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