know your bushfire risk

I recently attended my local CFA community meeting on bushfire awareness.

It was terrific to see a number of locals there, both newcomers to the area and people who've lived in the area a long time. It was heartening to learn that this session was one of the best attended.

A straw poll on the night revealed around half the attendees had a written bushfire plan and the CFA put forward a detailed case as to why every household should have a written bushfire plan.

It's important to be prepared, the CFA has a wealth of online information here, you can also click here to find a local CFA meeting in your area.

I was pleased to be able to launch the Shire's Are You Fire Ready? Family Bushfire Relocation Card as part of council's efforts to ensure community bushfire preparedness.

Here I am pictured with two of our Family Day Care providers, this useful guide will be distributed throughout shire services including Long Day Care and Family Day Care.

The z-card is credit card sized fold out information sheet and contains practical tips to make bushfire planning easier and has some great ideas for places to go when you need to relocate with your family.

It also includes a handy checklist for bushfire survival to jog your memory about the sorts of things you need to consider if you live in a high fire danger area.

Due to its design it fits easily into a purse of wallet and is there when you need it most.

If you'd like a card, they are available at all Shire Community Links, the local ones near Lyster Ward being Upwey and Monbulk, the cards are also available at our libraries.

If you'd like advice on retrofitting your home so it's better protected from bushfire the Building Commission has produced this handy guide.

If you'd like a free CFA site assessment so you're better prepared and understand your bushfire risk you can book online, call the Victorian Bushfire Information Line on 1800 240 667 or email Nic Rodway on n.rodway@cfa.vic.gov.au (for Eastern Metropolitan Region).

There's a whole lot of information out there, so don't delay, be prepared and know your bushfire risk.

samantha in the press - planning

Towers' bad reception Mail Newspapers 29 March 2011........... Fallout patched up Mail Newspapers by Russell Bennett 29 March 2011

latest update - party in the patch

I've had confirmation from Party in the Patch organisers that they will be donating $200 to the Kallista/The Patch CFA from their past fundraising events.

As mentioned in a prior blog post as a show of goodwill I am willing to match the PITP contribution with monies from my community ward fund.

Myself and Party in the Patch organisers will be presenting our respective donation cheques to the Brigade some time next week.

No doubt the Kallista/The Patch CFA will be very pleased to receive the funding and it's a great recognition of the work they do so selflessly for our community.

My advice to anyone organising an event is that it's important to determine whether you're having a private party or a public event as it has a great bearing on your responsibilities and your duty of care.

bushfire preparation, warnings & action – what the community thinks

Today the CFA released details of three recent surveys into community attitudes towards bushfire preparation, warnings and action.


























The survey results show that significant numbers of people still plan on staying at home on Code Red days.

As a result of the surveys Emergency Services are again reminding people living in high bushfire risk areas of the importance of leaving early.

CFA and the Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner both recently commissioned research into community attitudes towards bushfire preparation, warnings and actions. A third piece of research was also commissioned by the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre into residents actions during the Black Saturday bushfires.

The CFA report shows that more than 84% of people living in high bushfire risk areas have a Bushfire Survival Plan and 94% of people recognise that they need to be self-sufficient in the event of a bushfire.

Most alarming was that almost one in three people surveyed (31.3%) plan to stay at home on Code Red days. Of these respondents 25% said there would need to be a fire before they considered leaving their home.

This is a dangerous decision to be making, the last place to be when there is an active fire is on the road trying to escape and on a Code Red day conditions are guaranteed to be treacherous.

The weather conditions on Black Saturday were ferocious and resulted in a tragic loss of life, natural assets and built assets.

Code Red days are, by their very nature, fierce and extreme weather days, it is not safe to be in an area of bushfire risk on these days let alone on the road.

I urge people to think very carefully about their fire plans on these days, it is extremely dangerous to stay in your home on these days.

Below is a summary of each of the three research papers released today.

1. Behaviour and Intentions of Household in High Bushfire Risk Areas – a report for the CFA prepared by Strahan Research

Strahan Research Pty Ltd were commissioned to undertake the survey and report findings to CFA on community behaviour and intentions of households in high bushfire risk areas in relation to understanding risk, undertaking preparedness and response during fire. The survey was conducted in December by telephone using a sample of 400 households spread across the 52 High Risk Townships/Zones in Victoria.

Key Findings:
Ø Most people know that they need to be self sufficient in the event of a bushfire (94%);
Ø Most respondents understand bushfire could impact their property (92.4%);
Ø Over 84% of respondents had a bushfire plan and 92% of them had discussed it with the household and 52% had practised it.
Ø More needs to be done to cement the intent of Code Red Days, significant minorities are still unclear of its status or required actions (21.7% and 23.8% respectively);
Ø 25% of respondents still say that they will do as much as they can to defend their property and leave when threatened.
Ø 60.6% of respondents plan to leave their property on Code Red Days and 31.3% plan not to leave. Of those staying, 25.3% will reconsider in the event of fire while 40% feel safe or prepared to defend.

