Heatwave and Bushfire Smoke Havens

Executive Summary 2023

A church, a CWA & a preschool go solar

Check out the Community Power Agency video of the SHASA sponsored Moruya Heatwave and Bushfire Haven and how it served a vital role during the 2019-20 bushfire catastrophe.

Uniting Church Catalina Heatwave Haven Opening (4 August 2023)

Kathryn Maxwell made the following points at the Uniting Church Haven Opening:

• SHASA has the goal of achieving a more resilience community and low carbon economy in the Eurobodalla.
• Before the 2019/20 bushfires SHASA decided to approach community owned facilities to see if they wanted to work with SHASA to find grant funding to upgrade their facilities to operate as havens during extreme weather events. 
• We now have 6 havens in the Eurobodalla – 2 in Narooma, 3 in Moruya and the first one in Batemans Bay here at the Uniting Church Batehaven.
• We know that of all the extreme weather events heatwaves are the biggest killer of people.  The elderly are particularly susceptible as their ability to sweat has diminished and are less able to tell they are experiencing dehydrating and overheating resulting in strokes and heart attacks.
• SHASA will be working with the Uniting Church to try and find grant funding for Stage 3 works.  We have included Stage 3 works in the SHASA Eurobodalla Heatwave and Bushfire Haven Strategy.  Funding is needed to:
  • install five more reverse cycle air conditioning systems including Hepa filters to main hall and two remaining office rooms.
  • carpentry and joinery shelving improvements to Pivot Point and kitchen areas including minor kitchen. improvements to upstairs Pivot point office to create an emergency nursing mothers and/or special needs family private room.
  • Upgrading the upstairs ladies toilet to include: removal of asbestos cubicles, one new shower cubicle, front load laundry washing machine and heat pump dryer.
  • Converting existing sauna room into a storage room for security of camp beds.

CSIRO study: HEPA filters a breath of fresh air in bushfire season

CSIRO study: HEPA filters a breath of fresh air in bushfire season – CSIRO (31 July 2023)

Havens update – 7 projects completed with more to come (June 2023)

SHASA released its Heatwave and Bushfire Haven Strategic Plan for the Eurobodalla Commissioned by the St Vincent de Paul Society Bushfire Relief. Our plan maps out some key options for the Shire.

Contact SHASA for a copy of the plan.

We have been successful in several grants to help our goal of establishing heatwave and bushfire havens across the Eurobodalla. These are listed on our Community Installation page along with other community installations that involve purely solar or solar and battery installations.

We have also compiled this handy checklist below to help organisations consider the various items that may be useful for your heatwave and bushfire haven upgrade. Please don’t hesitate to contact us to find out more.