Arthurs Creek & Strathewen Rural Fire Brigade

Now that fire restrictions have been lifted and we're all keen to clean up our properties, please remember to register your burn-off. This helps us from being turned out unnecessarily, and calm people's concerns when they see a fire.

1800 668 511

From our Captain Andrew Alford

Hello community, the fire season is upon us and as I write this, our Tanker 1 and crew are fighting the Lancefield-Cobaw fire. The season looks like another dry hot one with weather forecasts not in our favour. So this is the time to get your homes and properties ready. If you are going to have a burn off, pick the right weather (overcast wet days please). Most importantly register your burn off by ringing 1800 668 511. This saves emergency services traveling to false alarms. When you are preparing your burn off, think carefully about the size of your pile and have fire protection equipment on hand in case things don’t go as planned .

A date to put in your diary is the pre-season BBQ at the station on the 29^th November, starting 5pm. A great chance to catch up before Christmas and the hot weather.

Be safe, plan ahead.

Training

Recent training events organised by Training Officer Warren Rees have included Breathing Apparatus scenarios and clandestine drug laboratory information, in conjunction with Whittlesea CFA, two members travelling to Bangholm  for skills maintenance, a First Aid refresher course to keep members’ skills up to date as well as our own training scenarios. Training is a very important facet of our activities as ‘practice makes perfect’ and Warren does an enormous amount of work to ensure we include a wide range of scenarios in our training schedule.

Competition

The brigade took part in the Walter Stutchbury Memorial Trophy competition at Plenty. The competition involved two events, the first being a timed race between two teams who each had to bowl hoses, make connections, run out lengths of hose and squirt targets. With the help of some Plenty CFA members to fill our team we managed to come fourth after this event. The second event was to extinguish a burning pile of hay using our knapsacks, rack hoes and a water fire extinguisher. As we were several members down we were relegated to last after this event. Walter Stutchbury was a former Group Officer and his wife presented the trophy to Plenty CFA -the winning team.

Turnouts.

The brigade was called to a motor vehicle incident recently – in the middle of the First Aid refresher course.

Juniors

After a break for the school holidays, Juniors start up again on 14^th October. Last term Juniors learnt about map reading, the phonetic alphabet, equipment CFA use and also some fun stuff. This term we will refresh these skills and learn about knot tying, fire safety and protection around the house, personal safety and other fire fighting skills.

Juniors is held on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at Arthurs Creek fire station 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm. Juniors does not run in the holidays or on Code Red days. New members are welcome anytime or feel free to come down for a chat and see what goes on.

For further information contact Matthew Gravette - Juniors Leader or Tony Tulipano via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Community Safety/ Auxiliary

Warren Rees organised an evening for the Auxiliary to demonstrate the use of fire extinguishers. There was also an opportunity to practice using a water extinguisher and a fire blanket on a cooking oil fire. Discussion was held about the importance of having a fire extinguisher and a fire blanket in the home, mounted in an easily accessible place, should a fire break out.

Useful Contacts

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Brigade website: www.arthurscreekcfa.org.au

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ArthursCreekCFA

Burn off registration: 1800 668 511 -  Registering a burn off can save the brigade from an unnecessary callout.

Primary

• This summer we are expecting above average temperatures which will result in more hot, dry, windy days than usual. Bush and grass will be very dry and fires will start more easily and burn faster and with more intensity.
• You're at risk of fire this summer if you live near bush, grassland or coastal scrub. You need to understand your fire risk and know what to do.
• Talk to your family and friends about the fire risk where you live and make plans for what you'll do on a hot, dry, windy day.
• Leaving early is the safest option to protect yourself and your family.
• If the Fire Danger Rating is Code Red, Extreme or Severe, you're risking your life if you wait and see what happens. Leaving early is the safest option to protect yourself and your family.
• It's up to you to stay informed. Check the Fire Danger Rating for your area every day and act to protect yourself and your family by leaving early on hot, dry, windy days.
• Don't wait and see. Leaving late is risky, it means that a drive that normally takes a few minutes could take hours and you may not be able to get out at all.
• Don't rely on an official warning to leave. Bushfires can start quickly and threaten homes and lives within minutes.

Secondary

• On hot, dry, windy days, fires can start and spread quickly.
• Fire Danger Ratings are not a weather forecast – they tell you how dangerous a fire would be if one started. The higher the rating the higher the risk.
• If you rely on others for care or support, you need to leave before days where the Fire Danger Rating is Code Red, Extreme or Severe – don't wait to receive a warning.
• Waiting to see what happens and then leaving late means driving your family through smoke, fallen trees and powerlines, and facing the risk of being trapped or worse. Choose the safer option of leaving early and protect yourself and your family.
• Warnings are issued when a fire has started and you need to take action. Make sure you are aware of and understand the three levels of warnings and what they mean.
• There are three different levels of warnings – Advice, Watch and Act and Emergency Warning
• If you hear or see and Advice message it means there is a fire in your local area. You need to get information and monitor conditions.
• If you hear or see a Watch and Act message fire is heading toward you. Conditions are changing and you need to start taking action now to protect yourself.
• If you hear or see an Emergency Warning you are in immediate danger and need to act now. You will be impacted by fire.
• Don't expect warnings to be issued in any particular order. The first warning you hear about could even be an Emergency Warning.
• Always use more than one source for warnings. Go to emergency.vic.gov.au, download the FireReady App, check CFA's Facebook page and Twitter, listen to local radio or ring the Victorian Bushfire Information Line on 1800 240 667.
• If you have a hearing or speech impairment you contact VBIL via the National Relay Service on 1800 555 677. Or if you don't speak English call 131 450 for translated information from VBIL.
• Prepare yourself, your family and your property before summer. Prepare yourself and your family by understanding your risk, deciding what you are going to do and by packing important documents, photos, medications, money and clothes so you can leave with ease before a fire starts. Prepare your property by removing firewood, dry leaves and other rubbish from around your home.
• Preparing your property before the fires season is the best way to reduce the impact of fire on your home.
• Keeping your gutters clean, clearing leaves, small twigs and other flammable items from around the property as well as cutting back branches on trees and shrubs help reduce the amount of direct flame contact and radiant heat on your house.
• You should prepare your property even if your plan is to leave early on hot, dry, windy days.
• Know your survival options and what you are going to do if you are caught in a bushfire.

