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 Dangers (Once Again) of Slashing Long DRY Grass

Another hot day, and the last day of summer, another paddock of long grass, a bit of wind and some rocks (common in this area) and you have a fire, once again threatening the suburbs of Melbourne.

 People, PLEASE, if it's hot, if it's windy, if the grass is long and the rocks are hidden, DO NOT slash.

If you HAVE to slash, carry water and plenty of it.

 Make sure your tractor exhaust is compliant (Oh and make sure you have a roll cage)

 Please don't risk my family, your family or your friends, Since 2009 one particular road in the Northern suburbs has had 2 x tractor slashing fires, 1 x industrial fire and 1 x structural fire. All these fires as within 30km of  Melbourne CBD and all except one could have been easily avoidable. Only 1 of these fires was extinguished by the person who caused the fire, what does that tell you?

Check out that fire , it was a tractor slashing accident and it NEARLY caused a fire, thankfully the operator was carrying water.

Yesterday was NOT a total fire ban, but it was high risk day, with winds and heat, add to that a paddock of long grass and hidden rocks and the slasher and you almost automatically have fire (caveman and the flint)

Take care, I like living where I do, but it takes some common sense, not the burn your neighbours house down.

Thanks

 

HS

The Mickleham Bushfire. (aka Wallan/Kilmore Fires)

I am proud to say (on behalf of ALL Victorians) that there were NO deaths.

Sure houses were lost, along with photos and animals, but NO HUMAN lives.

Thank-you - you listened to the information provided over the previous 5 years.

There are still issues with people being unable to leave big animals, but I do believe these people have now realised, leaving early to a better location is better AND safer, than staying put.

Once again the fires threatened my door, threatened my family, threatened my friends and neighbours. Once again I collected them, like a child collects their favourite toys.

That way I knew they were safe and I felt better knowing that.

Friends in Kilmore watered down and saved their house, without them being there. Friends in Wallan left early and didn’t worry about the house - they were fully insured.

Once again the Southern 80 was taking place and once again my husband and I did the property checks for them

But NO lives were lost, not even in Warrandyte, where many thought they were in 'the city' and didn't have to worry about fire plans.

Did you know that Wallan and Warrandyte are the same distance from the GPO? (35km) Betcha ya didn't know that!

No matter, country or city, if you live in Australia it IS POSSIBLE for you to come under attack from the very Australian Summer risk called Bushfire.

It's not a myth, It can and DOES happen.

So be prepared and you will live, don’t and you could possibly die.

When was the last time you discussed YOUR fireplan with your family?

When was the last time, you thought what to take in case of emergency?

When was the last time you thought about a safe refuge, that as a family you could meet, IF telecommunications where lost?

What plans do have in place, IF you can't load, a website that you consider to a essential to your fire plan?

Think about it, discuss it and remember………. The CFA is only there to protect assets, NOT PEOPLE, NOT PETS, NOT ANIMALS and certainly not fences and the like.

Get out and live or stay and face the possibility you may die if you haven't planned well enough.

Read my blog, comment on my blog, feel free to do so.  It's from my experiences from Ash Wednesday to Black Saturday and beyond. Read it, learn from it and remember only YOU are responsible for YOU. NO ONE ELSE

Stay Safe, the Bushfire season is not over YET. It's only February 2014

 

Dangers of slashing on a HIGH FIRE RISK DAY

There is a VERY good reason why the CFA state the following:-
Can I drive a vehicle in places where the vehicle will be in contact with crops, grass, stubble, weeds, undergrowth or other vegetation?

Fire Danger Period Total Fire Ban YES But only if the vehicle is fitted with an efficient silencing device that takes all of the exhaust from the engine through the silencing device. You should avoid driving vehicles through dry vegetation in hot and dry conditions, even if it is not a TFB, due to the risk posed by the hot exhaust system. YES But only if the vehicle is fitted with an efficient silencing device that takes all of the exhaust from the engine through the silencing device. This should be avoided wherever possible, due to the extreme fire danger posed by dry vegetation and very hot exhaust systems.

Can I use machinery with an internal combustion or heat engine, such as tractors, slashers, excavating or road making equipment within 9 metres of any crops, grass, stubble, weeds, undergrowth or other vegetation?

Fire Danger Period Total Fire Ban YES But only if machinery: Is free from faults and mechanical defects that could cause an outbreak of fire Is fitted with an approved spark arrester Carries fire suppression equipment comprising: a knapsack spray pump, in working order, fully charged with water, with a capacity of not less than 9 litres; or a water fire extinguisher, in working order, fully charged with water, with a capacity of not less than 9 litres Tractors fitted with a turbocharger or an exhaust aspirated air cleaner do not require a spark arrestor YES As for the Fire Danger Period. However, if possible, postpone this work, as the risk of starting fires is extremely high.

