mmg.com.au

The Rochester Flood Guide was officially launched at the Community Bank Great Northern Show on Friday night.

Rochester SES Unit were on hand to answer questions about the guide, which was compiled by the Rochester SES Unit, North Central Catchment Management Authority, Campaspe Shire, the Victorian Government and the Rochester Flood Recovery Committee.

It is expected Rochester SES will have finished distributing 1200 copies of the flood guide to households and businesses in the Rochester area by the end of the week.

The kit contains the guide, which gives information specific to the region, and also includes a pamphlet on sandbagging and an emergency toolkit. The toolkit provides tips on emergency scenarios.

SES community resilience co-ordinator Jenna Sackville said the purpose of the guide was to prepare and educate people before an emergency.

The guide states warnings are not issued by the SES but by the Bureau of Meteorology, which predicts the size, time and peak heights the river is expected to reach.

It also gives examples of what areas are at most risk during minor, moderate and major floods on a chart.

Ms Sackville said the reason no evacuation points were listed in the guide was because every flood event was different and needed to be decided just before the event.

‘‘It’s up to the Bureau of Meteorology and the Catchment Management Authority to predict the flood level and it could have different paths depending on if it is overland or riverine,’’ she said.

Ms Sackville said police initiated evacuations and the SES and other services then worked with police to assist.

She said a maximum of 25 sandbags could be allocated per home but if residents wanted to stockpile they could purchase them from hardware stores.

She said information from the North Central CMA would soon be available on floor heights for different properties and businesses.

For SES assistance, phone 132 500.