The post I wasn’t going to write about bushfires

I spent Saturday in fear, I spent some of Saturday in tears. The memories were strong. As I said to someone “Already had one crack in my carefully constructed cover today. Can’t have more, too draining to put the demons back in their box”

I was reading some on the vile comments directed at the owners of the Tea Tree Gully Boarding Kennels and they were disgusting. Accusing the owners of not doing enough, of leaving animals to die. The animals were already in a strange environment, the heat would have been distressing them, then the smoke descended. The animals would have been in fight or flight mode and in most cases very aggressive. For the owners to get in excess of 40 dogs out, I believe they did a fantastic job under extremely difficult circumstances.

My biggest concern is in Victoria (and possibly the Blue Mountains in NSW) it is estimated it will take 8 hours to evacuate Mt Dandenong. I don’t think people living there have any idea about how choked the roads will be, I don’t think they have planned ahead about where to go and what to take. What to do with their animals, let alone how to get those animals off the mountain.

At 3am on Black Saturday I found some people in the Coles carpark in Healesville, they had managed to bring a Sheltand pony down from the back of Kinglake in an OPEN 4 x 4 trailer. I’m amazed the pony and the person riding IN THE OPEN trailer (no sides) actually made it down alive.

Imagine being 8 months pregnant and not thinking what to do if a fire was nearby?

Imagine having a 4yo on your hip and you decided to stay?

Imagine not having house insurance and deciding to stay and defend?

Imagine leaving your passports at home and deciding to return to get them?

Imagine the car not having enough petrol and you can’t escape?

Imagine having the windows and curtains shut, the AC on and not realising there’s a problem until the power goes out and the fire is on your front doorstep?

There are ALL true scenarios, I know the outcomes, I haven’t mentioned the location nor the outcomes. Some were good endings, most were not.

Which one are you? What plans have you made?

Are you like the 40yo in Warrandyte who doesn’t need a fire plan, because he ‘won’t be there’

Make a decision, make it early. Get out #LeaveearlyAndLive or make a decision on the day and possibly die.

The deck of cards is in your hands, are you prepared to gamble on the outcome?

It won’t happen to me

Today I spoke to someone, who lives in Eltham, I casually said do you have a bushfire plan?

The response (once again) knocked my socks off.

The response was “Don’t need one” I’m sorry – but YOU do need a bushfire plan.

From March 2013 and the ABC Eltham Bushfires Could Kill Thousands

From a document placed in many letterboxes in the Eltham area (PDF available - Eltham Death Trap PDF )

“The Eltham gateway has many emergency egress problems, which combine to create a high level of risk. The area’s natural south-easterly emergency escape route, is blocked by a river with a single bridge, which is prone to gridlock even in good conditions. Under high heat, smoke and life threatening conditions, the bridge is almost certain to completely gridlock. The next bridge is 13km away by road, while to the west at about 7km by road, a southerly turn of the river allows multiple route suburban egress. That means the Eltham Gateway’s bridge is the only escape route in 20km of road. With only this one bridge to escape the region, people will be trapped and surrounded by flammable vegetation lining the roads.”

Are people really so blind to the risk of bushfires? Or do they expect the CFA to race in on their white steads and rescue them?

Grow up………. Become responsible FOR YOU.

The risk can ONLY be mitigated with you, the risk can be lessened with you. Only YOU can save YOU from bushfire.

Please, please, listen to the weather reports, listen to the fire risks, don’t leave children alone at home and be aware that not only is bushfire a risk, but heat stress is also a risk factor, especially for the elderly. Heat stress/stroke killed more people the week preceding Black Saturday than the Bushfires themselves

The doors are closed, the horse has bolted and a bushfire approaches.

Scenario One:- Shit, there are flames on the horizon, the power’s gone out, I can’t find the instructions for the manual override on the garage doors, WTF do I do now?

Scenario Two:- The fire’s here, you’re holding the garden hose, suddenly the water stops flowing. Who turned the tap off?

Scenario Three:- You’re watching TV and the air conditioner is on. Suddenly the power goes gone out. You go outside and see the flames. The street is deserted. Where is everyone?