Because this is the outcome (refer below) - thankfully - there was no damage to other property - But I am positive that this tractor DOES NOT meet half of the above requirements and certainly doesn't meet OH&S requirements. There doesn't appear to be any location for a napsack to be carried and it's scary that people still think "She'll be right mate'

You just need to look at what happened in WA last year, where 71 homes were destroyed. 5th Sept. 2011- SMH - Fire Ban Bungle Sure it wasn't a Total Fire Ban Day (TFB) but certainly there was higher than normal risk of a fire getting out of control. People need to use common sense and personal judgement and ensure that ALL safety measures are taken to avoid fire impacting yourself, your neighbours and even people in other suburbs/towns.

#Bushfire

The TV Bushfire Ads Airing on Commercial TV

I’ve just had the pleasure (not) of watching the new Bushfire Ads, I rarely watch live to air TV for exactly this reason, to avoid media, to avoid news stories, this has become obvious after the Victorian Black Saturday  Bushfires.

I visually saw about 5-10sec and realised it was smoke, I could hear people panicking and then I realised it was one of the bushfire ads, that I have been reading about, in places like this http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2011/11/30/3380039.htm

I lost the plot.

I can smell smoke, my skin is crawling, the sounds, the memories, just because some people will always be dumb, do the rest of society have to suffer?

Remove the ads and save the sanity of those connected to the 173 people that died and the 1000’s that escaped with prior knowledge or by the skin of their teeth.

PULL the ADS before the inevitable occurs and someone is pushed over the edge.

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!

3 summers later, nothing has changed regarding Bushfires

Three summers after the terrible bushfires of Black Saturday, people still think it won’t happen to them. People still think that bushfires only affect people on large allotments/farms, that bushfires only affect people who have farm animals.

People need to wake up.

If you live in an area adjacent to park land, adjacent to bushland, many trees around you. If you live in Doncaster, Doreen, Eltham, Greensborough, Inverloch, Mt Dandenong, Nutfield, Red Hill, Templestowe, Tynong, Warrandyte, Yarrambat. I’m sure you get my meaning, If there are lots of trees, lots of grass land or lots of bushland, YOU COULD BE AT RISK.

The emergency services may be under so much pressure they WILL NOT have time to warn you, the fire might be moving so fast, that the update service can not keep up.

YOU the resident, YOU the traveller MUST be accountable for your OWN safety at all times during the bushfire season.

Do not retreat inside, only to come out once the power goes out. By then it could very well be too late….. Too late to save you, too late to save your family, too late to save your animals, too late to get out.

Leave the radio on, listen to the radio, don’t rely on the internet, as the bushfire could have started next door, or just down the road.

Be responsible FOR YOU.

I have spoken to many people over the past 3 years and many live in areas that could very well be affected by bushfires. These people think it won’t happen to them.

One conversation sticks in my mind, “I said where do you live?” He said “Greensborough.” I said “Do you have a fire plan?” His response.. “Nope, don’t need one, I won’t be there when there’s a fire.”

I shook my head. What could I say? I mean why doesn’t HE need a fire plan? WHERE is he going to be? I was shocked beyond belief. He was a mature-aged man, obviously thought that there are enough emergency services around just to cater for him. That is all I could think of. (Insert stunned look here)

There is only ONE person responsible for YOUR safety and that IS YOU. Rely on no-one. Only YOU can save YOU (and your family)

Stay alert and stay safe from bushfires.

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)

THE Signage - I live in a bushfire prone area

WOW - my jaw hit the dash when I saw this.

I mean I KNOW I LIVE IN A BUSHFIRE PRONE AREA, My neighbours know this also – you’d have to be stupid not to realise this.

Now, I'm being told I LIVE in a bushfire area?

I want to know at what cost? - Is this a local council initiative or something that the State Government has dropped upon us?

Will ALL areas be receiving these signs, or just a few unlucky pockets?

I'd sooner see the money spent on refuges and signage for said refuges than signs like this.

The Yellow one would be 1 METRE tall and 1 METRE across, not even road signage for dangerous intersections is this large.

IF YOU LIVE IN ANY OF THESE AREAS:-
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

Then expect this sign in YOUR backyard (street) and expect it to immediately devalue YOUR property AND Raise your insurance premiums.

Your thoughts?

40’c at your place? What Council services can you expect?

I covered this some 12 months ago Do Council, Government & Insurance Co.'s have power to shut your business on HIGH fire risk days?

From council offices, to council amenities, schools, day-care centres, possibly even community events.

Don’t forget your electricity supply also Cut my power, cut my ability to make life-saving decisions

Then to find this article in the Adelaide Now Care Factor Nil for Elderly Left Alone - Adelaide Now stating that elderly citizens were abandoned during a day that exceeded 40’c. These elderly people, who have paid their taxes and raised children and helped Australia grow, couldn’t even have a shower, because no-one came to help them.

The response from the agencies involved? “the policy called for systems to ensure family, friends or neighbours checked the welfare of clients on days of extreme heat and fire danger.”

