Shoalhaven Council’s Environmental Health Team secures excellence award

December 9, 2020

Shoalhaven City Council’s Environmental Health Team has been named Environmental Health Team of the Year at the Environmental Health Australia (NSW) Inc. Excellence Awards for their outstanding contribution to ensuring a healthy, safe and attractive natural, built and social environment in the Shoalhaven.

Shoalhaven Mayor Amanda Findley is delighted with the announcement of the award and notes “this is outstanding and a very much deserved recognition of the extraordinary work the Environmental Health team have done in response to the challenges the Shoalhaven has experienced this year.

“The team are responsible for a broad range of activities to make sure the air we breathe, the water we swim in and our natural environment stays healthy.

“I applaud all that the team have done to keep our community safe following the bushfires, floods, wind damage and during COVID. These natural disasters and the pandemic have impacted all of us. This team has been at the frontline day and night throughout all off these events.

During last summer’s bushfires Council’s Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) helped with key emergency management tasks; like water quality assessments around sewer pump stations as well as getting generators through road blocks to help food businesses to manage power outages and prevent food spoilage.

Following the fires, Council’s EHOs were ‘first responders’ - attending people’s properties to check on their health and safety alongside Rural Fire Service (RFS) and Police officers.

As integral members of the Hybrid Building Impact Assessment Teams (BIA), EHOs helped complete over 5,000 building impact assessments in about six weeks. This was the first time Council EHOs had worked alongside RFS and Police officers as members of a hybrid BIA team. This approach was so successful in the Shoalhaven it was adopted by Eurobodalla and Bega Council areas.

EHOs were also involved in activities like preventing sediment and ash movement into waterways, aerial food drops and installing wildlife feed stations and night cameras as well as monitoring air, land and water quality. The Environment Recovery Action Team were also involved in sourcing funding for bushfire affected waterways, fire trail maintenance and asset protection works as well as processing waste from 295 homes with an impressive 93% recycle rate.

During the floods in February the team assisted with flood preparedness and water quality monitoring and after the floods evaluated caravan parks’ Flood Emergency Management Plans.

In April 2020 once food businesses could re-open, Shoalhaven City Council EHO’s were again at the forefront providing advice and education to food businesses.

The team has also created the Shoalhaven Builders Guide to provide effective and realistic advice on good building site practices to minimise impacts on waterways and the wider environment.

For information about Council’s Environmental Health activities go to shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au/Contact-Us/Environmental-Health-Team

Image: From left Shane Pickering, Mark Sneesby, Kelie Clarke and Thelma Marr - four members of Council's Environmental Health Team who were involved in the building impact assessments after the fires.

7th December 2020 - New playground and outdoor fitness station unveiled in Shoalhaven

25th November 2020 - Upgrades announced for Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre

10th November 2020 - Shoalhaven celebrates NAIDOC Week 2020

21st October 2020 - Shoalhaven Indoor Sports Centre recognised for Excellence in Urban Development Awards

14th October 2020 - Contactless Donation Tap System installed at Shoalhaven Regional Gallery

9th October 2020 - Construction begins on the Shoalhaven River Road Foreshore

1st October 2020 - Shoalhaven Council facilities reintroduce reusable cups

29th September 2020 - Shoalhaven City Council recognised for its environmental excellence

23rd September 2020 - First construction stage begins on Shoalhaven’s Boongaree recreation and sporting precinct

16th September 2020 - Shoalhaven community invited to participate in virtual meeting to discuss proposed Conjola Park Improvements

24th August 2020 - Showground Improvement Plans approved for Shoalhaven

4th August 2020 - Shoalhaven City Council launches new facility booking platform

21st July 2020 - Sustainable tourism infrastructure projects announced for Shoalhaven

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.