Wolesely Park was the place to be for Gunnedah’s emergency services last Saturday for a community Safety Sausage Sizzle.

Many of Gunnedah’s emergency services and service providers had banded together to create a community resource day.

What made this resource day different was the multiple service providers attending rather than a single organisation.

“It’s really important that we are working altogether and I’m just really proud of the community at the minute,” the event organiser, Tammey McAllan said.

“Everyone was more than happy to put their hand up to come and join in on the day.

“It started off as just a conversation at the local emergency management meeting and it was just a general chit chat that has now turned into this fantastic event.”

Emergency services are often considered the lead for disasters, but this event highlighted the role other service providers play.

“The lights and sirens are amazing and they are the heroes that go in and do everything but the service providers also do so much behind the scenes,” Tammey said.

Family, mental health and other community based services were there to provide its support.

The Rotary Club of Gunnedah had fired up the barbeque to provide the promised sausage sandwich.

Hundreds of locals had the opportunity to interact with organisations’ members and learn more about emergency readiness.

Children had a great day sitting in firetrucks, playing in rafts and looking in the ambulance.

When asked what the aim of the day was, it was easy for Tammey to answer.

“A more resilient community and also services interacting together, we really need to build that relationship internally,” she said.

“We have to stop thinking a major disaster won’t happen here.

“The more we’ve got great relationships interagency, that cross agency effect, it is just going to help if there is ever an event one day.

“And then the community coming along and learning about all of this as well. It’s an all-in effect, not one organisation can do it, we all have to work together to build up resilience.”

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