What if they DO NOT have anyone to check their welfare? What then? People don’t use these agencies because they have that people that care about them, or are nearby, they use these agencies as a last resort solution.

I hope and pray that nothing EVER goes wrong.

Please if you have elderly neighbours, OR know someone in this position, please find the time to stop past or even ring to check they are okay. Remember the older generation are proud and will not ask for help. Sometimes you have to just DO IT, for them.

The memory of Bushfire

It lives with you forever.

This morning the hot northerly wind was blowing, the only difference to two years ago, was the grass was green and the temperature wasn’t 35’c at 8am in the morning.

The words of my father came back to me “Are you ready?” – he called me at 8.15am the 7th February 2009, he knew, I knew, the CFA knew. It was going to be bad.

Just nobody knew how bad.

I never want anyone to go through what others did on that day – and that is why I keep pushing people, be prepared, be alert, don’t turn your back on the outside world.

Sure an air conditioner is great to keep you cool and closed blinds help with that.

Many people weren’t aware there was problem until the power went out, by then it was too late.

Too late to run, too late to prepare, too late to do anything other than pray.

I want people to realize that the CFA website, can’t keep up with the fires, with fast fires like those of Black Saturday. I remember watching the fire start at 11-11.15am in Kilmore and seeing the smoke. The CFA website didn’t list any problems, until 11.30am from memory, by then it was too late.

I can’t stress enough, be prepared, don’t pretend it won’t/can’t happen to you, 173 people died and many only came through by their shirt tails.

Clear your property now, clear your gutters, clear under the house. Remove overhanging branches.

Please don’t think it won’t happen, don’t let your family, friends and parents find out the hard way.

Take care out there – it may have rained, but that has only increased the amount of undergrowth, and thus the overall fire risk. Don’t become a statistic.

Marysville - Almost 2 years on after the Bushfires of Black Saturday

These are some photos I took last week.

90%, maybe 95% of the trees are dead. They will stand as a reminder of what has happened for generations. Falling as those that remember fall.

Do not let the memory of these trees be in vain. Prepare yourself, your family, your house, your animals.

Remember these trees and remember never to forget that preparation is the key to survival in a bushfire.

Mock Fire Evacuations – My Thoughts

Mock Fire evacuations, (proposed) although in full support, is a vote-buying exercise. Watoday - Mock Bushfire Evacuations planned
SMH - Mock Bushfire Evacuations

I’ve already figured out how to not to participate. But I’ll leave my thoughts until last.

Humans are strange creatures, humans have the ability to think an event won’t happen to them, they think that drink driving doesn’t matter, they won’t get pulled over, they won’t kill anyone. Humans think that risk-taking behaviour is okay for them because they don’t take risks. Don’t worry about the loaded shotgun in the back seat, done it for years, nothing will happen.

Humans are creatures of denial, until it is too late and then they look for someone to blame. It couldn’t possibly be their fault, they weren’t told of the risks, as they are carted off to hospital minus a couple of fingers because they rode a motorcycle without gloves.

Same goes for bushfires, it can’t happen to me, I won’t be home, I’ll mow the lawns that morning, Black Saturday we had three days warning, I’ll just wait until we are given that warning before taking any preventative measures. I knew the fire was coming, so I got a cover note from the insurance company when I heard about the fire (saved heaps of money, cause I haven’t paid insurance for the past 10 years)

I’m sure you are nodding your head in agreement with at least one the above the comments.

Bushfires aren’t something to be toyed with, they aren’t something to be taken lightly, aren’t something that you can climb on the roof and avoid as the flames lick at your front door. Bushfires are an untamed beast, a beast that has been used by the native aborigines to regenerate the forest for generations. Bushfires are a beast that will kill given the right circumstances.

You can’t have a mock evacuation, people will then use the mock example when something does fail, when something goes wrong and will blame the organisers, will blame the government, will blame whoever is nearest at the time.

Mock Fire evacuations make people think that fire is predictable, make people think it’s okay to leave at the last minute, that it’s okay to just go to the nearest safest place.

Mock Fire Evacuations will only give people a false sense of security and this is my greatest fear, people think that they didn’t get enough warning on Black Saturday. The false sense of security instilled by a mock fire evacuation will only create more blame, if something does happen in the future.

The only way to prepare for a fire, as per previous posts is:- slash grass, clear gutters, create a firebreak around your house, make sure wood and junk is not stacked up against or under your house and most importantly prepare a bushfire action plan AND STICK TO IT.

A fire plan could mean evacuation, could mean staying and fighting, could mean getting the children out somewhere safe, long before the fire approaches your front door. A fire plan is tailored to each family, each place of residence – no two fire plans should be the same, other than the preparation.

Fire is not a beast to be fought unless you are fully prepared, both mentally and physically, those that have previously had health problems, you probably need to re-consider staying, although in saying that, a gentleman of 94, managed to save his house without assistance and without town water. So anything is possible, just don’t become a statistic please.