Scenario Four:- The flames are here, the petrol pump is working, the fire hose is pumping. Suddenly the pump cuts out. The car’s packed, but it’s in the garage with the electric roller doors closed tightly.

In all the above scenarios it’s too late to run, it’s too late to hide… What are you going to do?

Solution One:- Put the car OUTSIDE the garage BEFORE the fire approaches, better still leave and go somewhere safe, if you are worried or have a family.

Solution Two:- Don’t rely on town water supply, as the fire trucks hook in and everyone else tries to defend their property, pressure WILL drop. Make sure you have tank back-up with a fire pump and worst-case scenario WITH a riser (gravity fed water) OR get out EARLY.

Solution three:- DO NOT close yourself in high fire risk days, keep in touch with friends and neighbours, make sure you are tuned to the local TALKBACK radio station and listen, look, and live. If you don’t feel capable of defending, GET OUT.

Solution four:- WTF were you thinking? You can’t decide to defend your property and then decide to leave when the bushfire gets too close for comfort. Make a decision and make it early, or die on the road as the road is invisible once the smoke descends.

In all seriousness, listen, look, be prepared and don’t be a last minute louey. Fire warnings are often issued the night before, if not days ahead of time. LISTEN and perhaps save yourself from any of the above situations.

Take care in 2011-2012 bushfire season

Why not take part in the CFA Online Bushfire Information sessions – the next is the 27^th November http://www.cfaconnect.net.au/news/online-bushfire-info-sessions-begin-2.html

Don’t be shy, don’t be stupid, take part and possibly save YOUR life!

Prepare Act Survive – Bushfire Township Protection Plan Meeting

I went to a bushfire meeting tonight, at the local CFA. It was very short notice, only 24 hours from when the notice landed in our letterbox. But I made the time, as I figured it would be a good gauge as to what people are thinking three years out from the 2009 Black Saturday Fires that devastated the state of Victoria.

My thoughts before I entered were split three ways, there would be those that cared a lot, those like me who were there for curiosity value and those that only cared about themselves. I thought it would be an even mix. I was wrong. 80% of the people were only there for themselves. 15% were there out of genuine concern (mostly elderly residents) and then there was the lonely 5%, which was me and perhaps 1-2 others. Who were there for spectator value.

The information provided was exactly what has been provided by news and media outlets for the last two years. There’s been a little bit of tinkering at the edges, but essentially not a great deal has changed.

The things I learned:-

.           There are 140 high risk bushfire areas in the state of Victoria

.           City of Whittlesea are the only council to place THESE signs (which are now incorrectly located due to changes in bushfire overlays)

.           There are only two (2) fire refuges in the State of Victoria (I don’t know where these are located) They are DIFFERENT to NSP’s

.           An unsealed road is often mapped as a track on fire maps. Check with local authorities if your road is marked or not.

.           People who are vulnerable and receive council services, they will be placed on a special watch and evacuation list, but if you don’t received council services you WILL drop through the cracks.

Things I already knew:-
.           CFA only provides key messages and points, not advice

.           Fire doesn’t obey lines on map. Yet people still insist in lines to define areas

.           Pets are not welcome at fire refuges or other areas that you may attend in case of high risk days (Code red Days) Please make other arrangements

.           Make sure you have a telephone that does not require 240V to operate, in other words get a handset that does NOT require power to operate.

.           You will not get a mobile phone warning if your billing address is outside the area affected by fire on the day.

.           Council services will not operate on days of Code Red (Was stated at this meeting)

.           Don’t rely on emergency services to care for your elderly neighbours, they may have fallen through the cracks.

Things in the “will people never learn area” (Sarcasm):-

.           It’s the council’s fault that people don’t leave on high risk days, they don’t want to leave their animals. The council MUST provide shelters are animals friendly (noting the 3 people discussing this were referring to horses)

.           The council should be consulting with people (and groups) who own horses to sort out places they can take the horses on high risk days/

.           Will the CFA web-based site work in the future when it wasn’t in 2009? (when the fire is moving too quickly to track it’s a bit hard)

.           What will old people do? They don’t use the internet or mobile phones. (but they do listen to the radio and TV & have friends not focused on the internet)

.           Apparently growing hay in areas close to the city should be outlawed, as the grass grows too long. (Note that 1^st cut hay is done in November) well before the fire season!)

