THE Tathra Rural Fire Service will hold extensive community activities over the weekend of September 12-13 as well as the week leading up to it.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Tathra RFS captain Adam Wiggins said the purpose of the “Get Ready Weekend” was to encourage people to plan to take action, preparing themselves and their family in the event of a bushfire in the area.
“Our fire units, and many of our volunteer firefighters will be out and about for the week and weekend having conversations with community members by holding a number of events on the Saturday - whether at local shops, clubs and sporting events - and a fire station open day on Sunday, September13,” Mr Wiggins said.
“It is the first year the NSW RFS is combining a state-wide Get Ready Weekend and open day into one weekend of activity.
“The weekend is all about action.
“We want the public to attend our events or get involved so that they make a plan, prepare their home and prepare their family.
“It's about starting the conversation, promoting the importance of having a plan and explaining there are simple steps to help people prepare,” he said.
Community members who attend events or get involved in other ways can also go into the running to win an iPad.
Bushfire plan now online
THE NSW Rural Fire Service Bush Fire Survival Plan is now available as a mobile app, as well as a hard copy download online.
Tathra RFS captain Adam Wiggins said the “MyFirePlan app” is the new and easy way of making your Bush Fire Survival Plan.
“It includes tips on how to prepare yourself, your family and your home,” he said.
“It also lets you know the current fire danger rating for your area.
“A Bush Fire Survival Plan can help you make important decisions about what to do during a fire - like when to leave, what to take and what to do with animals.
“The fact is many people have died during bush fires because they've left their decisions to the last moment,” he said.
The rural fire service urges people to ask themselves these questions:
- Do you live within a few streets of the bush?
- Does your area have a history of bushfires?
- Do you have many trees or shrubs around your home?
- If you need to leave your home, would you need to travel through bush land?
- Is your Bush Fire Survival Plan more than one year old?
Mr Wiggins said if the answer to any of these questions was ‘yes’, then a Bush Fire Survival Plan should be made now
“Planning to make a plan is not a plan”, he said.
“Making your Bush Fire Survival Plan is probably easier than you think.
“Sit down and talk about it with your family so everyone knows what to do if a fire happens.”
The Bush Fire Survival Plan guide and document can be downloaded and printed from www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/resources/factsheets.
The MyFirePlan smart phone application is available for iPhone, iPad and Android devices from the iTunes store and Google App store.
Hard copies are available on Tuesday nights from the Tathra RFS station between 7-8.30pm.