My hat goes off the Liberal State Government for thinking of the idea, but it will only instill false hope, hope that needs to be dashed and replaced with real preparation.

By the way – my method of avoiding such an evacuation? – Just go out for the day.

My preparation has started, I’ve already done round one of the slashing,** next round is cup weekend and then the week before Christmas and then once a month until such time are the risk of fire is over for another season. My children know what to do if they see a fire coming. Black Saturday saw me organise/bully those on the street who couldn’t stay without risk of losing their life, leave the street and head for the suburbs. I grew up in Marysville, I now live an area that is predominantly grassland, but that doesn’t exclude me from the risk of fire and I know that better than anyone.

Thank-you to all the CFA volunteers, thank-you to all volunteers nation-wide, world-wide, the world is a better place because of you. I know it’s a thankless task, but people I know owe their lives to you (not just under the threat of fire) and for that I say thank-you

Please take the time to read my blog, which is both from a personal perspective and possibly helpful to those people who may be affected by bushfires, Remember city or country, bushfires could affect you and your family.

**slashing is not a 2 hour operation, it takes 2 people 4-8 hours to complete, a total of 8-16 hours.

Bushfire Season has arrived – Are You prepared?

Doesn’t matter where you live, be it Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland or New South Wales, the threat of fire is not far away.

Record rains across all states have seen the undergrowth thrive, once the hot weather arrives, that same undergrowth will dry off and pose a major fire risk.

The thought of bushfires is never been far away from the minds of rural folk at the height of summer, but city folk must also pay attention. 2009 saw the suburbs of Melbourne threatened, outskirts of Bendigo burned. 2010 saw the outskirts of Adelaide threatened and 4000 hectares burnt in Tasmania.

So, doesn’t matter city or country – you MUST prepare for the upcoming season, record rains have seen record growth and with the growth comes the likelihood of record bushfires and fatalities.

Don’t become a statistic, prepare for the summer ahead, prepare your land, prepare your house, prepare your family, prepare yourself.

Some things you can do to prepare are slash grass, clear gutters, create a firebreak around your house, make sure wood and junk is not stacked up against or under your house and most importantly prepare a bushfire action plan AND STICK TO IT.

Some previous posts that you should also read:-

Children in the care of others during Code Red Days
Are you prepared to stay and defend?
Loss of power in residential properties
Are you prepared for bushfire?
Be prepared or prepare to die
Fire season and the procrastinator
The threat of bushfire and your family

Clean up before fire cleans up for you!

Remember only you can save you – no-one else knows where the fire is headed, not even the experts.

Black Saturday Transcript - Marysville February 2009

This conversation took place on the 11th February 2009, a casual conversation between friends, taped inadvertently. I am sharing this because I believe that people need to hear what those who fought and survived the Black Saturday Fires in Victoria endured immediately following the devastation of the fires and the trauma and grief they were faced with.

I'm sorry about the length - but I believe that this MUST remain in one piece, in memory of everything that has been lost.

Please take the time to read in full - I know it's long, but the story must be shared. (All names have been changed to protect the identity of those involved)