2. ‘Where are they going?’ People Movement During Bushfires – a report prepared for OESC by Strahan Research

The research was undertaken by Strahan Research with a sample of 600 households in the 52 identified high bushfire risk townships for the Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner. It was done in early November to understand what actions people were planning to take this fire season.

Key Findings:
Ø 15% of people have changed their plans since 7 February 2009
Ø 45% plan to leave on Code Red days and 48% say they will initially stay with their property (this is similar findings to the research undertaken by CFA)
Ø If there is a fire 48% believe it will take them 10 minutes or less to get where they want to go
Ø While 45% of people surveyed said they will leave the fire-prone area, to places such as: with relatives/friends outside area (45%), to Melbourne or provincial city (13%) or to a beach or waterway (6%) - 9% of people still plan to go to a public place in the fire zone
Ø On Code Red days 26% of people will wait to be advised when to go.
Ø 20% said Neighbourhood Safer Places are fundamental to their plan, this indicates an NSP is their first option. 5% see NSPs as their 2nd option.

3. The Second Report on Human Behaviour and Community Safety – a report prepared by the Bushfire CRC Research Task Force

Key Findings:
Ø Respondents most commonly became aware of the presence of fire in their neighbourhood through sensory cues in the environment such as smoke, embers or flames, etc, a warning from a family member, friend or neighbour, or a radio announcement
Ø 72 % of respondents indicated that they expected to receive an official warning (from authorities such as the CFA, police, other emergency services, or ABC Radio) if there was a bushfire in their town or suburb. However, 63 % reported that they did not receive an official warning. (Two thirds of respondents who did receive a warning reported that it arrived in enough time respond safely.)
Ø Contrary to anecdotal reports of insurance levels within fire affected areas, the majority of survey respondents (84%) reported having house and contents insurance. Only 4 % said they had no insurance at all.
Ø An overwhelming 99 % of respondents were aware that 7 February was a day of Total Fire Ban. However, the earlier interviews with residents found there was little connection between awareness and appropriate action.
Ø Respondents recognised temperature, wind and luck as some of the most important factors influencing how their home/property was affected by the fires.
Ø In the 12 months prior to the 7 February bushfires, the CFA ‘Living in the Bush’ workbooks, ABC Radio, CFA Community Meetings, and television emerged as the major sources of information about what to do during a bushfire, and how to prepare households for bushfire.
Ø Respondents consistently indicated they would adopt a similar course of action in a future bushfire attack. (77 % of respondents who left their homes before the fire arrived stated that they would leave again if there was a similar fire, while 78 % of those who stayed to defend their properties declared they would stay and protect their home from a similar fire in the future.)

You can download and view copies of the reports by visiting the following links:

www.cfa.vic.gov.au

www.oesc.vic.gov.au

www.bushfirecrc.com

cfa community meetings - find one near you

The CFA has ramped up its Community Meetings again for the new year. These meetings are well worth going along to. Residents can learn about basic bushfire behaviour, personal safety, house survival and recognition of local bushfire risk. Community Meetings are held throughout the shire in various locations, click here to find one near you.

If you want more in depth information you can attend a local Bushfire Planning Workshop, these facilitated workshops assist residents in developing a bushfire survival plan, click here to find your local Bushfire Planning Workshop.

It’s important to equip yourself with knowledge about bushfire, only then can you make informed decisions about you and your family’s bushfire plan.

neighbourhood safer places

report from the roundtable – 24 nov

I felt compelled to address the issue of establishing Neighbourhood Safer Places (NSP) after a presentation by the Dandenong Ranges Community Bushfire Group where it was said that the identification of NSPs was ‘not happening’.

I assured the public in the gallery that the shire has been working very hard on this issue (to date 63 sites have been forwarded to the CFA for assessment). I explained that as late as the 13th November at 6:08pm (so realistically it may as well be Monday morning, the 16th Nov) council was informed that we now need to develop a Neighbourhood Safer Place Plan (NSPP) as part of the process. In a time where our emergency personnel have been working tirelessly we now find there is even more work for them to do.

It has been imposed on us by state government at a time when we are in the full swing of bushfire preparedness. Not only does council have to prepare a NSPP, it must be endorsed by council, then accepted by the Treasurer BEFORE we can start to nominate NSPs. It also holds up the endorsement of our Municipal Emergency Management Plan which needs to incorporate locations of NSPs. The development of the plan and sign off by the Treasurer will ensure that council receives indemnity from the state government should there be a death or injury of a person using an NSP as a shelter from bushfire or if there is a failure by council to designate a place as a NSP.

