By Erin Craven
When Victoria sweltered through record-breaking temperatures and bushfires in January, Uniting Vic.Tas’ homelessness teams in the Wimmera and Ballarat were ensuring that some of our most vulnerable people were safe during the extreme weather and emergency conditions.
With catastrophic fire conditions, predicted to mirror 2009’s horror Black Saturday, forecast for January 8, Street2Home teams visited rural and remote areas where rough sleepers were known to be, providing water, sunscreen, hats, solar-powered phone chargers, food and safety advice.
“The team stopped at each person, whether they were rough sleeping or camping on holidays, and passed on the message of the extreme heat and fire danger in the coming days,” says Juelz Sanders, Team Leader, Street2Home, Ballarat.
“People were encouraged to download the Vic Emergency App, and/or utilise a radio for updates.”
Vulnerable clients were also offered respite accommodation; however Juelz says very few agreed to this option but “not because they were stubborn or not appreciative of our support”.
“Some chose to stay and defend their ‘home’, just like someone who lives on a farm in a fire-risk area wants to stay,” she says.
“They often will make the same decision.”
In Ballarat, the team also worked closely with the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) and local councils to share locations of known rough sleepers in fire-risk areas.
“As the outreach team fed information back, this was updated and shared with services to ensure the location of rough sleepers, especially those without transport and therefore a way to evacuate,” explains Juelz.
“Other team members were also making phone calls to areas we knew we were not going to be able to travel to, at the edges of our catchment area, such as Daylesford and Ararat, to communicate the same messages.”
In Ballarat, the Breezeway drop-in centre also extended its hours to provide a refuge for those needing to escape the heat.
“This was particularly beneficial to rough sleepers needing somewhere with air conditioning, but it was also very helpful to people who had housing but no air conditioning or fans,” Juelz says.
“By the third hot day, their houses were unbearable and they appreciated the cool space, snacks and company of staff.”
Glenn Kimberly, Assertive Outreach Worker, Street2Home, Wimmera, says that local knowledge and established relationships are vital during emergency and extreme weather conditions, adding that the trust Uniting Vic.Tas workers have established with those sleeping rough was invaluable.
It also highlights the urgent need for more funding for these programs. Street2Home Wimmera relies solely on donations to provide services and support.
“Homeless people are one of the most vulnerable populations during natural disasters,” Glenn says.
“A worker’s ability to reach clients is a direct result of trust and rapport built over time. These established relationships are what allows workers to locate the unseen homeless, deliver aid and bring vital information to them.”
Adds Juelz: “It’s vital to be able to communicate with the authorities that people are residing in these areas, to ensure someone looks for them and helps them evacuate if the need arises. If Street2Home didn’t go and report this back, would anyone know they are there?
“The common response from those we helped was ‘it was nice to know that someone cared’, and that the teams had made sure they had what they needed and were safe before, during and after the extreme weather.”
The team’s efforts were mirrored less than two weeks later, as the barometer hit 48.1 degrees in some areas of the Wimmera.
“Homelessness isn’t seasonal and survival is a year-round battle against the elements,” Glenn says.
“We often imagine the struggle of rough sleeping in the bitter cold, but we forget that the scorching sun can be just as merciless.
“Extreme heat turns streets into ovens and shade into luxury.”
