City of Mandurah has been recognised for its effort to help protect the safety and well-being of local horses during emergencies.
The state award announcement was made at the 10th Australasian Natural Hazards Management Conference on November 1.
The project is now among eight finalists shortlisted for the 2017 National Resilient Australia Awards, managed by the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience and sponsored by the Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department.
The national awards will be announced in Sydney on November 23.
The district-wide Equi-Evac Centre Network project aimed to identify potential evacuation centres for the Peel and south-west horse communities who may be displaced in times of disaster.
Read more: City scoops awards
Mandurah mayor Rhys Williams said it was important the city protected the community in the unlikely event of an emergency and was proud that the city’s work with the project partners was recognised at the awards.
“Emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility and we need to be on the front foot if disasters happen,” he said.
“We need to work together to make sure we are prepared for these events, and this extends to the welfare of our animals.
“It’s encouraging to see this project has provided the tools to help many other local governments and horse loving communities prepare for emergencies, and we are proud to have been recognised among a tough list of contenders.”
The initial project took six months and covered 16 local government districts, including Mandurah, Murray, Rockingham, Bunbury, Busselton, Augusta Margaret River, Boyup Brook, Bridgetown Greenbushes, Capel, Collie, Dardanup, Donnybrook Balingup, Harvey, Manjimup and Nannup.
The project will contribute towards state-level planning for animals in emergencies, as supported by the Report of the Special Inquiry into the January 2016 Waroona Fire.
The project was funded by the 2016/17 All West Australians Reducing Emergencies program.