Be Prepared or Prepare to Die

The above words are harsh, they are cutting, they are mean, they sound ugly. They are all of those things and more, yet I DO NOT apologise. The post below is confronting, it is meant to be and I still make no apologies for it. You want to know why? Read on.

If you have been following this blog, you know that I was involved in some form fashion with the fires of the 7th February 2009, now known as the Black Saturday Fires, but what you don’t know is that I was also affected by the Ash Wednesday. Roads closed unable to get home, unable to contact my parents, didn’t know if they were alive or dead.

The fires of Black Saturday of which many (not all) where lit by criminals, sane or otherwise, caused the deaths of 173 people. This is a sad truth – that must never be forgotten. In saying that, many people were unaware that a fire was bearing down on them. They were unaware that they were in imminent danger.

Modern living has caused most of these problems, you cocoon yourself inside with the air conditioner, the computer or the TV in the vain hope of avoiding heat. In days gone past – you would often be out at the pool, out on the verandah, just out in the shade. The open skyline visible, the sense of smell working overtime. This is no longer the case.

Many people were not aware until the power went out that there was a problem. Many neighbours do not talk to each other. The extent of contact is waving as someone drives past in the mad rush of a morning.

This post here explains some of what happened and that we looked after everyone on our street that we could – everyone on the street made sure everyone knew who was doing what, those of us that cared and had a neighbourly spirit. “The threat of bushfires, your family and particularly home alone children” http://itaintalwaysso.blogspot.com/2009/10/threat-of-bushfires-your-family-and.html

The government is trying to make up for and prevent any further events like Black Saturday by instigating an SMS based warning system. This is a good thing, but it is not the be all and end all. There is something called personal responsibility – which again I have referred to in other posts. I won’t link here – but I am sure you will find it.

If YOU aren’t responsible for your OWN actions, who is? The government? Your parents? Your teachers? Your School? – Why? – ONLY YOU are responsible for YOUR actions, ONLY YOU can know the circumstances surrounding that decision. ONLY YOU can make the decision to go or stay when confronted by fire. ONLY YOU can decide if you are fit enough, both mentally and physically to withstand the onslaught of a bushfire. ONLY YOU.

What stands between you and death most of the time? ONLY YOU.

Please if you don’t feel comfortable staying and defending your property, take what you want to save and go visit someone in the suburbs. Go to the beach. It may never happen, but it could – Please be prepared to stay and fight OR be prepared to leave and live.