Warning Call
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by Casey Neill
5 Oct 2010
Showing posts with label bushfire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bushfire. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
early warning systems
Earlier this week I went to a meeting organised by hills group, the Dandenong Ranges Community Bushfire Group, who were demonstrating the latest Early Warning System technologies.
The Group are looking for support for this infrastructure to be installed in the Dandenong Ranges. The system demonstrated is different to a typical siren system as it is voice enabled and runs via internet protocols.
The Early Warning System technology is an important part of the bushfire response, the government needs to work swiftly to investigate these modern alerting applications. We need to give fire prone communities as many options as we can to response to bushfire and Early Warning Systems are one of the tools available in response to an emergency.
The Greens support the introduction of Early Warning Systems and recognise the important role they play in assisting our communities.
The Group are looking for support for this infrastructure to be installed in the Dandenong Ranges. The system demonstrated is different to a typical siren system as it is voice enabled and runs via internet protocols.
The Early Warning System technology is an important part of the bushfire response, the government needs to work swiftly to investigate these modern alerting applications. We need to give fire prone communities as many options as we can to response to bushfire and Early Warning Systems are one of the tools available in response to an emergency.
The Greens support the introduction of Early Warning Systems and recognise the important role they play in assisting our communities.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
one year on
The 7th February, 2010, one year on from Black Saturday, is a day of contemplation and a day of remembrance. Thoughts turn to those terrible events one year ago, the tragic loss of life, the devastating loss of people’s homes and the shocking loss of wildlife and bushland.
In Yarra Ranges, where I'm a shire councillor, the fires continued to burn for weeks after Black Saturday. Our community either traumatised by the fire that had been or in fear of the fire that threatened.
The tireless efforts of the CFA volunteers were heroic, there were amazing gestures of generosity from near and far as people responded to the tragedy that was unfolding before us.
One year on, we see recovery, rebuilding and regeneration. People starting the journey to get their lives back on track, new houses being built and the bush regenerating.
Our natural environment provides a backdrop message of hope to our fire affected communities. Gum trees covered in epicormic growth, species of plants only ever seen after bushfire, mass displays of spring flowers, blackened tree ferns with their lime green fronds, all in response to fire.
It will take a long time to recover from such a calamitous natural disaster, Black Saturday has affected many people in many ways. With understanding and care people will rebuild their lives, overcome the trauma and learn to live with the memories.
At this one year mark, my thanks again to all the volunteers who went well beyond the call of duty in responding to Black Saturday and still do to this day.
I also extend my heartfelt and sincere well wishes to all those people who lost loved ones in the fires, this day will be difficult for you but know that our thoughts are with you.
In Yarra Ranges, where I'm a shire councillor, the fires continued to burn for weeks after Black Saturday. Our community either traumatised by the fire that had been or in fear of the fire that threatened.
The tireless efforts of the CFA volunteers were heroic, there were amazing gestures of generosity from near and far as people responded to the tragedy that was unfolding before us.
One year on, we see recovery, rebuilding and regeneration. People starting the journey to get their lives back on track, new houses being built and the bush regenerating.
Our natural environment provides a backdrop message of hope to our fire affected communities. Gum trees covered in epicormic growth, species of plants only ever seen after bushfire, mass displays of spring flowers, blackened tree ferns with their lime green fronds, all in response to fire.
It will take a long time to recover from such a calamitous natural disaster, Black Saturday has affected many people in many ways. With understanding and care people will rebuild their lives, overcome the trauma and learn to live with the memories.
At this one year mark, my thanks again to all the volunteers who went well beyond the call of duty in responding to Black Saturday and still do to this day.
I also extend my heartfelt and sincere well wishes to all those people who lost loved ones in the fires, this day will be difficult for you but know that our thoughts are with you.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
bushfire preparation, warnings & action – what the community thinks
Today the CFA released details of three recent surveys into community attitudes towards bushfire preparation, warnings and action.
The survey results show that significant numbers of people still plan on staying at home on Code Red days.
As a result of the surveys Emergency Services are again reminding people living in high bushfire risk areas of the importance of leaving early.
CFA and the Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner both recently commissioned research into community attitudes towards bushfire preparation, warnings and actions. A third piece of research was also commissioned by the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre into residents actions during the Black Saturday bushfires.
The CFA report shows that more than 84% of people living in high bushfire risk areas have a Bushfire Survival Plan and 94% of people recognise that they need to be self-sufficient in the event of a bushfire.
Most alarming was that almost one in three people surveyed (31.3%) plan to stay at home on Code Red days. Of these respondents 25 percent of said there would need to be a fire before they considered leaving their home.
This is a dangerous decision to be making, the last place to be when there is an active fire is on the road trying to escape and on a Code Red day conditions are guaranteed to be treacherous.
The weather conditions on Black Saturday were ferocious and resulted in a tragic loss of life, natural assets and built assets. Code Red days are, by their very nature, fierce and extreme weather days, it is not safe to be in an area of bushfire risk on these days let alone on the road.
I urge people to think very carefully about their fire plans on these days, it is extremely dangerous to stay in your home on these days.
If you’d like to read a summary of each of the three research papers released today click here, for a full copy of the reports click below:
http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/documents/Benchmark_Report_Dec09.pdf
http://www.oesc.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/OESC/Home/Working+with+Communities/OESC+-+People+Movement+During+Bushfires+Research+REVISED+PDF
http://www.bushfirecrc.com/publications/downloads/Mail-Survey-report-10-1-10-rt-2.pdf
The survey results show that significant numbers of people still plan on staying at home on Code Red days.
As a result of the surveys Emergency Services are again reminding people living in high bushfire risk areas of the importance of leaving early.
CFA and the Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner both recently commissioned research into community attitudes towards bushfire preparation, warnings and actions. A third piece of research was also commissioned by the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre into residents actions during the Black Saturday bushfires.
The CFA report shows that more than 84% of people living in high bushfire risk areas have a Bushfire Survival Plan and 94% of people recognise that they need to be self-sufficient in the event of a bushfire.
Most alarming was that almost one in three people surveyed (31.3%) plan to stay at home on Code Red days. Of these respondents 25 percent of said there would need to be a fire before they considered leaving their home.
This is a dangerous decision to be making, the last place to be when there is an active fire is on the road trying to escape and on a Code Red day conditions are guaranteed to be treacherous.
The weather conditions on Black Saturday were ferocious and resulted in a tragic loss of life, natural assets and built assets. Code Red days are, by their very nature, fierce and extreme weather days, it is not safe to be in an area of bushfire risk on these days let alone on the road.
I urge people to think very carefully about their fire plans on these days, it is extremely dangerous to stay in your home on these days.
If you’d like to read a summary of each of the three research papers released today click here, for a full copy of the reports click below:
http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/documents/Benchmark_Report_Dec09.pdf
http://www.oesc.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/OESC/Home/Working+with+Communities/OESC+-+People+Movement+During+Bushfires+Research+REVISED+PDF
http://www.bushfirecrc.com/publications/downloads/Mail-Survey-report-10-1-10-rt-2.pdf
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
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