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

 

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