Victoria expands pool of emergency radio broadcasters

An expansion of Victoria’s emergency broadcasting network has been undertaken, following the 2009 Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission recommendation.

Three community radio stations, Gippsland FM, 3MGB and Light FM, have now signed memorandums of understanding with the Victorian Government.

There will now be 62 stations providing vital emergency information this summer.

“Community radio stations are a trusted source of emergency information and they have an important role to play during fires, floods and other major incidents,” said James Merlino, Minister for Emergency Services.

Light FM reaches the Melbourne metropolitan region, Gippsland Radio 3GCR provides coverage to Central Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley, while 3MGB broadcasts to Mallacoota, Gypsy Point and Genoa.

“With summer just around the corner, now is a great time to increase your understanding of the fire risk in your local area, prepare your property and talk to your household about what you’ll do to stay safe from fire,” said Merlino.

As summer begins, Victorians can stay informed by tuning into local radio and Sky News broadcasts, phoning the VicEmergency hotline 1800 226 226, visiting emergency.vic.gov.au and downloading the new VicEmergency app, which is available now from the App Store or Google Play.

For existing FireReady users, the new VicEmergency app is available as an update.

Visit emv.vic.gov.au for a complete list of emergency broadcasters in Victoria.

Image credit: ©FreeImages.com/Michele Cooper