A 'mega-hub' of emergency services in Port Campbell is emerging as a popular idea.
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A strategy, in its early stages, aims to improve safety in Port Campbell after Corangamite Shire councillors in May called for a number of reforms for emergency service volunteers, including financial reimbursements.
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Coastal Ward Cr Simon Illingworth has released a draft version of the document for the community to view and provide feedback on.
Mr Illingworth said it was a 'fluid document'.
He said the idea of creating a mega hub of emergency services at Port Campbell that includes SES, CFA, coast guard rescue, CERT, and Parks Victoria personnel has been very well-received.
"The first aspect is, together with the community, volunteers and emergency services workers, is work out how to attract more people to volunteer for the CFA, SES, CERT and so on," Cr Illingworth said.
"The second aspect is to bolster Port Campbell's capacity to respond now and into the future to meet the rising tourist numbers.
"The Mayor and I met Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville in Geelong, it was a very positive meeting, she was very welcoming and it was obvious she has a lot of respect for the local volunteers down here."
"What I'm putting together is a document that hopefully ties everything in that we can give Minister Neville as a start."
Once completed, the document will be sent to Ms Neville.
"We're in a position here at Port Campbell where we're dealing with such harsh terrain, cliffs, and an enormous roaring ocean. The skill set requires from volunteers is really quite advanced.
"This process has really lifted the spirits of volunteer members in Port Campbell and surrounding areas with the hopes we might finally be able to create a top-class facility.
This process has really lifted the spirits of volunteer members in Port Campbell and surrounding areas.
- Simon Illingworth, Port Campbell volunteer and Corangamite Shire Councillor
"The influx of tourists is obviously one heavy aspect that we deal with but a burden that we have to bear, and also the kind of tourists that engage in reckless behaviours, and there's plenty of Aussies that fall into that category.
"We end up having to pick up the pieces with these rescues."
Cr Illingworth acknowledged a new hub may be a few years down the track, and said more safety precautions need to be implemented in the meantime.
"There may well be some practical changes that can be easily fixed in the meantime. One of those aspects is that there's really only two places tourists can actually enter the water at Port Campbell, which is the Gibson Steps and the other at Sherbrooke.
"That could be easily fixed, whether it's through better signage or to employ some people to patrol these beaches - not to watch them swim but to stop them from swimming.
"People need to know it's not safe, go to the Port Campbell Foreshore to swim.
"We need to take more preventative measures."
The document puts forward other ideas including high-powered jet skis for rescues, a radio and control centre, a specialist training facility and cliff rescue training complete with a soft fall rock climbing wall.
Submissions can be made online or by emailing Cr Illingworth at simon.illingworth@corangamite.vic.gov.au.
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