Australia has suffered massive losses because of the devastating bushfires that ravaged throughout eastern parts of the continent. It’s during these times that the world can come together to help out those who have been affected. If you want to find out how you can do your part, there are many ways to contribute.

• Donate towards usable items

Donating money is a quick and easy method of helping out, but if you want to see the output directly, you can put your donation into funds that are aimed towards providing equipment and goods needed by those who are fighting the devastation, animal rescuers, and those who have been displaced.

Lots of tools can help firefighters more effectively put out the fires, so sending over replenished goods can truly help out. This even covers equipment, which you can also pool together funds to donate for their use. There are Davey pumps for sale locally that can provide the necessary pressure and power needed to combat the flames over prolonged periods effectively. This kind of gear also has alternate options to function in case there is no power available.

If you want to help displaced families directly, donating clothes can make a big difference. This is also safer in transit than perishables.

• Fight misinformation

During disasters, there is a tendency for misinformation to spread far and wide. This has also been the case with recent events, as social media has brought about a lot of false and out-of-context information to the foreground regarding the fires.

Even when posts like these are well-meant, they complicate matters and can do more harm than good. There have been a lot of recorded incidents of emergency responders having trouble because of false claims, incorrect information, and having to wade through accusations.

Global research data has indicated that a lot of people, even in more advanced parts of the world, are getting more false information than real ones. Not only does this prove unhelpful to official sources trying to put out real and timely updates, but it also hinders those who want to help from knowing what exactly they are dealing with.

You can stop incidents like this from happening by ensuring that you are sharing info from credible sources. You can also encourage others to fact-check before spreading articles that may not be reliable.

• Support official channels

With the desire to want to help as quickly as possible, there may be a chance that we give our resources to immediate channels and platforms that claim they want to help. However, a lot of scams crop during times of emergency, especially when global attention is captured.

To avoid getting duped, make sure you are supporting platforms and funds that are legitimately working to help. If you are uncertain where to set your sights, look for organisations that are linked with the government and non-profits who have established their credibility.

Because smaller groups are trying to do their part, it’s crucial to have a method of proving which ones are genuinely part of the cause.

Any little way you can help can set great things in motion, especially as citizens and wildlife eventually face recovery from the bushfires.