'10/30' Rule & '10/50' Rule

The 10/30 and 10/50 rules exempt landowners from needing a permit to remove vegetation on their property in bushfire-prone areas. Check if '10/30' or '10/50' applies in your municipality at cfa.vic.gov.au/clearing.

What is the 10/30 rule?

If 10/30 applies in your municipality, you will not need a permit to remove, destroy or lop:

• Any vegetation, including trees, within 10 metres of your house
• Any vegetation, excluding trees, within 30 metres of your house

The 10/30 rule only applies for vegetation on your own land.

The 10/50 rule

If this rule applies in your municipality, you will not need a permit to remove, destroy or lop:

• Any vegetation, including trees, within 10 metres of your house
• Any vegetation, excluding trees, within 50 metres of your house

The 10/50 rule only applies for vegetation on your own land.

The fenceline vegetation rule

• If this rule applies in your municipality, you will not need a permit to remove any vegetation for a combined maximum width of four metres either side of a fence between your property and a neighbouring property.
• Note that this rule only applies to you if the fence was constructed before 10 September 2009; AND you have the neighbour's permission before undertaking any works.
• Check if the fenceline vegetation rule applies in your municipality at cfa.vic.gov.au/clearing

New homes

• Homes built after 10 September 2009 will need a permit to clear vegetation no matter where they are located. Contact your local shire or council for more information.
• Note that houses that are replacements for a home damaged or destroyed by bushfire between 1 January 2009 and 31 March 2009 are entitled to clear vegetation according to 10/30 and 10/50.

If you're travelling this summer, check the Fire Danger Rating for your destination at emergency.vic.gov.au before you go and when you arrive, and listen to local radio for warnings and advice while you're on the road

Download the FireReady app, bookmark emergency.vic.gov.au, and save the Victorian Bushfire Information Line number – 1800 240 667 – into your mobile phone. Make sure your mobile phone has a fully charged battery

Climate Outlooks for October to December 2014

• Drier than normal October to December is more likely for large parts of eastern Australia and parts of northwestern Western Australia.
• Warmer than normal days expected over most of Australia, mostly likely in Tasmania.
• Climate influences include warmer than normal temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean and a neutral Indian Ocean Dipole.
• More information

Seasonal Climate Outlook - August to October 2014 outlooks

• Southeastern Australia rainfall: Drier period more likely for some parts of southeastern Australia
• Southeastern Australia temperature: Warmer season likely for most of southeastern Australia

RRDS (Regional Radio Dispatch Service) Update

2014 Emergency Services Project Expo - Sunday 14 September

• Invitation
• Poster

Operations Bulletin:

• 003/2014 - Crew Protection Awning Stowage

From the Chief Officer:

• 14 Aug: Regional Radio Dispatch, Appointment of Assistant Chief Officers, Transition from 8 Regions to 5, Deputy Chief Officer Joe Buffone Moving On, Joint Recruit Course
• 14 Jul: Post Season Review, Fire Awareness Awards, Mental Health, Volunteer Survey
• 3 Jul: Specialist Appliances, Emergency Management Victoria, Training Centre Opens

From the CEO:

• 12 Aug: Federal Court update – appeals process
• 11 Aug: New Directors for Emergency Management Victoria
• 5 Aug: Creating Our Future Together - Assistant Chief Officer appointments
• 15 Jul: Kilmore East trial brought to an end
• 10 Jul: Operational Staff Agreement Update
• 7 Jul: Fiskville Update #35
• 2 Jul: Inspector General for Emergency Management (IGEM)
• 1 Jul: CFA welcomes Emergency Management Victoria

Other:

29 Jul: Director OT&V: Sessional instructors to provide more flexible training

This is an interesting development coming out of the SCC.

Emergency Management Common Operating Picture (EM-COP) Intro from State Control Centre Victoria on Vimeo.

EM-COP will be rolled out to the emergency management sector in Victoria over the next 12 months - more to come soon!

Seasonal Climate Outlook - July to September 2014

• Southeastern Australia rainfall: Drier July to September period more likely for New South Wales
• Southeastern Australia temperature: Warmer season likely for southeastern Australia

North & Western Metro Region Newsletter: Winter 2014

From the Chief Officer:

• 27 Jun: Thank You, Farewell & Good Luck; Victorian Emergency Management Training Centre

Other:

27 Jun: Creating Our Future Together update