.           Neighbourhood safer places are places of last resort and you should not attend unless the fire is at your heels

.           Dead end roads should have a fire access cut through them to allow for people to ‘escape’ (the problem with is – who will maintain it, who will pay for it and in this area most dead end roads lead north, directly into the likely path of an oncoming fire!)

This meeting got quite out of hand at one stage and a two-fingered whistle has to be used to get the meeting on track.

People seemed only interested in what the emergency services could do FOR THEM… not what people could do to protect themselves or make themselves more aware.

The attendance was very low, BUT considering that there was only 24hours notice, due to Australia Post delays and also being school holidays, attendance was acceptable I think.

The focus didn’t seem to be centred on houses or people, but predominantly animals, and large ones at that, which I found concerning. The biggest danger with horses and cows is that they are unpredictable when it comes to smoke and noise and things that scary for humans. Animals have a fight or flight mode and will use both. Horses at fire refuges are dangerous, yet people refuse to recognise this and still demand equal rights with people.

For me to attend the meeting was possibly not needed, in that I have always had emergency plans in place, I have a generator, fire fighting pump and gravity fed water. I have lived my entire life in high risk bushfire areas and believe I understand the risks involved in staying or going and am capable of making the right decision at the time.

The CFA did a good presentation and having Victoria Police, the local council fire officer and also the local councillor gave the meeting an air of authority.

My only complaint was that as these meetings are CFA area targetted, then it might be a good idea for the CFA to state this on their written material to avoid public upset when people from other CFA areas do attend. (My only complaint)

Mandatory Evacuations in the USA 'V' Australia

I am writing this whilst sitting in my lovely house on top of a hill, overlooking the suburbs of Melbourne. 10-20km north of me are tracks of land – burnt beyond belief. To the north of me 7 people died, to the east of me 164 people died. To the northeast of me the fire got to within 7km of my property, before the winds changed.

I’m trying to give to you a sense of where we stood in relation to the Black Saturday Fires and how close they came.

There have been many tales told of the USA where ‘Mandatory Evacuations” take place and I thought I would investigate a little further. Not everything you can hear is true nor understood fully by the speaker.

The word “Mandatory” means (in context) – (adjective) authoritatively ordered; obligatory; compulsory: It is mandatory that all residents leave the area.

Now mandatory evacuation doesn’t mean that in the USA. In the USA you have 3 levels of alert,
1. Be aware of your surrounding, you may be required to voluntary evacuation to pre-designated safe areas (similar to Australia).
2. Voluntary evacuation – evacuations centres are opened and the public may use them if they choose, or may re-locate to friends and family outside the immediate area of danger. People considered unable to care for themselves should be assisted by officials in the area. This could include children, if authorities deem them to be at risk.
3. Mandatory Evacuations – evacuations centres are opened, people are encouraged to leave the area and move to the evacuation centres, until the danger passes.

Now this is where it gets tricky. If you choose NOT TO leave, when the mandatory call is put out, you are ON YOUR OWN. Emergency services will not attend, food and fuel WILL NOT be available. Nobody will come and rescue you at the height of the danger. You are ALL ALONE.

Some things to consider IF a mandatory evacuation order IS ISSUED IN THE USA. From what I can understand you are effectively under marshal law and could be arrested if you step off private property. Explain Mandatory/Voluntary Evacuation

Now the key to ALL of this working is warnings and people being aware of their surroundings. No matter how diligent the officials are at warning people, some people will be missed. That is why it’s essential no matter which side of the world you live; you pay attention to the outside world.

In the USA, where there is more time than not, ample warning of an approaching hurricane or similar, I’m led to believe that along with radio and TV, loud hailers and face to face warnings are issued. Mandatory Evacuation

Bushfires because they are not something that can be predicted (i.e. arson or fallen powerlines) then the ability to issue timely warnings can be very limited. But in the instance of the Black Saturday Fires, for three days prior warnings were issued on Television, Radio and Print media. This was effectively Stage 1 of the ‘be aware of your surroundings’

On Saturday the 7th February 2009, the media switched to (Stage 2) requesting people leave their place of residence IF they lived in an area deemed to be a high risk fire area, or prepare to stay and defend. At that stage, NO fire had been reported.

