Do you stay and defend or leave early?

An important decision when a bushfire occurs is whether to stay and defend, or to leave the affected area early. While the intensity of each bushfire may vary and affect your property differently, you and family should have a bushfire action plan in place, well before the bushfire season begins. Your decision to stay or to leave early should not be a last minute thought. It takes careful consideration to be well prepared in both instances. 

Before making your decision, Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia (FESA) recommend you think about the following:

  * Staying to defend your property can be physically demanding. Are you physically prepared?
  * Do you own and have access to the equipment and resources to extinguish fires around your property?
  * Would you have sufficient supply of alternate water during a bushfire?
  * Is your house adequately prepared? Or is it in a location that makes it difficult to defend, such as being on a steep slope or very close to dense bushland?
  * Do you believe all your family members will be mentally prepared for the stress and the uncertainty associated with a bushfire, if you decide to stay and defend?
  * Who will be at your home if a bushfire occurs? Does your family group include elderly relatives, young children or people with disabilities or illnesses? Can they be relocated if required?
  * Will you be able to make arrangements for your pets and livestock if a bushfire occurs? Remember, animals are not allowed into a public evacuation centre.

 

Everyone's situation is different, so you will need to evaluate your own circumstances carefully. Once you have made a decision, you may like to develop a Bushfire Action Plan to ensure you are prepared. Your local fire authority's website will have some sample action plans available for you to download. Below are some website links for your reference:

NSW Rural Fire Service www.rfs.nsw.gov.au
WA Fire Emergency Service Authority www.fesa.wa.gov.au
ACT Emergency Service Agency www.esa.act.gov.au
VIC Country Fire Authority www.cfa.vic.gov.au
SA Country Fire Services www.cfs.org.au
NT Fire and Rescue Services www.fire.nt.gov.au
QLD Rural Fire Service www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au
TAS Fire Service www.fire.tas.gov.au

 

Be proactive about bushfire safety, and help keep you and your family safe this summer. 

This information has been prepared based on information provided by Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia (FESA), 2006, Make the Decision: Should I stay or should I go?, http://www.fesa.wa.gov.au/internet/upload/shared/docs/Stay_or_Go_final_06.pdf  and are to be used as guidelines only.

 


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