It’s completely normal to experience a range of emotions following an emergency of natural disaster. This can happen not just immediately after the event, but also much later.

You might want to check in on your friends and neighbours with a friendly phone call, and if you or someone you know needs help, reach out.

The following are free services available 24 hours a day, seven days a week:

• Mental Health Crisis Support – 1800 011 511
• Mensline – 1300 789 978
• Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800
• Beyondblue – 1300 22 4636

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger call 000.

Lifeline

Provides 24 hours a day, 7 days a week telephone support for anyone experiencing emotional distress. Call 13 11 14 or visit the Lifeline website.

Short term free counselling

From a Disaster Recovery Clinician at Community Health. Emotional support and mental health care is available to anyone affected by the natural disasters including Individuals and families, farmers, emergency first responders, frontline services and businesses, health providers.

Contact Renate Dwyer Ph: 0407 801 331

Farmgate Support Program

The Farmgate Support Program provides free mental health to people living and working in rural and remote communities.

It is designed to meet the needs of individuals, couples and families; whether they require short term conversations and information or ongoing formal counselling options.

Contact details below:

Phone: 0477 322 851
Email: HNELHD-FarmgateSupport@health.nsw.gov.au

Other support

These fact sheets may also help:

Emotional support for bushfire affected communities

Let's Talk - where to find help for mental health concerns

Free mental health support for people affected by bushfires

Take Care of Yourself

Coping with community crisis or natural disaster

Coping with loss and change in a community after natural disaster

Getting through floods, drought and extreme climate events

Helping children cope after a natural disaster

National Emergency Management Agency

The Australian Government has put measures in place so that families and individuals affected by disasters can access resources quickly to ease the stress during the recovery phase.

For further information please visit the NEMA website.

Replacing personal documents

Service NSW can help replace many of your personal documents free of charge if they were damaged or destroyed.

This includes birth certificates, marriage certificates, licences and number plates.

Visit your nearest Service NSW centre or call 13 77 88.

Legal assistance

Legal Aid NSW can provide free legal advice and minor assistance to people affected by disasters on a range of issues, including insurance, tenancy, credit and debt problems. Call 1800 801 529 or visit legalaid.nsw.gov.au

The Financial Rights Legal Centre have developed a bushfire insurance guide available here, and can also provide advice through the Insurance Law Service. Call 1300 663 464 for assistance.

Mid North Coast Financial counselling service

Mid North Coast Financial counselling service can assist with mortgages, car loans and credit card arrears, accessing super or other entitlements, or if there is enough income to make ends meet or just listen and provide options that might not have been thought of or known about.

The service can advocate on your behalf with banks, insurance companies, superannuation funds or any other organisation which you might need to deal with in regard to your financial situation. This is a free service.

Pauline Smith Ph: 0457 628 302
psmith@kempseync.org.au

Steven McWilliams Ph: 0448 676 091
smcwilliams@kempseync.org.au

BizRebuild, the charity arm of the Business Council of Australia provides practical and on the ground help, including vouchers of up to $2000 for disaster impacted businesses. These vouchers are to assist with the purchase of essential items to get businesses back up and running as quickly as possible. For more information visit their website.

It's important to look after yourself and your family, this fact sheet may be helpful:

Getting through floods, drought and extreme climate events

Rural Financial Counselling Service

This service provides free and impartial rural financial counselling to eligible primary producers, fishers and small rural businesses. They help identify options, negotiate with lenders, develop an action plan, help support access to the Farm Household Allowance and provide information on assistance schemes.

John Dunbar taree@rfcsnr.org.au 6551 5879 or 0448 035 143.

Agriculture and Animal Services Hotline.

Phone 1800 814 647 to request animal assessment and welfare assistance, veterinary advice and if required, euthanasia and burial.

Complete the Primary Industries Natural Disaster Damage Assessment (PinDDA) survey

This allows the Department of Primar Industries to gather, analyse and report on damage to primary industries and animals after natural disasters. This information helps a range of government agencies, industry organisations and communities understand the scale and regional distribution of the impact of a disaster on agriculture, plan for recovery activities and target resources and assistance in an area. Complete the survey.

Rural Assistance Authority

Has concessional loans or transport subsidies available for primary producers. View the subsidies availble here.

Rural Aid

Has a variety of services including free confidential counselling, financial assistance, fodder domestic water and the farm army. Find available services.