Once the fire got started, there was no going back, the weather conditions on that day were probably the same if not worse than 1939 and the inevitable happened. Even those that had been through the 1939 fires, thought they were invincible and that turned out not to be the case.

Personally I stayed, with my husband, we prepared, as we had prepared every day for this time. Our house had been constructed with fire mesh, with a water supply not requiring any form of power. We had a water pump; we had tanks with CFA connections. We had accessed what could and could not be saved, building wise. Prepared the animals to be transported or left. The neighbours had all been warned and transport arranged for the elderly and infirm. Those with young children packed and left. The fire should have hit us about 3.30-3.45pm on Saturday the 7th February 2009. At 3.15pm the wind changed, and the fire turned flank and headed east. God help those in the hills. I called my parents and told them the fire was coming. They had 3hours to prepare. They did what they could, warned those they could. They survived. Just like many others, who had spent a life-time doing the small things, leading up to that dreadful day.

So you see – Australia DOES have similar steps in place for emergency evacuations, the difference is people here, in Australia seem to think that emergency services have enough personnel on the ground to save THEIR house, bugger everyone else’s.

I’m sorry – there are two words – PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. Heed them, look at them and act on them.

Public Fire Refuges and Bushfires

If you haven’t already figured, I’m very interested in this. In Marysville, during Ash Wednesday (1983) the Oval was the ‘safe’ place. Where the locals gathered, barrels of water, generators and general emergency type stuff. The same place I told my parents NOT to try and take my horse, because he was too unpredictable for them to handle. The roads were closed. I couldn’t get home, no buses running. The phone system was overloaded, mum somehow managed to get a message to my aunty to travel 2 hours to come and pick us up from school and take us back to her place. Horrible times. I was a mere child, but I’ve never forgotten those feelings of not knowing. NEVER.

Not long after that the Marysville Oval was deemed too risky to be used as fire refuge and Marysville was left without an nominated area. Some locals thought the golf Course, others the oval. The confusion was complete. Many did make it to the oval as per the news reports. Many were still there Sunday morning when I got into town.

Come Black Saturday (2009) when I lost phone contact with my parents, this time with hindsight I knew that things were bad. Just not how bad.

Public Refuges do have a place in EVERY township/settlement, I mean every and the councils of the area have no right to deny a township or settlement that peace of mind.

Residents in The Hills area in South Australia (Mitcham Council) are being denied Safe Refuges, because everyone is afraid of being made accountable. Hills & Valley Messenger Newspaper

Back in Victoria there are 9 designated ‘Neighbourhood Safer places’ in the Yarra Ranges area.

The state Government has allocated the amount of $500,000 for the state of Victoria to determine further ‘Neighbourhood Safer Places” That amount from what I can gather, covers the cost of signage ONLY. This is what a sign looks like.

It’s a standard size sign, approx 850mm x 200mm – blue background, white writing. The access to this particular ‘NSP’ was on a bend, and easy to miss on a clear, uncrowded road, I doubt I would be able to find it in heavy smoke or under stress. And the danger of accessing if coming from the north would be extreme, with the oncoming traffic coming around a blind corner.

There was no signage showing me where this site was located, I just happened to stumble across it whilst travelling.

I have just checked the CFA website and found this CFA - Neighbourhood Safer Places - I notice that the Murrindindi Shire/Council ONE NSP in their area. All the way up in Eildon. The Whittlesea Council has ONE NSP in their area. Too few for far too many people.

If the Council or State Governments won’t nominate an area that you will be safe in. Make sure you know where you will go on days of high fire risk. Failure to think about it might cause you to panic and do the wrong thing in times of stress.

Take care out there, no-one but you are responsible for you and your family.

Royal Commissions and Arse-Protection

I’m not going to pretend I’ve been following all the goings on in the Royal Commission for the last 150 days, I’ve had other things to deal with.

But what I have seen from the media and the transcripts doesn’t make for pretty reading.

