Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Melbourne Mayor Advises Residents, Visitors to Carry Go Bag

My God, a governmental official is actually encouraging personal responsibility!!!

Melbourne residents are being urged to have a bag of essential items - including a torch, soup and tissues - prepared in case of evacuation.

Releasing a new CBD emergency plan today, Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said carrying a Go Bag made sense for workers and visitors to the city.

The new plan, to be sent out to the CBD's 20,000 residents and available on the City of Melbourne's website, includes mass evacuation to sites such as Etihad Stadium, the MCG and Exhibition Building in times of emergency.

Emergencies could range from earthquakes and terrorist attacks to floods or the heatwave experienced in Melbourne earlier this year.

Cr Doyle said he had a Go Bag already packed. "My first priority is to make sure people in the city are safe and they are prepared for any emergency or natural disaster," he said.

Items people should consider putting in their Go Bag include a small radio, torch, soup, basic first aid, any personal medicine, bottle of water, muesli bar, pack of batteries, jellybeans and tissues, the council said.

Makes sense. I imagine Australians have a preparedness mindset from birth. They live in a country whose natural climate and wildlife are inimical to humans.

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