January 8, 2013
With more extreme fire weather just around the corner – and the Tasmanian fires a reminder of what can happen – it’s timely for another look at some Bushfire Basics:
Bushfire Survival Plan
Do you have a Bushfire Survival Plan?
Your survival plan should detail how you would prepare and what action you would take if threatened by a bushfire.
The QFRS say a well-prepared home has an increased chance of survival in a bushfire.
The plan must be written down and practised and should take into consideration the ages and physical capabilities of everyone in the household, including children and elderly residents.
On days of catastrophic and extreme fire weather, the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service advises that people leave the area well in advance of any fire (the night before or early in the morning is recommended).
- Download a copy of the QRFS Bushfire Survival Booklet here (1.7Mb PDF)
Emergency Warnings
Do you know Queensland has adopted the new national Fire Danger Rating Index?
This includes two new levels of “severe” and “catastrophic”.
There are three types of alert messages – “Advice”, “Watch and Act”, and “Emergency Warnings”.
- “Advice” messages keep people informed and up-to-date with developments on a fire.
- “Watch and Act” messages advise people to take action to prepare and protect themselves.
- “Emergency Warnings”, accompanied by a siren sound effect on TV and radio, advise that you must take action immediately as you will be impacted by the fire.
Useful Links
