Author Topic: Official bushfire warnings (Read 10974 times)

mengcfs · « **on:** December 23, 2005, 12:25:56 PM »

I was browsing the Nova 91.9 radio station website and noticed that they have a posting on one of their pages that they are Adelaide's official bushfire warning station. We listen to Nova all day at work i have not heard one bushfire warning. With the amount of warninigs issued in the past few days i would have thought i would have at least heard one! I know the ABC is very efficient in issuing warnings and this is the station the CFS advises to listen to for warnings. Have Nova done this off their own back??
Go to nova919.com.au the on air and scroll down, you will see the CFS logo.
Adam.

medevac · « **Reply #1 on:** December 23, 2005, 01:00:25 PM »

both NOVA and ABC radio are supposed to broadcast the warnings on-air... part of an agreement with the CFS

CyberCitizen · « **Reply #2 on:** December 23, 2005, 01:11:45 PM »

Yes You Can See The Page By Clicking On One Of The Nova Dude's Below

Thats BS Though, I Have Never Heard Nova Put Out A Warning Message, I Have Heard Them Talk About The Fires On The News, However Never Heard Them Read The Info Out Like On The CFS Incident Emails I Receive.

Unless They Have A More Local Radio Station For The People That Are Further Out Bush???

mengcfs · « **Reply #3 on:** December 23, 2005, 01:17:51 PM »

Nah, they don't have a regional station. And likewise i have only ever heard something from them on the normal news report. Some agreement hey.....

medevac · « **Reply #4 on:** December 23, 2005, 01:24:31 PM »

Quote from: CyberCitizen on December 23, 2005, 01:11:45 PM

Thats BS Though, I Have Never Heard Nova Put Out A Warning Message, I Have Heard Them Talk About The Fires On The News, However Never Heard Them Read The Info Out Like On The CFS Incident Emails I Receive.

i did say SUPPOSED to... lol

Firefrog · « **Reply #5 on:** December 23, 2005, 01:40:01 PM »

WOW!

If they are not broadcasting as agreed and are making the claim that they are Adelaides official Bush fire warning station does that open them up to any kind of liability if people are tuned in and not hearing the messages?

Crazy!

medevac · « **Reply #6 on:** December 23, 2005, 01:44:22 PM »

hmm... standby, im just going to confirm what i have said...

Firefrog · « **Reply #7 on:** December 23, 2005, 01:47:38 PM »

let's hope that they are broadcasting and we have just missed it!

bajdas · « **Reply #8 on:** December 23, 2005, 02:48:05 PM »

At the beginning, the bushfire warning messages were going to be immediately read upon receipt by ABC Radio 891, 5AA and NOVA. Then they are meant to be read every 15 minutes.

The CFS media announcements on the website now state "...Stay tuned to your Local Radio Station or Local ABC Radio on a battery-powered radio for more information about bushfires in your area.."

Damn, the music would have been a bit better than constant talk-back radio.

Has anyone heard the messages on 5AA ?

medevac · « **Reply #9 on:** December 24, 2005, 11:30:00 PM »

well i have followed up for y'all

apparently 5AA and NOVA FM are one and the same company (or corporation???) and althoug 5AA do read it on air,,, NOVA do not.

24P · « **Reply #10 on:** December 25, 2005, 07:35:53 PM »

Quote from: bajdas on December 23, 2005, 02:48:05 PM

The CFS media announcements on the website now state "...Stay tuned to your Local Radio Station or Local ABC Radio on a battery-powered radio for more information about bushfires in your area.."

Maybe the radio actually has to be battery powered to hear it?

kat · « **Reply #11 on:** December 27, 2005, 01:49:41 PM »

I'm not sure but I don't think the general public will take
too much notice of these warnings when they are all
written in that generic format. I think once you've heard one
or two, there is a fire burning at (fill in the blank) in a
(fill in the blank) direction and residents should blah blah
blah then you tend to switch off for the third to thirty three
hundreth times.

Interesting to note that the nasty car vs truck
that resulted in airlift at Cooke Plains the other day was,
in this bushfire orientated environment, reported by
CFS as a fire and accordingly reported in the
Advertiser as a smaller fire in bushland still uncontained.

mengcfs · « **Reply #12 on:** December 28, 2005, 07:56:34 AM »

I did notice that.
Was a bit confused. Thought maybe as a result of the MVA a fire started.
Adam

CFS_Firey · « **Reply #13 on:** December 28, 2005, 11:16:34 PM »

It was my understanding that the CFS wanted all the radio stations (and possibly all media outlets) to air the warning messages, to get a maximum audience... That makes sense to me, even if they all just say "Theres a fire HERE, switch to 891 for up to date information".
I also think that although people might not take much notice of a "generic warning", as soon as they hear a suburb close by mentioned, they would pay attention...

