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Following the recent flood events in NSW and Queensland, Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) has requested the support of the defence industry as it deploys its veteran-led volunteer workforce to help communities rebuild.
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Following the recent floods in Queensland and NSW, Disaster Relief Australia has committed to deploying a veteran-led volunteer workforce to help communities rebuild, and has requested the support of Australian defence businesses.
Made up of former first responders and the veteran community, the not-for-profit utilises the unique skillset of the veteran and first responder community to undertake rapid deployments across Australia to help those communities suffering from natural disasters.
However, the size and scale of the recent flood events has prompted the organisation to seek new volunteers who can “help lead and manage” their widespread operations.
Geoff Evans, chief executive of DRA, explained that supporting flood affected communities by deploying staff with first responder experience and veterans would play a vital role in Australian businesses’ corporate social responsibility.
“Traditionally, it has been difficult for businesses to actively participate in recovery operations, with many feeling limited to donating money or giving their staff time off if they wished to volunteer. They said they felt they could do more but didn’t know how,” Evans said.
“Now with the launch of the DRA Industry Volunteer Portal, businesses can contribute as an organisation and help us tap into the highly skilled people that make up their workforces, to get people back into their homes faster and restore the overall cohesion of the local community.”
The organisation has partnered with BenchOn, a veteran owned industry engagement platform to help find a volunteer taskforce. BenchOn has donated the use of its Industry Volunteer Portal to support the DRA’s objectives.
According to Tim Walmsley, chief executive of BenchOn, the collaboration was natural between the two entities seeking to support their communities.
“Defence industry has a wealth of experience in both managing military operations, through the employment of veterans, but also managing large scale programs commercially, with many moving parts,” Walmsley said.
“We are asking defence primes, MSPs and SMEs to jump onto the Industry Volunteer Portal and provide whatever support they can, as DRA releases more and more volunteer requests.
“Let’s mobilise defence industry and show Australia what we can do to make their lives better when we are aligned and focused on the task.”
Specifically, DRA is seeking those with command and control capabilities to help coordinate the relief efforts.
Evans explained that the call-out wasn’t just for veterans.
“Although 80 per cent of our organisation are veterans, you do not have to be a veteran to join. If you value service, we can train you if required,” Evans continued.
To register, Evans explained that it was a simple five-minute process.
“Our scope of works is limited only by the ingenuity of the teams on the ground,” he said. “They are pretty phenomenal at this type of work.
“The natural disasters don’t end when the first responders leave, or an emergency declaration expires; for families who have spent months – and sometimes years – living in make-shift homes our work continues.
“When we work together in operations like these, we can improve a homeowner’s ability to bounce back and restore the overall cohesion of the local community. We do this by mobilising one of Australia’s most valuable resources: Australian veterans. Events like the floods in Queensland and New South Wales demonstrate that they are needed more than ever.”
To register, follow the link: dra.benchon.com.
