation Dexter – Wave One. Yesterday, the DRA Strike Team and I attended a property in the Rosedale community that was affected by both floods and bushfires. The owner also has several health complications...Reflection – Bec – Operation Dexter
My name is Bec and I’m from the Brisbane DRT (Disaster Relief Team) . I am a vetaran who served in the Australian Army for 15 years. I was discharged in Dec 2018, nearly two years now. I grew up in country Victoria on a large grain farm where I am one of six children....
Reflection – Natalie Heller – Operation Dexter
I am an Environmental Engineer, a mom to 2 very rambunctious boys and a wife. I am Canadian / American, and I moved to Australia 2 months ago. After coming out of quarantine, I needed to find something for me to do. I saw some information in regard to SES however they...News
Big Map Flood Wise Exercise is being held in Collie, WA. Find out how Project Resilience can benefit your community.
Operation Kelliher Flood Recovery Summary
Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) recently conducted its largest disaster response activity since the organisation’s inception in 2016. In response to the catastrophic flooding that impacted communities in Queensland and New South Wales, our skilled veteran-led volunteers got down and dirty helping with flood recovery as part of Operation Kelliher.
All the Reward I Need, Veteran Phil Wharton
A veteran friend suggested I look at Disaster Relief Australia when I was looking for an opportunity to give back after many years of paid work. I was immediately impressed by DRA’s focus on getting things done and helping others in their hour of need. Thinking about it, I realised there was a huge gap between the initial emergency response in a disaster and the subsequent recovery from that disaster. DRA had the solution, providing teams of motivated, trained and “can do” people to assist others in the recovery phase of a disaster. I joined DRA in my hometown Sydney and very quickly found myself completing induction and a nationally recognised basic first aid course. Right from that moment, I felt a sense of purpose. I went on to complete an advanced first aid course that gave me the knowledge and confidence to treat a wide variety of injuries. I’ve also been trained as a chainsaw operator. I have now deployed on three operations with DRA, two fires and one flood. My roles have been varied in these deployments ranging from Mission Commander right down to strike team member and I can honestly say I have enjoyed them all. There’s nothing more satisfying to me than giving another human a hand up in a time of crisis. The smile on a stranger’s face is all the reward I need. One of the things I really enjoy about DRA is meeting and getting to work with fantastic fellow volunteers. DRA members come from all over Australia and have varied backgrounds. I have deployed with ex police, ex military, paramedics and motivated civilians, amongst others, and made many friends in the process. We all have one thing in common and that is a desire to help others in their hour of need. I find it immensely satisfying to walk amongst people like this. I aim to deploy with DRA at least once a year and hope that I’m able to continue giving back for many years to come.