One thing that has upset me from the day the fires hit was the removal of the fire refuges, due to public liability issues. The State Government passed this responsibility onto the councils and the councils promptly shut down 99% of the fire refuges, due to public liability issues. When people needed somewhere to turn, there was nowhere.

Then the State Government steps in at the release of the interim report from the Royal Commission and instigates a whole raft of proposals, regulations and rules with little thought for the consequences.

One example was/is the release of the “Code Red” days and warnings and the closing of schools, education centres. Fine in theory – but in real life will not work.

Then there are reports in the media of some councils closing council properties on these declared days in the hope of avoiding responsibility in the case of another fire like Black Saturday.

It is now 18 months after the fact, there has been no real change in protection of the communities previously affected, nor those that weren’t affected, but need protection.

In 18 months, a Royal Commission started by the State Government, has now become a ball and chain for the Labor State Government and possibly the Federal Government, especially with the election looming on the horizon.

People that they placed in command that day have openly lied about their whereabouts on that fateful day. How could a serving member forget their whereabouts on a day now labeled the worse in Victoria’s History?

I’m sure if you think back you could remember where you were and what you did. Given 20 years things may be different, but 18 months after the fact the memory will still be fresh. So explain how someone so heavily involved could forget?

Then there is the lost fire path prediction maps – thrown out by the cleaners? – I don’t think so.

The half-arsed CFA pager system – No wonder the CFA volunteers were struggling. Between the metropolitan digital system and the analogue country system. They had no chance.

Until recently (like April 2010) there was an open URL that could be used to trace all the CFA pager messages that went out from the search and rescue messages, to road accidents, out of control fires, to admin messages advising where keys were located for stations. I’m not sure who else was aware of this ‘leak’ but it got patched once the CFA pager problems were made public. That URL had been operational since March 2009 that I am personally aware of – as I am the person who located it.

The Royal Commission has resulted in many people in many areas falling into self-protection mode and not telling the WHOLE truth for fear of retribution, be it from their bosses or the public. A public office position is highly coveted and thus many people will forgo morals and ethics in favour of public opinion or they will do as they are told by those higher than themselves.

I foretell now that many recommendations put forward by the Royal Commission into the fires of February 2009, will not be implemented, just as the Royal Commission into the fires in 1939, sees many recommendations not implemented today, some 70 years later.

Therefore the Government, both State and Local need to step back. An example of a resident trying to do the right thing before the fires. He requested (four) 4 trees be felled and had to pay a fee of $94.00 and was prohibited from removing others from the same block.After the fires the owner was allowed to removed 194. Can anyone see a problem with this? – I know I can. Oh and the removal permit of $94 was also overlooked in the aftermath of the fires. That’s local government for you.

Australians have always liked the bush, therefore many of us choose to live in the bush, amongst nature, amongst the tall trees, amongst the animals. It is OUR responsibility to ensure we are safe, to ensure that we survive, not the governments, not the councils.

Why Wholesale Evacuation Won’t Work Under Threat of Fire

Here are some reasons why people won’t evacuate when told to do so under Catastrophic Code Red Classifications

Where do they go ALL day, or for the period declared unsafe to stay at home?

It is recommended people make their way to shopping centre, what do these people do with their animals during that same period?

When the shopping centre closes and it is still 40’c outside, where do they go?

The property once evacuated is prime target for burglars

Some people don’t have insurance and can’t be convinced to get insurance.

Some people are already turning a blind ear to the warnings, they have a wait and see attitude, rather than panic and react.

Some people have large animals that can’t be moved for long periods of time into someone’s backyard, so they opt to stay

Some people’s livelihoods are tied up on that property and can’t be removed, like grapevines, raspberry canes. People have no choice but to remain at the property.

When you run cattle and they are your life, your income, your family’s income, you can’t just up and move them, you have to stay and protect them.

I could go on and on and on – but it would be pointless – the Code Red Classification in 1-2 years will no longer mean anything to most people, other than the inconvenience of the local childcare, kindergarten and schools closing, That will be the only reminder.

Here are some very early thoughts when the Code Red Classification was thought and talked about.

