SA Country Fire Service

Media release

<Message Starts>

DEVELOP A BUSHFIRE SURVIVAL PLAN NOW

29/10/2013

The Country Fire Service (CFS) is encouraging South Australians to update their Bushfire Survival Plans or develop a new one, before the start of the Fire Danger Season.

CFS Director of Preparedness Operations Leigh Miller said preparing a plan during Bushfire Action Week will help people to take appropriate action ahead of a bushfire and avoid making last-minute decisions that could become fatal.

"A Bushfire Survival Plan essentially forms the basis of a step-by-step process to help make decisions to safeguard a property but more importantly, deciding what actions each family member of a household will take on fire-risk days when threatened by a fire," Mr Miller said.

"If you're making decisions when a bushfire threatens, then it's too late."

Mr Miller said most people die in bushfires while trying to flee their homes at the last moment.

"A practised Bushfire Survival Plan helps people to remain focussed in difficult situations. Decisions about whether to stay and defend a property or to leave early should be part of that plan," Mr Miller said.

He said regardless of the decision, a backup plan is also recommended for things that may not always turn out as expected.

"Unexpected things can occur in an emergency, which makes it important to have a plan that will work in different situations. For example, the plan should consider the Fire Danger Rating of the day, whether different actions will be taken during the week when the family is at work or the children are in school compared to if it's a weekend."

information about Bushfire Survival Plans and preparing a property by establishing a defendable space between a house and the bush, is available on the CFS website.

"The website also has a Household Bushfire Self-Assessment tool to help householders calculate the minimum defendable space distance to a property," Mr Miller said.

The Fire Danger Season will start on November 1 in six of the state's 15 Fire Ban Districts with the others to follow over four weeks.

Bushfire Action Week runs from Sunday 27 October to Saturday 2 November with more details on the CFS website at www.cfs.sa.gov.au


<Message Ends>

Media information
For media enquiries call the CFS Media Line on 08 8115 3531.

Government of South Australia