General News
8 March, 2024
Extremes prompt fire safety reminder
IN the wake of two days of ‘extreme fire danger’ and total fire bans in two weeks, Country Fire Authority (CFA) is reminding Victorians to be prepared and plan ahead for fire.
Last Tuesday, the day before a second bout extreme fire danger, CFA members took to the streets of various rural and regional towns to provide information on being safe during the fire season.
Community safety officers visited Lismore, Derrinallum, Mortlake, Terang, Timboon and Port Campbell with a van of materials to hand out to residents and visitors.
Information provided to communities included:
What can and can’t be done during total fire ban days and the fire danger period;
Ways to make activities such as using fire for cooking when camping, barbecues, outdoor functions, burn offs, and using power tools safe during the fire danger period;
Where to apply for fire use permits and advise of burn offs, and;
Advice for travelers, including how to stay safe when caught in a fire.
A template for a bushfire survival plan was also provided, giving residents somewhere to physically store information on what to take, where to go and a secondary plan during a bushfire.
CFA community safety officer Jacqui Moloney said it was vital people prepared early.
“Now is the time to dust off the emergency bag that you’ve got in the cupboard and have it out, and make sure it’s got your insurance papers and your passport and any medications you might need to take with you,” she said.
CFA community safety officer Eddy Rees said it was important to get information about fire safety out to communities.
“The two messages we want to get out is to stay informed and be prepared,” he said.
“It’s important that we just get people to think about getting ready.
“Have a plan of what you’re going to do and write it down. A good plan always needs to be written down. A lot of people we talk to say they’ve got a plan in their head, but we all panic when something happens, so we don’t work so well relying on what’s in our head.
“The other important thing is that the plan is discussed with everyone in the residence.”
CFA safety officers also provided information on sources of information and updates during an emergency situation, which can include the CFA social media pages, television, radio, phone alerts and through the VicEmergency app, website (emergency.vic.gov.au) and hotline (1800 226 226).
Mr Rees encouraged people to download the VicEmergency app to their phones, with the app available through app stores.
“There’s a lot of people who have the VicEmergency app on their phone, which is really good,” he said.
For more information on preparing for bushfires, visit www.cfa.vic.gov.au.