Children in the Care of Others During Code Red Days
Code Red Affected Suburbs
Are You Prepared to Stay and Defend?
Can the Council Close your Business on High Risk Days?
Failure of Last Resort Fire Refuges and Code Red School Registers
Why Must Government Save People from Themselves
Victorian Public Lives at Risk #5
Victorian Public Lives NOT at Risk
Code Red Affected Schools

Once you become self-aware and you listen to the world around you – no longer do you need affirmation that it will be a BAD DAY – you KNOW IT WILL be a BAD DAY the MINUTE you get out of bed.

That is what is missing these days – people lock themselves in front of the play stations, in front of DVD players and the Xboxes and the Air Conditioners and think Well I’m fine – stuff the rest of the world.

All of the above is WHY people won’t leave on a day deemed to be Code Red – they’ll wait until someone calls them, SMS’s them, or the neighbour advises them – by then it could be too late and then those same people will blame everyone but themselves.

Those that are prepared will manage, they will acknowledge that they failed, but they did the best they could and move on with life.

That is human nature and the human spirit. We win some, we lose some.

Why must the government save people from themselves?

Was reading an article today in The Australian saying that SMS warnings regarding bushfires didn’t give enough information and where not location specific. That there wasn’t enough information and that information from all sources was almost the same. Of course it is – it’s all from the same source.

You can’t have it both ways, either you let the government run your life or you run your own life. Take responsibility for your own decisions.

Did you decide to live and build in an area that may be affected by bushfire at some time in your lifetime?

Did you decide to plant all those trees so close to your home?

Did you decide to build your house from combustible materials?

Did you decide that you would rather have the overseas holidays and plasma TV’s instead of buildings and contents insurance?

Look I’m sorry – but you have to be accountable for your decisions. No-one else is to blame but you.

You will call me cold-hearted, you will call me uncaring. I’m neither – I’m a realist and that means that I am accountable for every action that I make and can account for every decision.

I made the decision to buy where I did. Which is in an area that could be impacted by fire, but it beats the other two locations we were previously looking at, we knocked those on the head for various reasons. Some of those reasons were; private dead end road, log cabin building, treed location, and black ice.

We opted not to buy in two locations because of the above reasons. It’s called self-protection and common sense. I chose not to place myself and my family in a position that could endanger our life, even if it was a 1 day a year, or lifetime event.

Think ahead, if the day is going to be declared a Code Red day – get out, get out early and stay out. If you want to save your sentimental items, take them with you, if you want to save your animals, take them with you. To leave early is not a crime – don’t let the opinions of others, colour your decision that may affect your life and family forever.

Be Prepared or Prepare to Die.

I can’t repeat that often enough. You are NOT a coward if you decide to leave, you are a survivor.

The failure of Last Resort Fire Refuges and CODE RED school registers

State of Victoria

The two can’t and won’t go together that’s perfectly okay. What is not okay is the haphazard, reckless, misinformed way these two ‘registers’ have been compiled and released to the public.

Schools that should be listed on the Department of Education’s Code Red Register are not. What will happen if and when a fire threatens? – Who will be responsible? I would like to think that the parents have withheld their children from school that day – but I can only hope and dream.

The Last Resort Fire Refuges listed on the CFA website and not compiled by them; leave much to be desired. Here is the list http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/publications/neighbourhood_safer_places.htm There are many areas that have been omitted from this list, so where are you meant to turn? Where is the safe refuge in your area? You don't know, you haven't been told. Makes you feel as though you and your families lives are not important, not important enough for a Last Resort Fire Refuge to be declared, anyway.

The CFA are not given keys to some of these premises, the only way to access these premises is using council staff, yet some councils are closing all public buildings on High Risk Fire Danger Days. So who will open these buildings for the public IF the need arises?

Or will the CFA have to use the master key, the bolt cutters and sledge hammer, to gain access and create more of a fire risk – by having open access points that cannot be sealed from ember attack?

The State Government at all levels are failing the people of Victoria, they are creating a mess, with interim report this and interim report that – I understand it’s hard to decide, but I honestly believe that open areas, like sports grounds, offer a far better form of protection, especially if the vehicles are driven on this turf, the ground is clear, there is often a road around said facility which offers a fire break to prevent grass fires.

