While many of us were following updates on the devastating bushfires across Victoria, much of the critical work to keep communities informed was happening quietly behind the scenes.
For our Bendigo-based listeners, clients and wider community, broadcast technician Dale Simpson played a vital role in ensuring people who are blind or have low vision had access to timely, accurate and potentially lifesaving information during an extremely dangerous and fast-moving situation.
Building emergency broadcasting capability
As conditions deteriorated across the region, Dale worked tirelessly to ensure Vision Australia Radio regional listeners could seamlessly switch to ABC emergency broadcasts whenever required.
This capability is not something that happens by chance. It is the result of years of planning, conversations and collaboration between Dale, Vision Australia Radio, Audio Manager Conrad Browne, and the ABC Emergency Management team.
Those ongoing discussions have focused on one clear priority: making sure our network can respond instantly in times of crisis.
Achieving this has required highly complex technical setups, extensive testing, and a deep understanding of both broadcast infrastructure and emergency protocols.
The result is a system that allows local Vision Australia Radio services to flick across to ABC emergency coverage at any time deemed necessary to keep our community safe.
Responding to the bushfire emergency
Over the recent bushfire weekend, that preparation proved critical. With power outages, evolving fire fronts and heightened risk across regional Victoria, Dale ensured that our regional radio services remained stable, responsive and ready.
His work helped ensure listeners could access official warnings, updates and safety advice in real time, information that can be extremely difficult to obtain without accessible radio services.
Innovative solutions amidst crisis
But when fires damaged a Mount Alexander telecommunications and transmission facility around 7pm, Friday, January 9, effectively taking both ABC and Vision Australia Radio’s Bendigo service off the air when they were needed most, Dale had a contingency plan.
He contacted management at local community radio station Phoenix FM (who thankfully continued to broadcast), with a suggestion, and the technical know-how, to have the local station start broadcasting the essential information beaming out from the ABC Bendigo studios. A process only made possible by providing his own personal infrastructure, and that of Vision Australia, to make it happen.
This followed a long and difficult day of navigating extreme weather, with Vision Australia Radio making the switch to ABC emergency broadcasting within our Bendigo, Shepperton, Mildura and Warragul broadcast regions, followed by our remaining regional services Geelong, Warrnambool and Albury being linked in from 3pm.
It was reported earlier this week in the Bendigo Advertiser that Phoenix FM carried that broadcast until about midnight on January 12, working to keep local residents updated in real time, on the emerging threat to their community.
Accessible radio: a critical lifeline
Dale’s efforts reflect the broader role Vision Australia Radio plays within the community radio sector and for people who are blind or have low vision.
Access to news, emergency updates and trusted information is not a luxury. In situations like this, it can be critical to personal safety and wellbeing.
Commending dedication and community service
We commend Dale for his dedication, technical expertise and unwavering commitment to community service.
His work during this bushfire emergency is a powerful reminder of the impact our teams have, often unheard, and how vital accessible radio remains when it matters most.