45 minutes of doing stuff – no speech – some sobbing is heard
Gate is heard to be opened.
Sound of water running.
Sound of a 4x4 approaching the property.
Albert - “I saw you coming” “How are you?” “How’s your stock?” “I know your house is okay” “But how’s your stock?”
Bert - “How you going Albert?” “It was a pretty wild sort of time wasn’t it?”
Albert - Inaudible
Bert - “No problems, we survived pretty well, I was well prepared. I….. I was ready from the week before it got here………
Albert - Yeah
Bert - ………I got the dozers out and cleared bare my place.”
Albert - “How did you get in to here?”
Bert - “The police aren’t there today” Up til now, nobody can get in.
Albert - “That’s ridiculous”
Bert - “Bloody hard” “Colleen went to Healesville 3 days ago, and can’t get back. But The Spurs on fire now.
Albert - Yeah
Bert - Yeah
Albert - “I went to……we went out yesterday, go out and come back, have you got a bit of paper and I know you won’t let me, it’s a bloody trick to get us out. I had to read the bloody riot act to……..
Bert - to get back in again
Albert - ………get back in again.
Bert - Well Colleen got a pass from the cops…….
Albert - Yeah
Bert - …. near our place, took all the details and wrote it down, she gave to the other cops on the way out and couldn’t come back in.”
Albert - Well, now this stuff, ……… this cop where Debra came through, you had any dealings with him?
Bert - he’s a bastard.
Albert - He promised to get it this through to us 2 days ago and never……….
Bert - and never seen nor heard of it. I’ve had runs in with him.
Albert - Everybody has.
Inaudible
Albert - Calling it a crime scene, so I went round a shot a dozen people as the fire came through. That’s what they’re saying.
Bert - Yeah
Inaudible
Bert - We are suffering, more than the poor buggers that got burnt out.
Albert - Yeah but……. Yeah but……..If you listen……….If you listen to the wireless, all you can hear is Kinglake, Kinglake.
Bert - Yeah well, They’re just starting to talk about Marysville now.
Albert - and the …..other thing is that.. the… the….. you know…… all…….. the interesting…….the interesting thing though I reckon, is that… all those who….. stayed, basically saved their house. Are you with me? ……. No, Sorry I’m putting that they wrong way.
Bert - Yeah, I don’t think they did, some people that stayed are gone………. They’re gone, they’re dead.
Albert - Yes
Albert - Yes, they had……..no……
Bert - ……… no preparation.
Albert - ………no preparation…………and……………and………..
Bert - Yes
Albert - Yes
The sound of unpacking from the back of vehicle is heard
Ethel - The kids have really thought of everything.
Bert - Pardon?
Ethel - The kids have really thought…….
Inaudible
Bert - They tossed everything in to make sure
Albert - now………I’ll put the……….. you like a cuppa?
Bert - Yeah……. I’ll be in that thank-you
Inaudible
Albert - first up I’ll sort that out……
Albert - So you’ve been baching on your own?
Bert - Yeah for the last 3 days. Yeah
Albert - How are you off for food? At least……………. Big pantry
Inaudible
Albert - Yeah well, you know after the fire ……. The other problem, why the town ran out of water?
Bert - well there were that many burst water mains for starters
Albert - no, it wasn’t burst water mains, sorry
Bert - I didn’t know you’d run out of water
Albert - there was only one burst water main and that was broken actually
Bert- Up near The Crossways.
Albert - Yeah. I’ll come and show you what the problem was. After the fire went through, nobody…….I went round…………..I went round and turned some of them off the next day. The bloody fire services were still running at Maidmary and Maryshouse.
Bert - Oh yeah, oh yeah.
Inaudible
Albert - Oh Right…………..Thank-you…………….
Inaudible
Albert - Yeah, ……..the modern…. stop cocks, they…….with a bit of heat on them, they…….they just blew out. Now…………. D……….I went around and I did about 30. Can you imagine 30 of those?
Bert - Yeah…………. yeah
Albert - And there were a lot more than that.
Bert - Yeah
Inaudible
Bert - I was expecting a bad one, but never dreamed of anything like this. You even got a wireless…….
Albert - Yeah…………
Bert - There are a set of batteries there somewhere.
Albert - oh yeah….. I don’t know how she managed…………..
Bert - You want a hand to take it. It’s not that heavy. It’s quite light actually.
Albert - I’ll take it up
Albert - I don’t know…………It’s probably easier for you to carry one, than the two………..but………..
The sound of stuff being picked up and moved. Gate crashing open. Sounds of people walking.
Albert - The only water I used here……. That’s all we used.
Bert - Yeah
Albert - That’s all I used. I saw……. but……
Bert - yeah
Albert - I thought we were going to lose the window…….that was where the wood heap was. Just beyond that wall. A HUGE wood heap. (on the neighbours property, on the fenceline)
Bert - what…….Over there?............ Jeez
Albert - I think it was the double glazing that saved us.
Bert - Yeah…….. we’ve got double glazing, but there was no….nothing near our house. The lawns were all watered,
Albert - Yeah………..but the double-glazing
Bert - Yeah, yeah….a lot……….A lot of houses their windows just melted.
Albert - Yeah
Bert - and that’s……..
Albert - Yup
Sounds of stuff being carried water/fuel?
Albert - E……?
Ethel - Yes?
Albert - I’ll start the jenny up.
Inaudible
Albert - Bert reckons the road’s open now.
Bert - I don’t know if it’s officially open
Albert - Yeah
Bert - Fred just came out and said that……..
Albert - how’s his house?
Bert - He survived, he has a good sprinkler system ….off a dam, so he’s pretty……
Albert - Right
Bert - ……… right I think
Sound of generator starting
Inaudible
Albert - I’m glad I …………when I bought that …………….
Inaudible
Bert - Yeah
Albert - I’ll show you what …….. I agree with you about……….
Inaudible
Albert - That burnt right up to the fence there. Stopped there, those shrubs down here………
Inaudible
Albert - I’ve been giving them a dose of water…….
Inaudible
Albert - ……..Just around there, went out to there, just that little bit in a straight line
Bert - It didn’t take much water to stop …….to stop the grass burning with most of the rubbish was gone.
Albert – Yeah
Bert - A bucket of water puts a lot of fire out.
Albert - A sprinkler system goes a lot better……..won’t say a lot better………but….goes a lot further
Bert - Graham & Heidi went to …… went to ummmm…… china
Inaudible
Bert - You need to get it somehow
Inaudible

