Territorians impacted by emergencies this disaster season will have access to the vital supplies they need, with the Department of Children and Families completing its annual restock of emergency caches in Darwin.
Beds, bedding, toiletries, nappies, washing machines, fans, torches, disposable cutlery and other everyday essentials are packed and ready to support evacuation centres. The caches hold enough supplies to assist up to 1000 people, ensuring communities affected by floods, cyclones or other emergencies can access the essentials they need straight away.
While emergency caches are also located in Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Nhulunbuy and are checked annually, the Darwin cache is the largest and can be rapidly deployed to support remote areas across the Territory.
Department of Children and Families- Welfare Functional Group, Director Emergency Management, Jude Dowling, said the Cache Repack was a crucial part of the Territory's emergency preparedness.
"These emergency caches are our first line of support, giving us the ability to set up evacuation centres quickly and provide people with the essentials they need in a crisis.
"We've seen how important this work is, for example in the 2023 Victoria Daly floods when hundreds of Territorians were evacuated. The caches allowed us to act fast and with confidence to support and meet the immediate essential needs of disaster impacted Territorians," Ms Dowling said.
Acting Chief Executive Officer, Raelene Burke, acknowledged the hard work of staff and partners who contribute to the cache repack each year.
"I want to thank our emergency management team and all those across the department who pitched in to make this happen. Preparing for disasters is a whole-of-workforce effort and this program is a great example of our people going above and beyond to keep Territorians safe.
"Every year, our teams work side by side with community partners to restock these caches, and every year they show the same commitment and care. It's this dedication that makes the difference when communities need us most.," Ms Burke said.
The Cache Repack was supported by the Welfare Group, which brings together Territory agencies, non-government organisations and community groups, including Red Cross, St Vincent de Paul, Salvation Army, Foodbank, 54 Reasons, the Chaplaincy Service and regional Aboriginal corporations.
The Department of Corrections also assisted with the heavy lifting, with community work crews helping to move and count stock throughout the week.
Welfare Group caches are also located in Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Nhulunbuy. The program not only ensures that supplies are available when they are most needed but also strengthens the Territory's broader emergency management network. By bringing together government agencies and community partners, the program builds resilience and reinforces the Territory's ability to respond quickly and effectively in times of crisis.
This year's operation also provided an important opportunity for training and collaboration among Welfare Group members, who responded with energy and commitment to the challenges of the repack.
The Department of Children and Families will continue to work closely with partners to refine response plans and ensure communities across the Territory are supported throughout the upcoming cyclone season.
Jane Burton, Anjana Sharma, Jude Dowling, Brianna Baulderstone, Heather Prentergast and Pomat Sasaehan.
