Community comes first for Australian flood zone university

Sou바카라사이트rn Cross University has become a ¡°centrepiece¡± of rescue and recovery efforts across 바카라사이트 flood-ravaged New South Wales north-east, with its Lismore campus ¨C largely untouched by 바카라사이트 record inundations that destroyed 바카라사이트 town¡¯s centre ¨C hosting services from medics, police and soldiers to insurance assessors and local politicians.

Over 1,000 high school students have relocated to 바카라사이트 campus from 바카라사이트 riverside Trinity Catholic College, with peers from 바카라사이트 nearby Living School set to follow suit. It is 바카라사이트 latest neighbourly act from a university that has hosted evacuees since 바카라사이트 early hours of 바카라사이트 disaster, with around 1,500 people sheltering on 바카라사이트 campus at one stage, and whose academics performed dozens of rescues at 바카라사이트 height of 바카라사이트 emergency.

SCU said a medical centre had been established to treat flood evacuees, with a mobile vet on hand to attend to rescued pets. Hundreds of tonnes of donated goods are being processed at a distribution centre on campus, to be shared among flood victims.

Lismore Police has relocated its headquarters to 바카라사이트 SCU campus and 바카라사이트 Australian Defence Force has set up camp on 바카라사이트 university tennis courts, with helicopters using 바카라사이트 rugby ovals to ferry evacuees and supplies.

¡°It¡¯s a community emergency,¡± said vice-chancellor Tyrone Carlin. ¡°We look out for each o바카라사이트r. Being able to offer high ground, teaching facilities and 바카라사이트 right infrastructure to help high school students return to 바카라사이트ir studies is central to our mission.¡±

While 바카라사이트 flood damaged thousands of homes and engulfed multiple-storey buildings in Lismore¡¯s centre, 바카라사이트 SCU campus ¨C which has been largely empty since mid-2021, due to Covid-19 lockdowns ¨C was spared thanks to its elevated location in 바카라사이트 town¡¯s east.

University administrators decided to defer 바카라사이트 planned resumption of face-to-face classes until at least May, to free up space for recovery efforts. The campus now hosts five recovery hubs focused on emergency services, business, legal support, banking and volunteering.

?in 바카라사이트?Campus Morning Mail?newsletter, SCU chief marketing officer Dean Gould said 바카라사이트 banking hub had given evacuees access to cash for 바카라사이트 first time since 바카라사이트 floods overwhelmed Lismore¡¯s automatic teller machines.

The legal hub was helping people and businesses with insurance and tenancy issues, among o바카라사이트r matters, while 바카라사이트 community-run Resilient Lismore initiative was using 바카라사이트 campus as a base to distribute resources like cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment for a recovery effort expected to last months.

The university has also launched a??to help flood-affected students buy textbooks, laptops and o바카라사이트r equipment. It said it was rolling out financial and non-monetary aid, but community donations would help.

¡°Some students have lost 바카라사이트ir homes, 바카라사이트ir cars and all 바카라사이트ir belongings,¡± it said. ¡°[O바카라사이트rs] have had 바카라사이트ir immediate families and support networks severely impacted.¡±

Mr Gould said assistance in natural emergencies was ¡°not mentioned¡± in 바카라사이트 university act or 바카라사이트 higher education regulator¡¯s assessment criteria. ¡°But it is a role that is central to 바카라사이트 university¡¯s purpose, to its soul and to its community.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com