Local Land Services

Have specific advice on activities land managers can do to assist in the recovery of their property following a bushfire. View the bushfire recover information here.

NSW Government agencies along with charity partners and local community organisations are helping to provide emergency shelter, food and water.

The best way to help our impacted communities is to donate money to one of the many charities or appeals that have been established.

Money gives people the choice to buy things they need and support local businesses that have also been impacted.

Coordination of donations

GIVIT is a national online non-profit organisation that matches generosity with genuine need. GIVIT is contracted by the New South Wales Government to manage and coordinate offers of donations of items, money and services associated with emergency recovery in NSW. GIVIT is working with recovery organisations across NSW to get exactly what’s needed to people impacted by bushfires. You must first connect with a support organisation that's registered with GIVIT. These organisations can then place requests for donations of items, vouchers and services on your behalf. You can see relevant organisations registered with GIVIT in the Mid Coast region here.

Please do not donate physical goods such as toys, furniture and clothes at this time. They are usually not needed and take up too much space in community facilities, while taking volunteers away from other important tasks. If you have unwanted physical goods please consider selling them and donating the proceeds instead.

• The Salvation Army 13 72 58
• Vinnies 13 18 12
• The Red Cross 1800 733 276
  
  

Vinnies

Vinnies provides support in times of emergencies such as food and grocery vouchers, clothing, toiletries, financial assistance, interest-free loans, emotional support and referrals.

For information on local assistance and support please call 02 6553 5598.

Mid Coast Outreach Incorporated

Mid Coast Outreach Incorporated is a volunteer run organisation set up to assist MidCoast rural people with bushfire, drought and flood impacts. They run a number of programs including:

• Buddy program and weekly catch ups
• Counselling
• Supplies of groceries, toiletries, cleaning products, bedding, pet food, building materials, furniture and some fodder, depending on availability
• Friday afternoon sessions: Connecting clients with Government and non-government agencies and organisations
• Fresh food Fridays, fresh food hampers delivered to Bulahdelah weekly
• Bush library
• Free client lounge snacks internet and computers available at Head office Wingham
• Outposts at Bulahdelah open 10-2 Monday at Bulahdelah Memorial Hall free tea coffee referral etc

Head Office /Client lounge

Shop 2-3 Lot 20 Wynter St Wingham

Open 9-4 Mon to Fri 9-1 Sat

Ph 02 65534497 Mob 0467 824558

Email Outreach@mcoi.org.au

Bulahdelah

10-2 Monday at Bulahdelah Memorial Hall

Contact Bernie or ring head office

Mob: 0437664277

Manning Valley Neighbourhood Services (MVNS)

MVNS provides financial and/or material support for the MidCoast community affected by bushfires and experiencing financial hardship or crisis. Support includes:

• Fuel, taxi, phone and food vouchers
• Food, pet food, stock feed and clothing
• Financial support

Contact MVNS by phoning 02 6553 5121.

The fact sheet below provides guidance for landholders on native vegetation management in rural areas once a bushfire emergency has passed.

• Managing native vegetation after a bushfire emergency.

Wildlife recovery

The ongoing bushfire and drought crisis is having a crippling toll on our community and our wildlife and the natural environment are amongst the worst impacted. We know people want to help these vulnerable members of our communities so here is some advice, contact details and other ways you can assist:

• Please put containers of clean, fresh water in the landscape in the shade with sticks, mesh or rocks to prevent small animals drowning
• Be mindful of domestic pets in wildlife areas - please keep cats indoors (especially at night) and keep dogs under your control
• Watch for animals crossing roads, especially in or near burnt areas
• Put out fruit for native birds, reptiles, bats and other mammals with a high water content (eg watermelon, apples, pears, oranges)
• Install nesting boxes and retain logs and rocks for animal shelter
• Avoid non-essential clearing of burnt and unburnt native vegetation
• Use the FAWNAfood4wildlife initiative - public collection points with free macropodpellets and wild bird seed are set up at Taree, Wingham, Bobin, Nabiac, Rainbow Flat, Hallidays Point, Old Bar and Manning Point. Instructions are at the collection points.

Helping wildlife through bushfire and drought situations - Factsheet.

Fire Recovery Factsheet: Vegetation and weeds

Fire Recovery Factsheet: Water stations

Fire Recovery Factsheet: Waterway health

Fire Recovery Factsheet: Wildlife