Firefrog · « **Reply #14 on:** December 29, 2005, 07:12:29 AM »

It does still seem strange that Nova promote themselves (on the Nova web site) as Adelaides Official Bush Fire warning station and yet appear not to be providing any warnings.

Just seems strange!

bajdas · « **Reply #15 on:** December 29, 2005, 07:52:48 AM »

Just guessing here...but maybe Nova are filtering the warnings and will broadcast a warning when the fire incident is within their broadcast area !!

They do state ADELAIDEs Official Bush Fire warning station, so maybe Nova do not believe people travel from the Adelaide metropolitan region to country regions. Maybe the people travelling might be interested in knowing of a incident before they get to the destination.

Oh well, I will drive my kids nuts in the back of the car listening to ABC Radio during a caravan holiday.

Robert-Robert34 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 29, 2005, 01:11:25 PM »

If the Country Fire Service want the new bushfire warnings system to be broadcasted on all media service outlets why not do it on AM & UHF CB radio bands as most landowners,private forestry contractors & normal people in country South Australia especially the South East carry UHF or 27MHz CB radios in their vehicles

According to the bushfire prevention & safety phamplets it says that bushfire and bushfire weather warnings are broadcasted on UHF CB Radio but i have never heard anything of the sort on UHF Channel 5

It would be good to hear a bushfire warning placed over UHF CB

Mike · « **Reply #17 on:** January 03, 2006, 06:39:54 AM »

Strange and a little disapointing. I reckon they would find themselves in big trouble if someone claimed their house burnt down and knew nothing of the fire... but were listening to nova.

hmmm.

kat · « **Reply #18 on:** January 03, 2006, 10:53:57 AM »

Quote from: CFS_firey on December 28, 2005, 11:16:34 PM

I also think that although people might not take much notice of a "generic warning", as soon as they hear a suburb close by mentioned, they would pay attention...

Yes, when you hear your town/suburb your ears might prick up. But these generic messages don't actually tell you anything beyond there is a fire burning at blank in blank direction. If its the first category then a generic message about general non incident specific bushfire safety, second category different generic message and then the generic reduced threat message.

My inbox full of these warnings has told me absolutely nothing of use or interest about the fires. I hope they are serving their purpose of alerting the local residents. But if they are used the same for fires of differing intensities and risks, the general public may well be aclimatised to them when the critical one comes along.

CFS_Firey · « **Reply #19 on:** January 03, 2006, 04:54:44 PM »

Quote from: kat on January 03, 2006, 10:53:57 AM

My inbox full of these warnings has told me absolutely nothing of use or interest about the fires.

I know exactly what you mean, they say there's a fire that "may pose a threat to public safety". How about "is burning in thick scrub, with strong wind gusts and heading towards your property" (for example).

It seems they replaced the old phase warning system because it was too complex, but have replaced it with something too simple...

Mike · « **Reply #20 on:** January 04, 2006, 06:17:57 AM »

KISS principle?

Firefrog · « **Reply #21 on:** January 04, 2006, 05:03:36 PM »

Here is some more information re Nova and 5AA, from the director of news at those stations.

Quote

Hi David

Yes we are an official bushfire warning station but the CFS has recently changed the warning system to make it less disruptive

On fiveaa we read the information messages out on air and then if there is a warning we also read that out every fifteen minutes with the siren.

However the CFS has told us that we don’t need to read the information messages out and instead include them in our news bulletins.

This is what we have chosen to do on Nova. Information messages will be written into the news telling people there is a fire in what area.

When a warning message is given to us (which means the fire is about to hit a populated area) we will be reading that on air on Nova.

While the CFS is wanting us to run the information messages it is is concerned that sometimes (like on the ABC) it gets to saturation point and effectively backfires because people go “ oh not another bushfire message” and ignore it.

By only making the Warning messages a standout people can then understand the seriousness of the situation.

CFS_Firey · « **Reply #22 on:** January 04, 2006, 10:16:56 PM »

I guess thats fair enough... Although has anyone heard a warning message on Nova? there should have been ones for Horrocks Pass, Darke Peak and Curra (Near Curramulka).

Mike · « **Reply #23 on:** January 05, 2006, 05:49:16 AM »

The benefits of asking...... cheers for that bit of ground work David.
Sounds sensible to me.

sorry CFS_Firey, cant say Ive heard one yet..... still matter of right place right time really.

mengcfs · « **Reply #24 on:** January 05, 2006, 09:21:28 AM »

Good work David.
Haven't heard a warning message on Nova once and listen to it all day in the office. Especially take note when a e-mail media release comes thru stating radio stations to read them out on air, and a page goes out to staff saying that a warning has been issued.
Adam.