Bert - Graham and Heidi went last Wednesday to China and uh……….
Inaudible
Albert - Yup
Inaudible
Sound of generator as they approach it again
Albert - look at the end of the ………..
Inaudible
Bert - No, I know that
Inaudible
Albert - to give you some idea, about a fortnight ago, I was going to buy some plastic buckets, but they were too dear, so I bought the stainless steel one……..galvanised one.
Inaudible
Laughter………
Inaudible
Albert - You don’t know what ………
Bert - You didn’t know how much you had and how much you didn’t have
Albert - Laughter
Bert - I went crook at Colleen because ……I was up at 4 o’clock. Ummm…….I couldn’t sleep and I wanted to get out and see if I could help and I see these lights come down Mt Gordon, there’s a HUGE tree across the road in front of our place and I knew they couldn’t get through. But I thought if someone coming at that hour of the morning…..
Ethel - they must need……
Bert - ……..they must need a doctor or something, I wasn’t even properly dressed at 4 o’clock in the morning. so I get in my kit…….. I’ll get the tractor in a minute, just hang on. She said “Don’t bloody worry about that” “you know me”
Ethel - Laughter
Bert - In the dark I didn’t know who it was.
Ethel - Couldn’t see who it was
Bert - anyway, we managed to get past the sign and tree. I said to her you are bloody mad.
Inaudible
Ethel - that’s what I………I mean her brother
Inaudible
Albert - What do you want? Tea of coffee
Bert - Tea, please. A weak tea, please
Albert - You’re a dairy farmer, you’ll have it black
Bert - No,
Albert - Most dairy farmers…………
Bert - yeah, I know that, yeah I know that
Inaudible
Ethel - Then we were worried she wouldn’t get back again, you know……….
Albert - so I said………
Inaudible
Albert - we turned a few of those…………we didn’t have any water
Bert - Yeah
Albert - we went round and turned Maryshouse fire service off and Maidmary’s fire service off and drove a few of those stakes in, we got water to here
Bert - There’s water pouring out at the Catholic Church, that’s running flat out
Ethel - Oh is there? ……. Well we’d better go and……….
Albert - well they were running………as you came in, they’re running?
Bert - Yeah, just now
Ethel - We’d better go round and turn it off too
Bert - I thought to myself, I’ll see if I can nip it up …….. you know……….. on the way back.
Inaudible
Ethel - Yeah, that’s right
Bert - That’s right
You can hear a radio running in the background
Bert - I was talking to Colleen about 2 seconds last night
Ethel - Yeah, that’s right
Albert - We got through …………. Oh and we couldn’t get rid of Irwin off the phone and then………. Next call we went to make……. Nothing. No service. ……..
Bert - yeah, exactly
Albert - We’ve got our shower Ethel. You might like to stand out where you’ve got to stand but………
Laughter
Ethel - They’ll be nobody around to see you love.
Laughter
Bert - we, ahhhhh….we’ve got gravity feed water from our workshop and tanks up there and gravity feeds the house. I’m right for water and I’m right for hot water because I’m using heater……… we’ve got the ahhhh…….
Inaudible
Bert - …….. in the lounge
Ethel - Oh, okay
Albert - you’ve got……………
Bert - Hydronic water
Albert - You haven’t got any chemical in it?
Bert - No, nope. It’s separate anyway
Inaudible
Sneezing
Inaudible
Sneezing
Albert - we put in a very big hot water service. We’ve got a big radio here. 18yo kid put a little special socket into the TV
Bert - yeah yeah, I see that the telcom boys are trying to get the power going at the moment by the looks of it.
Inaudible
Bert - Looks like a portable generator and……..
Ethel - we’ve had people, finally got hold of at the end of the hill and they burst into tears. Jill’s in a terrible state when we rang her, Kennedy wasn’t much better. And Larry wasn’t much better. They’ve rung the Red Cross and the Red Cross have no record of whether they are alive or dead.
Bert - Yeah yeah
Albert - Then I heard on the wireless,………. We……people……Marysville people are in Alexandra, please re-register, there’s been a glitch in their records. We had………Maurice Townsend came around, I don’t know if he was the SES or DS&E. Neville Nelson came around.
Bert - Yeah
Albert - and the police came around
Inaudible
Bert - all the paperwork…….. yeah………. They’ve been out to check us out and……
Albert - but then those people ring up and no record of us……..
Ethel –whether we are alive or dead
Pause
Albert - now, would you want something to eat Bert?
Bert - I’m not physically worried……… I am…..I can…..
Inaudible
Albert - It will be a sandwich
Ethel - Yeah, it’ll be a sandwich
Bert - that’ll be fine
Inaudible
Bert - I’ve got to get…….
Inaudible
Albert - We had ……the other night, we had Ian and……what’s his name, not O but Peter
Ethel - Oh yeah………….Ian………….. Oh yeah. Bert wouldn’t know him I don’t think
Albert - He built on Thomas’s old vacant land
Bert - Oh yeah………. When Rachael and Steven left…. They were about the last people I knew in the town
Inaudible
Bert - We don’t go to the pool anymore you just lose …….
Albert - well, we…….. Debra ……. had a contact somehow with the……woman, and she bought Violets’ old house. You know the two storey brick one, you can………They’re staying. They’re names Warren or something. She said, go down and see them, I went down, never seen her, I said and how long have you been here? Oh 4 years.
Bert - oh yeah (laughter)
Ethel - Actually, her husband is out of town……
Albert - ….but they wouldn’t let him back in
Ethel - let him in. She’s here, they wouldn’t let him back in. so……..
Bert - Colleen went down to………..
Inaudible