The timelines to the fire danger period are looming closer and closer and we find ourselves dealing with yet more bureaucracy around NSPs. I have no doubt that the Dandenong Ranges are the hottest of bushfire hotspots in the state and always have been. I have great faith in our staff and their commitment to seeing an NSPP delivered but am appalled by the lateness of this information. We have much to contend with and this timing is atrocious.

library lends a hand

Earlier this week, as chairperson of the Eastern Regional Libraries Corporation (ERL), I had the priviledge of handing over a donation to the CFA - Region 13. Bill Lahey from Region 13 attended on behalf of the CFA to accept the donation.

Earlier this year the ERL Board took the decision to donate one week's worth of late fees to the local CFA as way to show our thanks to the CFA volunteers. Collection tins were also put around the library network where further funds were collected. All in all $8,000 was donated to the CFA - Region 13, this money will be put to upgrading a smaller vehicle with more equipment so it is of greater use during emergency situations.

Pictured left to right: Cr Len Cox - Mayor Yarra Ranges and ERL Board member, Cr Paul McDonald - City of Maroondah and ERL Board member, me - Yarra Ranges councillor and Chairperson of ERL, Joseph Cullen - CEO ERL and Bill Lahey - Finance Manager CFA Region 13.

The CFA volunteers are an amazing group of people. In talking to my local brigade I was awed to hear than many of them had not been to work for two weeks straight at the time of Black Saturday. Most poignant and heart rendering for me was Drew, the CFA volunteer from Yarra Glen, who watched his own house go up in flames while he was out saving other people's homes. Their sacrifices are enormous, our thanks are great and heartfelt and this donation was a small way to say thank you from the library community.

join me for afternoon tea

I welcome you to join me for an afternoon tea at the Lilydale Library where, as Chairperson of the Eastern Regional Libraries Board, I will be thanking CFA - Region 13 for their great work during the recent bushfires.

Donations raised through the libraries and a week of late fines will be donated to the CFA - Region 13 to say thankyou for the CFA's great work during the recent bushfires.

The ERL Board thought it was really important to recognise the outstanding efforts of the CFA Brigades and decided to donate funds raised through the library network to Region 13. The CFA's efforts remind us of the immense contribution they and all volunteers make, in helping our communities through difficult and traumatic times.

Details:
Where: Lilydale Library, Anderson Street, Lilydale
When: Thursday 7th May, 2:30pm

end of cfa declared fire danger period

The CFA Declared Fire Danger Period is due to end from 1am on Monday, 20 April, 2009.

Burning off is only for the purposes of fire fuel reduction and should not be used as a way to dispose of green waste, garden cuttings or grass clippings.

Remember the Shire of Yarra Ranges has changed the rules in relation to burning off, if you live in a residential bushland area you can:

Residential Bushland areas
Residents can burn off four days per week including Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 8am to 6pm, with the following exceptions:
No burning in June and July
No burning on a Sunday, Tuesday or Wednesday
No burning on a CFA declared Total Fire Ban Day
No burning during the Declared Fire Danger period, including the use of incinerators, without a permit (each year the CFA declares the time frame for this period and displays signs to advise when it starts and finishes)
No burning on EPA declared Smog Alert Days.

If you’re not sure what burning off regulations apply where you live call 1300 368 333.

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I have always supported the right of residents in the Dandenong Ranges to manage fire fuel on their properties. There are a whole suite of ways residents can deal with their fire fuel, although this summer the build up of fire fuel over summer was so great that I felt it necessary to call for a review of our green waste services as it clearly wasn’t keeping up, I was also keen to ensure council supported free green waste disposal at tips and transfer stations to help residents manage their fire fuel.

How to Burn
Fire should be a maximum of 1 metre high and 1 metre wide with a 3 metre clearance area above and around the fire.
Make sure the material you are burning is dry – burning wet or green vegetation produces excessive smoke and is prohibited under the local law.
All burning should take place no less than 10 metres from buildings and other structures.
Do not leave fires unattended.
Ensure there is a minimum of 10 litres of water nearby, a hose for covering all areas to be burned and hand tools for clearing.
Do not burn on nature strips or road reserves.
When burning consider your neighbours. Ensure that smoke is directed away from homes and washing.
Damage and expense caused by escaping fire is the responsibility of the person who lit the fire.
Do not burn if the wind speed is more than 15km/h.

the fire danger period commences 1 december 2008

No burning off after 1 December

It's time to get your fire plan in place.

Current CFA policy recommends that residents "leave early or stay and defend", you need to make this decision today, not wait until there's a fire on your doorstop.

It's essential that you plan early, discuss it with your family and/or neighbours, but please make a plan.

















The CFA has some really good information available on their website. The CFA also run local community meetings to raise people's awareness of their bushfire risk, and work with residents to turn that awareness into action. You can find out where your next local community meeting is by visiting this link.

Our fire plan lives on the side of our fridge, but come bushfire season, it's reviewed and placed fair and square on the front of the fridge for all to see. I urge you to go to your local CFA community meeting and so you can make an informed decision about whether you will leave early or stay and defend.

Please note fire restrictions will stay in place until 30 April 2009 unless otherwise stated.