Yes, there is still a risk posed, but I would far rather be in the open, than locked up in a building with the prospect of a stampede when someone panics.

Too many questions, too little time and it’s not just the country folk that should be paying attention to this – it’s also people living on the fringes of suburbs or even in the suburbs, you too could be affected by loss of power or even ember attack.

Please read thoroughly all articles HERE http://itaintalwaysso.blogspot.com/search/label/bushfires Pass the link around, and make sure everyone you care about knows – cut and paste the link and hand ball it – remember you can ONLY rely on yourself in times of emergency.

Do Council, Government & Insurance Co.'s have power to shut your business on HIGH fire risk days?

It looks like the ugly words – Public Liability and Personal Responsibility are now going to curtail your business opportunities, between the insurance companies and councils in fire risk areas, you won’t have much choice but to close your business that sells ice-creams on hot days. Possibly the busiest day/s of the year and you will be prevented from earning an income

You are going to be forced to close the doors, regardless.

Closed:- Schools, Childcare Centres, Kindergartens, Council Offices

NOT Closed:- Old Age Facilities,

Clarification needed:- Safe Evacuation Points, Retail Outlets, Community Events

Macedon Ranges Council has already decided to shut council offices and premises on high risk days. Rumours abound that insurance companies will force the closure of businesses due to fire risk (yet must be happy to make a payout IF the premises and stock is left unprotected and lost due to fire)

The Falls Festival in Lorne, which boosts the town economy enormously, officialdom wants it moved to September.

Councils won’t advise on last choice fire refuges, even now as the fire season is upon us. They are going to let these refuges once again go by the by, because it is all too hard.

People are turning to the CFA for advice and the CFA can’t advise what they don’t know. They are not being told. They can only state what they are advised to state by those higher up the command chain.

The CODE RED School Register is incomplete; many schools that should be listed are not. Schools like Hurstbridge Primary School, Diamond Valley College, Whittlesea Secondary College, Whittlesea Primary School, St Marys Primary School in Whittlesea, Marymeade College in South Morang. There are only some of the schools that should be listed and are not.

I understand the need for care, I understand the need for reduced liability, we are the sue now and think later nation after all. But what happened to personal responsibility?

What happened to being accountable for your own actions? What happened to being aware of your surroundings?

Are we so truly dumbed down and babysat by the Government that we can’t think for ourselves?

Let’s look at things from a different angle, most public pools are located on public land, thus under council regulations, will the pools be forced to close on high risk days? Which would also happen to be their busiest days of the year.

A pool would have to be one of the safest places to be with a fire approaching. Let’s kill two birds with the one stone, stuff the cars, animals and houses, let them burn. If you are worried about your personal safety use the local swimming pool as a refuge. You could swim while waiting for death to approach.

Make your plans, rely on no-one but yourself, because nobody else but YOU can decide where YOU are best off staying or evacuating to, ONLY YOU.

Take care

"CODE RED" affected Metropolitan suburbs

Is your suburb on this list? - Doesn't matter if you are 10km from the CBD of Melbourne or 100km from the CBD - I have listed below some of the suburbs affected. Here is the whole list
Education Dept Bushfire Affected Schools - Link Updated 28th Oct 2013

I have only selected those suburbs that are considered suburbs of Melbourne. These suburbs are within commuting distance of the CBD.

Beaconsfield Upper, Belgrave (and surrounds), Bendigo (and surrounds), Blackburn, Boronia, Burwood, Carrum Downs, Christmas Hills, Cockatoo, Creswick, Croydon (and surrounds), Diamond Creek, Doncaster East, Donvale, Eltham (and surrounds), Endeavour Hills, Ferntree Gully, Frankston (and surrounds), Gembrook, Greensborough, Hoddles Creek, Hurstbridge, Kallista, Lilydale, Lower Templestowe, Mernda, Mill Park, Monbulk, Montrose, Mount Dandenong, Narre Warren, Olinda, Pakenham (and surrounds), Research, Riddells Creek, Rosebud (and surrounds), Wantirna (and surrounds), Warrandyte (and surrounds), Wonga Park

If you have children in care, be it crèche, kindergarten or primary or secondary school in these areas, you will need to make alternate care arrangements for your children.

