Batemans Bay people worried about what would happen if a tsunami hit their area may rest easier as a result of a decision made at Eurobodalla Shire Council’s first meeting for the year.
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On the recommendation of recreation services manager Warren Sharpe, council decided to support the establishment of the Eurobodalla State Emergency Service at Batemans Bay.
He said the Service had asked for council’s support.
“The main reason for this request is to be able to provide a reasonable response to the large Batemans Bay area in a coastal inundation/flooding event or a tsunami event,” Mr Sharpe said.
“The SES also needs to respond to the more frequent storm events. With a growing population centre in Batemans Bay, providing a reasonable response time operating solely from Moruya is becoming more problematic.”
The need for the service to be based in Batemans Bay was greater, Mr Sharpe added, because Batemans Bay Volunteer Association (VRA) stopped operating last November.
Mr Sharpe said the SES had decided that the VRA building would be a suitable headquarters for the new unit.
Initial costs for establishing the unit would total around $289,500 and that would come from normal SES arrangements.
Council was being asked to allocate $7000 a year to cover some costs.
Council approved that when it decided, on the motion of Councillor Rob Pollock, to take the necessary steps to establish the unit. It was also decided to send a letter to Bob Cox, captain of the former Batemans Bay VRA, thanking the volunteers for the high level of service to the community over the past 31 years.