Bert - She got a pass from the police up here and thought she could get back.
Ethel - we tried to stock up yesterday…….
Bert - Yeah
Ethel - but, they told us we could, you know……go over to Alex and we could……..
Bert - ………you can’t come back in, if you’ve go out
Inaudible
Albert - ……… they’ll let you out, but won’t let you back in
Inaudible
Ethel - I said to Albert, I’ve got two dogs, the village dog………
Albert - Do you want a dog?
Ethel - It drives………….It barks, it drives you mad.
Albert - Hear that?
Bert - Yeah yeah
Ethel - All day, all night, absolutely drives you nuts.
Bert - Yeah Yeah, I hate a yappy dog
Inaudible
Ethel - Last 2 nights has been up in the shed. Can’t hear him
Bert - Yeah that’s what you have to do. I suppose…… I suppose the poor thing’s traumatised too, just like the rest of us
Ethel - Thinking about it, he probably sleeps on their bed
Bert - Yeah Yeah
Albert - Watched that………explode…….watched that that new weather board down there, that wall, painted, it……. Just ………burst into flames,
Bert - yeah yeah
Albert - This house over here, I must admit……….it’s clear all the way around it, that’s a plastic house, the weatherboards are plastic, the decking is plastic……
Bert - Yeah Yeah
Albert - The balustrade is plastic, the windows are plastic, and it’s perfect.
Bert - It’s unreal……It’s unreal……..isn’t it?
Albert - and yet up here ………..
Bert - The fire goes through and says I’ll have here and ……no don’t want you…..
Ethel - that’s right
Bert –……. I’ll have the next one. Ginger Meg’s house is still sitting up there.
Ethel - would you believe that little old rubbishy house …….
Bert - Yeah Yeah
Albert - The little old one in…….. next door to Albert Conner’s in Smith Street, you know?
Bert - Yeah Yeah
Ethel - Lovely little dump………ummmm
Albert - That little old one…….
Bert – Ginger’s house………..
Ethel - ………the old blue house……… yeah
Bert – Ginger's house …………Ummm……an old weatherboard, and it’s got… ummm…..artificial brick on the ……….
Albert - yeah yeah
Bert –……. On the outside. You’d think it would be……..you’d think it would go up.
Inaudible
Albert - Bitumen……….. artificial bricks had a bit of bitumen in them
Bert - Yeah yeah……….Stick ‘em on……..Yeah
Albert - but, no……. but they were made out of bit of bitumen, but some of them were…….
Inaudible
Bert - Yeah Yeah
Albert - But this Steph………..Which Carter is it? One of Stephanie Carter…..
Ethel - daughters
Inaudible
Albert - Brand new house, they were going to sign for it next week.
Bert - yeah Yeah
Albert - but……….
Ethel - but they hadn’t signed for it, that is the good news,
Albert - but……..
Ethel - They hadn’t signed for it – which is the good news
Albert - well, is it the goods news or the bad news? If it’s good news, they’d have insured it, they’d be right. Now……..If the builder had built it properly, does he have the financial resources to build it ……….to build it again?
Bert - yeah
Albert - and if he hasn’t, they’re left with……. With……..
Ethel - rubbish
Albert - rubbish to clear up
Bert - yeah
Albert - which they……….
Bert - they’ll have to think about that with the legal side
Inaudible
Albert - The Benny guy……
Bert - I don’t know…..Um – he just sold his house, they’ve signed up for it. Ummmmmm…..The deal went through…… goes through on the 4th or something. So he’s got to either replace the house or hopefully because they might….. you know……
Albert - No No……
Bert - …….. back off on the deal ……..
Albert - Yeah well…………
Bert - ……….. and can sue them if he doesn’t replace the house.
Albert - Well, the thing I was always told, that if you buy a house, insurance it straight away as soon as you pay the deposit…….
Bert - before you pay the …………..
Albert - I know one smart estate agent, who bought a house, the settlement was next day and he…… and he thought I’ll oh well the guys got insurance…..
Inaudible
Albert - …….. and it burnt down…….. The other guy hadn’t insured it, that’s a real…..
Bert - Yeah yeah
Albert - the other guy
Bert - that’s just as bad, Dairy farm, ummm, our insurance guy,……. Who…… was married to what’s her name……….ummm. One of the …… ummmm… I think
Inaudible
Bert - in the end, the put their kid……. their son to run it
Inaudible
Bert - …….Bought the property and would be back Monday to insure it
Inaudible
Albert - Yeah well I was…. My insurance guy…….. he sends me a fax, when we buy something
Bert - that’s what they do these days.
Albert - The date is the time on the back of the fax sheet.
Bert - Yeah Yeah
Inaudible
Albert - ......Out again
Inaudible
Ethel – Debra ………….
Albert - Rang Fran Bailey for us and jumped up and down, and the way she dealt with the water board, she said she rang on the Sunday and just tell him that……
Inaudible
Albert - Just tell him that……….
Inaudible
Albert - In 5 minutes he rang her. Yesterday morning they were across here and that’s what got……..
Inaudible
Albert - ……….back on. We turned off that many valves………
Inaudible
Bert - Right now…….
Inaudible
Albert - Are you right now?
Inaudible
Bert - Diesel running now…………….
Inaudible
Albert - What about……….
Inaudible
Bert - that’s why Colleen went to Healesville to get more……….
Inaudible
Bert - No, we’re right now. We’ve got the diesel generator running now.
Inaudible
Bert - Thanks Ethel
Inaudible
Albert - I haven’t got any diesel to give you
Bert - No we’ve got plenty of diesel now
Albert - The Crossways…….
Bert - Yeah. What? He’s dead?
Ethel - No he stayed. He hid under the bridge when it got really…….. then he dived out and started to put the spot fires out.
Albert - Some of those that got burnt……. (sobbing is heard)
Inaudible
Albert - 2 of them are dead, they’re dead (sobbing)