Refer this post for possible options CODE RED affected schools (Victoria, Australia)

Remember you will be leaving you children in the care of others, are you prepared to take the risk? – Read here - Children in the care of others, during CODE RED bushfire danger days (Victoria, Australia)

And remember, IF the school bus passes through any of these areas, the buses will not be running either, as per the Dept of Education website http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/bushfires/closure/default.htm

Please take care and remember nothing is more precious than the life of your children.

Children in the care of others, during CODE RED bushfire danger days (Victoria, Australia)

Further to my post of the 13.11.09 CODE RED affected schools (Victoria, Australia)
Have you thought about the responsibility factor of leaving your children in the care of another person, with the possibility of them being responsible for your children when you are not around?

It’s all fine and well to assume nothing will happen, but to assume something generally means you make an ass of yourself.

I’m not sure I would like the responsibility of caring for someone else’s child on such a high risk day, yet if you are a working parent, can you afford to take the time off? – I have also covered this here (from an employers’ perspective) Small business and your duty of care

You need to weigh up your options, I suppose it’s a lottery of sorts, ‘The money or your life’ or in this case your children’s life.

I know I keep harping on the matter – but I still think people are not taking the risk seriously enough.

People think that because they live in the suburbs they are safe – well the Government thinks otherwise, here are some of the suburbs listed as being CODE RED, do you live adjacent to or in these suburbs? Then consider yourself AT RISK – Eltham, Belgrave, Bendigo, Blackburn, Boronia, Carrum Downs, Coldstream, Doncaster East. See what I mean? Some of these suburbs are only 10-15km away from the CBD of Melbourne.

Don’t play ostrich, this is life and death, of you, your children, your family and friends.

Make your decisions and stick with it – Remember life is precious

XXOO

CODE RED affected schools (Victoria, Australia)

Some schools, crèches, kindergartens, child-care centres in some areas WILL BE CLOSED on days considered to be ‘CODE RED”

As a parent, you will need to make alternate arrangements for the care of your child/ren. This is VITAL that is arranged as soon as possible. Organise NOW.

Please DO NOT leave your children home alone. If something were to happen, you would not forgive yourself. IF you can stay home with the children, then that is best alternative.

If you are leaving your children with family or friends, make sure they are able to safely transport your child (and theirs) from the area IF the need arises. I am talking seat-belts, cars. DO NOT pretend nothing will happen. It may, it could. DO NOT risk your childrens’ life for the sake of a few dollars

Remember your children may be scared, they may be afraid of the fires, that may never happen. You MUST NOT scare them, You must not convey your fear to them.

No. 1 – identify if your school is one of the schools affected – here is the link to the Dept of Education website. http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/bushfires/register.htm

No. 2 – You will be given a warning of up to 3 days, BUT if the weather changes suddenly, you may only have 12 hours notice (midday the day prior) of CODE RED day OR cancellation of said notification.

No. 3 – Arrange care for child/ren ASAP – this will reduce the stress on the child AND reduce the stress on yourself. NEVER leave a child at home, regardless of their age. IF something were to happen – you would never forgive yourself and I can guarantee that the police will not let you back home through the road blocks, if there is the threat of danger.

No. 4 – IF your child travels by bus, through an area deemed “CODE RED” to a school NOT affected by “CODE RED” the buses will NOT BE running on that route. Again find out from the bus company IF your route is affected and make plans accordingly.

No. 5 – If there are activities planned for outside the school grounds, it is likely these will also be cancelled. Be prepared for last minute changes.

No. 6 – if you don’t feel comfortable sending your child to school because of the risk of fire, even though a “CODE RED” day has not been announced. Keep your children home, with you

No. 7 – Make sure you discuss with your children what to do IF something goes wrong and you are not home – refer this conversation with my daughter. The threat of bushfires, your family and particularly home alone children

No. 8 – Family is more important than money – DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT think it won’t happen to you – because it did happen to 173 people and I don’t wish that upon you.

Please take care and remember your children choose your nursing home, so make sure they are around to do that for you.

XXOO