Residents return home following the bushfires

Thanks to the tireless work of our local teams and the support of the Rural Fire Service and Country Fire Authority, evacuated residents from Tumut, Eden and Eastwood have safely returned back home this week. 

We thank our residents and their families for their patience and support, and also our Bupa team members at these care homes who went above and beyond over the past few weeks.

Updated 3 January - Evacuation from fire zones in Eden, Tumut and East Gippsland
On the advice of emergency services, due to nearby bushfires, Bupa evacuated residents from three of our care homes on Friday 3 January: Eden NSW (which has 39 residents), Tumut NSW (which has 80 residents), and Eastwood VIC (which has 82 residents). 

We arranged for coaches to evacuate Eden and Tumut residents to Bupa’s two care homes in Canberra. We are also grateful to the other Canberra homes that have helped us and accepted some of our residents. In Victoria, Eastwood / Bairnsdale residents were evacuated to our Traralgon and Berwick homes. 

We were well-prepared with food, water and medical equipment to ensure residents were comfortable during the journey. Staff were also on board these buses

We have been keeping in regular contact with residents' families and next-of-kin. Residents’ families can also contact Bupa at Eastwood (03 5141 6096), Eden (02 6438 5101) and Tumut (02 6909 1180). 

Bupa expresses its deep gratitude to the RFS, CFA, ambulance services, local volunteers, and our dedicated people in Eden, Tumut and Eastwood / Bairnsdale who helped us evacuate. We have been in these three communities for a number of years, and our thoughts are with our residents' families, our staff and their families, and the wider community.

Ongoing fire preparations

We have a business-wide plan underway to ensure all our homes are prepared, should they come under threat. These activities include:

• A review of emergency procedures and business continuity plans (including a review of supplies).
• Preparation of residents’ medical information (such as care plans, next of kin details), which would be needed in the event of an evacuation.
• A property fire risk review.
• Frequent liaison with local and state emergency services to determine the seriousness of the situation and the level of risk posed to our care homes and residents.

We are continuing to monitor the changing conditions of the homes in the fire zones very closely, to ensure the safety of residents and our staff. We are also in close contact with the Department of Health and the Health and Emergency Management Unit. Residents’ families with further questions can contact our care homes or Bupa’s emergency contact line 1800 111 777.

Bupa’s thoughts are with those impacted by these fires – including residents and their families, our staff, and the wider community. And in particular we thank the local fire brigades, fireys and the wonderful volunteers for their support during this time.

To stay informed on current fire activity in the region please visit:

• New South Wales' Rural Fire Service website, the NSW RFS app, or call the RSF Information Hotline 1800 679 737 .
• Victoria's Country Fire Authority website, the Vic Emergency app, or call the Vic Emergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.
• Queensland's Rural Fire Service website or via the QLD RFS app.