* Then the conversation moves onto those that lost their lives and all parties compare notes, tales, whose cars are still on the property, who is confirmed dead, who is still missing, who hasn’t been seen and for decency I have not continued with the transcription
The recording ends in a little under 2 minutes, it’s quite disjointed as the batteries start to fail.

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.

Double-Glazed Windows

I was having a conversation with my 13yo, about his grandfather and some conversations that they had in the past.

My son said to me that grandpa thought the only reason that their house didn’t burn too, was because of the double-glazed windows. This surprised me, I wasn’t aware that my son knew what double-glazed windows were.

I was right – the next question was – “mum, what are double-glazed windows?”

I then explained to him that double-glazed windows are two sheets of glass with air in between, held in the window frame, so that the two pieces don’t touch and the air in the middle is like a cushion, that stop s the house getting too hot or too cold and during the fire it did the same thing.

Mstr13 then pipes up and says, “Yeah, that’s what grandpa said. He said single-glaze windows cracked and then the drapes (USA speak URRGGHH) caught fire and then the house burnt.”

Mstr13, then went on to say that Nanna burnt her fingers when she touched the window frame, when the fire was outside.

I knew these things, but had never discussed them with my children, I didn’t want to scare them anymore that I did that Sunday/Monday when I went to Marysville.

As it was Mstr13 was nearly suspended from school, for checking his mobile phone during class on Monday, thinking that I may have called. It took some quick talking with the school to avoid that.

This conversation has only come to light in the last week. I’m not even sure why or how.

Children are constantly thinking and talking, you’d be surprised, don’t think your children don’t want to know, they do, share your knowledge, it might save their life one day.

Even The Best Laid Plans Can Fail

My father was trustee of the local cemetery. He took his position seriously, including preserving the towns’ history. So much so that long before the fires of Black Saturday destroyed the township of Marysville. He had copied the original burial records and distributed 3 copies through the township.

It was unthinkable that ALL the houses in Marysville would burn. Sure 50%-75% but not 99% of every building in the township destroyed beyond recognition.

These ledgers contained the memories of the township – dating back to the first settler, right back to the late 1800’s.

My mother and father knew that Marysville would burn eventually; it was only a matter of time. No-one could foresee the extent of the damage and the complete isolation the town faced that night.

That night saw the destruction of all 3 copies of the burial ledger. The original only survived because of my fathers tenacity and his knowledge that other people besides his wife were sheltering in his home, the home he saved from the fires. Only metres from the road where the fire crews were forced to retreat or die.

When it comes to precious things, be it paper or electronic media – the only message I can (and do) drum into people is many locations, many formats, it could be something like a blog that disappears (as happened to someone this week) to precious family photos, to something like a public document. You can never be too careful.

Take as many copies as you can, spread them world-wide. Keep them electronically, keep hard copies, keep copies on media back-ups. But make sure you don’t only rely on once source of back-up.

Same goes for passports and similar – send copies to a friend in a sealed envelope, with instructions that the envelope is only to be opened on your instruction or death. Send your wills, etc in the same fashion.

Until you have been faced with the utter total devastation bought about by these fires, you think it can't and won't happen to me. Fine you may never be affected by a fire of such force and destruction BUT................ you may lose you phone, your hard-drive may fail.

Here are two posts with similar messages on my other blog . I don't care where in the world you are - remember everything fails once, even the best laid plans.
Back Up, Did I say Back-Up?
How Safe is the Data in Your Safe?