By Jim Mynard
COUNTRY Fire Authority community safety manager Dave Baker has called on residents to plan for the fire season.
Mr Baker said part of good planning for the summer season included knowing when to leave if the decision was to go on fire days.
He said leaving your home at the last minute during a bushfire, when visibility was low and road travel hazardous could have life threatening consequences.
“Don’t wait to see flames before deciding to leave your home.
“People sometimes adopt a wait and see attitude and stay too long to see what will happen,” he said.
Mr Baker encouraged residents to use existing road networks if they did intend to leave prior to fire starting in the area.
“Use of fire access tracks may hinder efforts of firefighters and may be exposing residents to additional risk of being caught out by the fire front.
“We know that leaving late is a deadly option,” he said.
“Never attempt to flee as a fire approaches.
“If you haven’t prepared properly and find yourself in this circumstance, grab whatever you can such as mops and buckets to extinguish small fires.
“Shelter from radiant heat inside your home while the main fire passes.
“Stay alert and when it is safe to leave, after the fire passes, move to safety.
“Many people decide to stay with their home and there are many examples of people who have successfully defended their home during a bushfire.
“However, defending a home takes many hours of physical work under fairly strenuous conditions.
“You need to be physically and emotionally able to cope.”
He warned against going around roadblocks to return to your property during a fire.
“Road blocks are in place for a reason and you put yourself and those who attempt to rescue you in unnecessary danger.
“To get ready for a bushfire, people in areas of high fire risk are advised to prepare a Bushfire Survival Plan.
“This is a well thought out plan about how you will prepare and respond to a fire in your area.
“Part of this Bushfire Survival Plan is deciding if you are going to leave early on a high fire risk day, before a fire threatens and road travel becomes hazardous, or stay and actively defend your property.
“Listen to the radio and keep contact with neighbours and watch for smoke.
Further information is available on 1800 240 667 or www.cfa.vic.gov.au
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