Approved Plan - RAL21-0008

There are a number of measures you can take to              Bushfire Advice Message – a fire has started – general
prepare your home and property for bushfire. These          information to keep you up to date.
include several preparations you must take annually
prior to the bushfire season.                               Bushfire Watch and Act Message – represents a
                                                            heightened level of threat. Conditions are changing, a
Your pre-season property preparations should include:       fire is approaching; lives may come under threat. Take
                                                            appropriate action.
ƒƒ   Displaying a prominent house number.
                                                            Bushfire Emergency Warning – is the highest level
ƒƒ   Ensuring there is adequate access for fire trucks
                                                            message advising of impending danger. It may be
     to your property – 4 metres wide by 4 metres high
                                                            preceded with the Standard Emergency Warning
     with a turn-around area. Reduce vegetation loads
                                                            Signal (SEWS).
     along the access path.

ƒƒ   Mowing your grass regularly.
                                                                      An Emergency Warning
ƒƒ   Removing excess ground fuels and combustible
     material (long dry grass, dead leaves and                        means there is a threat
     branches).                                                        to lives and protective
ƒƒ   Clearing of leaves, twigs, bark and other debris                     action is required
     from the roof and gutters.
                                                                             immediately.
ƒƒ   Purchasing and testing the effectiveness of gutter
     plugs.

ƒƒ   Trimming low-lying branches 2 metres from the
     ground surrounding your home.
                                                            When a bushfire strikes
ƒƒ   Enclosing open areas under your decks and floors.      You have made your decision to PREPARE ACT SURVIVE
                                                                                                                 



                                                            You have prepared your property before the fire season.
ƒƒ   Installing fine steel wire mesh screens on all         You have made your Bushfire Survival Plan. You have
     windows, doors, vents and weep holes.                  practised your Bushfire Survival Plan.
ƒƒ   Pointing LPG cylinder relief valves away from the      A bushfire is threatening? What do you do?
     house.
                                                            ƒƒ   Know the FDR for any given day.
ƒƒ   Conducting maintenance checks on pumps,
     generators and water systems.                          ƒƒ   Regularly check the FDR on the Rural Fire Services
                                                                 website at www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au.
ƒƒ   Checking that you have sufficient personal
     protective clothing and equipment.                     ƒƒ   Monitor your media outlets for warnings on
                                                                 bushfire activity.
ƒƒ   Relocating flammable items away from your home
     including woodpiles, paper, boxes, crates, hanging     ƒƒ   Seek out information if you have to, and do not
     baskets and garden furniture.                               assume that you will receive a warning.
ƒƒ   Sealing all gaps in external roof and wall cladding.   ƒƒ   Leave early or stay according to your Bushfire
                                                                 Survival Plan.
ƒƒ   Checking that the first aid kit is fully stocked.
                                                            ƒƒ   Act decisively in accordance with your Bushfire
                                                                 Survival Plan.

Bushfire Alerts                                             ƒƒ   Do not adopt the ‘wait and see’ option.

If you receive an emergency warning about a bushfire or
other emergency, take notice as it could save your life.

There are three types of alert messages to help you
make the right safety choices:




                                                                                                                       7
                                                                               PREPARE ACT SURVIVE
                                                                                                       


[OCR of page images]
There are a number of measures you can take to
prepare your home and property for bushfire. These
include several preparations you must take annually
prior to the bushfire season.

Your pre-season property preparations should include:

= Displaying a prominent house number.

= Ensuring there is adequate access for fire trucks
to your property — 4 metres wide by 4 metres high
with a turn-around area. Reduce vegetation loads
along the access path.

= Mowing your grass regularly.

= Removing excess ground fuels and combustible
material (long dry grass, dead leaves and
branches).

= Clearing of leaves, twigs, bark and other debris
from the roof and gutters.

= Purchasing and testing the effectiveness of gutter
plugs.

= Trimming low-lying branches 2 metres from the
ground surrounding your home.

= Enclosing open areas under your decks and floors.

= Installing fine steel wire mesh screens on all
windows, doors, vents and weep holes.

= Pointing LPG cylinder relief valves away from the
house.

= Conducting maintenance checks on pumps,
generators and water systems.

= Checking that you have sufficient personal
protective clothing and equipment.

= Relocating flammable items away from your home
including woodpiles, paper, boxes, crates, hanging
baskets and garden furniture.

= Sealing all gaps in external roof and wall cladding.

= Checking that the first aid kit is fully stocked.

Bushfire Alerts

If you receive an emergency warning about a bushfire or
other emergency, take notice as it could save your life.

There are three types of alert messages to help you
make the right safety choices:

SEE

Bushfire Advice Message — a fire has started — general
information to keep you up to date.

Bushfire Watch and Act Message — represents a
heightened level of threat. Conditions are changing, a
fire is approaching; lives may come under threat. Take
appropriate action.

Bushfire Emergency Warning — is the highest level
message advising of impending danger. It may be
preceded with the Standard Emergency Warning
Signal (SEWS).

An Emergency Warning
means there is a threat
to lives and protective

action is required
immediately.

When a bushfire strikes

You have made your decision to PREPARE.ACT. SURVIVE.
You have prepared your property before the fire season.
You have made your Bushfire Survival Plan. You have
practised your Bushfire Survival Plan.

A bushfire is threatening? What do you do?

= Know the FDR for any given day.

= Regularly check the FDR on the Rural Fire Services
website at www. ruralfire.qld.gov.au.

= Monitor your media outlets for warnings on
bushfire activity.

= Seek out information if you have to, and do not
assume that you will receive a warning.

= Leave early or stay according to your Bushfire
Survival Plan.

= Act decisively in accordance with your Bushfire
Survival Plan.

= Do not adopt the ‘wait and see’ option.

PREPARE.ACT.SURVIVE. 7 7