Happy New Year

Today is the 1st January 2010 and you feel horrible,

It’s midday (I know) even if you don’t. You drank too much last night. The kids are squealing for breakfast, which could possibly pass for lunch.

Your head hurts, you can’t find the panadol! Did I really kiss Bob from next-door last night?

What was I thinking LOL

Oh well, it’s a new year, it’s a new start, thankfully you have some time off.

Do you take the kids to the beach? Take them to the pool or sit under the air-conditioning and just let them play on the computer?

All choices you have to make, but try turning the computers off, try turning the play stations off. See if you can go one day without technology.

You might actually find your kids and start touching base with them and communicating with them and not sending the dinner reminder via MSN!!

Alright – remember new year, new start even if it is something as simple as sitting down to dinner as a family at the one table and turn the Television off!

Good luck.

I’ve was never so scared

It was Thursday, the 26th November 2009, a storm warning was issued for Melbourne, I had been talking to people about a dust storm and then decided to check the BOM site for weather warnings. A storm warning had been issued, and no sooner had I sighted the warning, than it was upon us.

I rang my daughter, she is about 30km further north than where I am located and told me that she was okay but thinks the house had taken a direct lightening hit, as the door frames had turned blue and although she was shaken, she was okay. It was absolutely bucketing and windy. She was hanging up the phone to mop up the water that had entered the house. I was unsure as to how the water had entered to house. That was the least of my concerns.

I tried to ring back some 5-10 minutes later to check how everything was going and there was no answer. Tried the mobile. No answer. My heart is in my mouth. I’m sure as a parent – you are feeling worried also.

Ringing, ringing, ringing, no answer. Getting more worried as the seconds tick past. Start ringing the neighbours. No answer there either, start ringing the mobiles. No answer. I am seeing my house going up in smoke, with the neighbours trying to rescue my daughter.

I hit the panic button and ring my husband, telling him to get home NOW. There is no answer on any phones, the neighbours aren’t answering, the house was flooded. My imagination is running well and truly in overdrive.

Can’t leave work, the nation-wide servers have crashed, the phone system is down. Everyone is panicking!

Finally people from the street start calling/texting. Daughter is okay, the house is fine. 50mm of rain in 15 minutes,. Nothing could be heard apparently. Landlines are down, minor flooding, not sure about the roof, but daughter is alive.

(I had images of her, laying on the floor in a pool of water, dead)

By the time I get home, some 5 hours later, water cleaned up, roof not holed, one landline down, the other the only working one in the street. Neighbours are queuing up to use the phone to report the faults. It’s now Monday mod-morning and still no landlines, or internet.

But everyone is alive and well

(Update - phones re-instated Tuesday, apparently the lightening literally fried the wires in the ground, only left strands not bundles of wires! Still no strike site visible, but was extremely close)

Are you prepared to stay and defend or do you need to leave on “CODE RED” Days

Ask yourself these questions:-
1. Are you physically fit?
2. Are you mentally able to cope with the noise and possible devastation?
3. If you have children, do you have someone outside the area who can look after them?
4. Is your block surrounded by cleared lands?
5. Is your house roof clear of overhanging trees and branches?
6. Are you able to get onto the roof and block the gutters?
7. Is your house built on relatively flat land?
8. Is your house on a slab OR stumps? If stumps,is underneath of your house clear?


These are SOME of the things you MUST consider, There are many other factors to determine if you go or stay. It is not for me to determine your choice. Only YOU can make that choice.

If you answered Yes to the above Questions – then it is possible you have a better chance of saving your property.

If at any time in the past you have suffered from asthma or a heart condition, I believe you have to leave. I can’t stress this enough. The air is thick with smoke and flying embers, the heat is unbearable.

Here is a re-cap of all my posts over the last couple of weeks, from what to do and what not to do.
Things not to do when a bushfire is approaching
You can feel a sense of de-ja vu in the air
Things NOT to do when confronted by a bushfire
The Fire Season and the Procrastinator

Things to do months, weeks, years ahead of an approaching bushfire
Are YOU prepared for a bushfire?
Be Prepared or Prepare to Die
The threat of bushfires, your family and particularly home alone children
Children in the care of others, during CODE RED bushfire danger days (Victoria, Australia)
CODE RED affected schools (Victoria, Australia)
Fire bunkers – are they safe?
Caught in Car During a Bushfire
Animals and Bushfires

If you don’t feel able to stay and defend, leave, tell your neighbours, take your valuables with you, take your animals with you.

If you have water, let the local CFA know that you have water, if you are able – sign post that water, so the CFA are able to locate it. Don’t be selfish, it could be your house they are trying to save.

Take care and remember that the fire season of 2008/09 cost the lives of many and taught those that survived how to make survival a little easier.

Do not let their lives be in vain. Remember life is precious and family more so.

Take care out there

"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

The threat of bushfires, your family and particularly home alone children

From the time my children could understand I have drummed into them need for them to be aware of their surroundings, to be able to think outside the square, to be able to survive in this dog eat dog world.

I grew up in an area that one day would burn due to a bushfire – it was only a matter of time before fiction became truth. That time was Feb 7th 2009.

I was in the middle of the fires, one way or another, I don't wish it upon anyone, but that is not why I am writing this post – My darling daughter on the day was home with us on that day and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. We had the cars packed and ready to go – we had organised the elderly neighbours to leave with us in our cars. My intentions were to allow my 17yo to drive her car with one neighbour and I would take my son and another couple with me and then I would return once everyone was safe.

Thankfully it didn’t get to that – touch wood – we were very lucky.

What makes me write this is that my children are older 17yo and 12yo and sometimes we will leave them at home together. I have drummed into them from the time they could understand that if a fire threatens. Go to the dam, someone will come and get you.

My daughter said “when do we go?” – My response - When you can see or smell smoke. I said take a picnic and go down – take the woollen blanket and sit under the trees. Eat, go swimming, someone will come and get you.

“What happens if the fire comes?” – My response, Get in the water and wait for someone to come.

“What about the house?” Response, don’t worry about the house, we can build a bigger and better one when we get the insurance money.

“Who will come and get us?” Response - mum or dad.

It was some weeks after the fires and my daughter and I were driving through a fire affected area and randomly she said “Thanks mum for telling me about the dam, I wouldn’t have thought to do that. I felt safe knowing that someone would come and get us and that I knew what to do.”

My daughter lost many friends from her school in the fires of Black Saturday, I lost many people that I know also, but it is harder for children, even older ones.

Just writing this has bought tears to my eyes. Thinking of what has been,. What might have been, what was.

Please have a fire plan ready, to cover all eventualities. Make sure your children and family know how to contact you if the mobile towers no longer work. Organise a meeting place, somewhere where EVERYONE knows to call/go to in an emergency.

Discuss it openly. Don’t think ‘Oh, its okay we talked about it last year.’

Talk about it NOW. Talk about it often. Sometimes in times of stress you forget long ago conversations. Keep it fresh in everyones’ minds