What can we do

[artme]

Got to agree with you on the furniture issue John. Might duck into the local council on Tuesday and see whlat can be done.

I'm sure if a group of woodworkers got together we could restore a stack of furniture to good usable condition.

[RufflyRustic]

Care packs?

Broom, dustpan and brush, a roll of cleaning cloths, a general purpose spray & wipe, dishwashing liquid, soap, scrubbing brush, bucket, a couple of tea towels, a roll or packet of garbage bags, a bottle of bleach and a bottle of disenfectant.


toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, comb, deoderant, face washer, hand towel, bath towel, a couple of hair bands

[artme]

Great minds think alike Wendy.

Saw a newsreel clip today and in a box of gear being loaded onto a truck were a couple of boxes of mosquitoe coils. That got me thinking along the same line as you.

[kiwigeo]

Dont think any of my guitars would be that useful...unless you used them to paddle rafts with.

I'm giving cash....seems the most useful form of aid at this stage.

My thoughts go out to any of you affected by the floods.

[elderly]

I agree cash would seem to be the way to go at this stage. This is what i am doing.

[RufflyRustic]

insect repellant! how could I forget that??

um, basic first aid kit, sunscreen, hat,


yeah, a donation would be best, well easier, at least. Though i do think the furniture idea is a brilliant one.

[rhancock]

Cash is definitely the way to go, if you want to get the most bang for your buck. The sort of stuff they need right now is industrial quantities of survival stuff like food and water, and cleaning products. The three levels of governments and the charities who specialize in these areas are very well prepared for situations such as this. Have a look at Australian Red Cross and Home » salvos.org.au and State Emergency Service for example.
They already have teams of people, some paid and some volunteers, who are trained in advance and ready to go. They also have supplies and suppliers ready in advance.

If you want to make the most difference, either in donating or in volunteering, you need to do it in advance. A flood like this is not unusual, although the scale of it is, and there are also bushfires, transport accidents (like the Bundaberg train crash) as well as cyclones, etc. So, by donating in advance, or registering as a volunteer in advance, you can be sure of being the most use, at an incredibly chaotic time, when there isn't time or people to deal with a large number of inquiries about donations or assisting.

A regular donation, or registering as a volunteer, means that you are sure you are helping in the most useful way.