General News
29 June, 2026
Emergency knowledge bank
“WE know the town will lose phones and power,” said Shannon Brown at Thursday’s launch of Bridgewater’s emergency preparedness plan.
“WE know the town will lose phones and power,” said Shannon Brown at Thursday’s launch of Bridgewater’s emergency preparedness plan.
The former BOLD president says she is one district resident with generational knowledge of what to do when rising water from the Loddon River swamped the town.
Her husband, farmer Steve, is a sixth generation district resident but Shannon said it was newer residents now moving to Bridgewater who would be able to better prepare in future.
“From having photos backed up to insurance and knowing what to take if you leave your home, this is all part of being prepared for an emergency,” she said.
Mick Balazs, the town’s policeman since 2007, has experienced the major floods of 2011 and 2022.
“In 2011, the town stood up but didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “Next time everyone was better prepared.”
Senior Constable Balazs said the preparedness plan was sharing experiences. “It’s about our lived experiences to respond as a community in the future.”
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