This article appeared in this edition of National Emergency Response
(The AIES newsletter.) Have contacted Jenny & received the info / course
pack. It looks very, very good, & is almost exactly what I have had in mind
for my area for a long time. It neatly fills the gaps between the published
CFS material and the reality of planning to stay and defend.
Pack consists of
Attachment A - Outline for Presenters
Attachment B - Display Items
Attachment C - Check List for Information Session
Attachment D - Gutter Sand Bags
Attachment E - Power Point slides as referred to in Attachment A
She is happy/keen to see this community education spread far & wide.
Recommend all interested contact her & get the info. It's good gear.
cheers
AJ
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Fire Fighting for Non Fire Fighting Women
Jenny Filmer OAM
As fire agencies we want an educated public who understand the risks and are
prepared to take part in the protection and safety of their community. A
concise, comprehensive program was developed to target non-firefighting
women who found themselves in rural homes during bush fires. Knowledge
allowed them to make choices prior to the event, contribute to the fire
fighting effort, and reduced the psychological impact of wildfire.
In 1993 I developed a program for rural areas called "Fire Fighting for Non
Fire Fighting Women". This was later renamed "Fire Fighting for Non Fire
Fighters" as it soon became apparent that many people in addition to women
required the information delivered in this program.
The aim was to deliver practical information to rural or semi rural women
who found themselves at home on the farm, after their men had driven merrily
out the gate to man fire brigade units, yelling to their wives "Don't worry,
I will be back". The women were left with the responsibility of protecting
the house and out buildings, the children, stock, pets and often visitors.
They had little knowledge of the realities of what would happen when a bush
fire approached their property, or what they could do.
The Program
The program is a one day event, presented locally, preferably in a rural
home, with a specification of no children. This is essential as there is a
large amount of information to absorb and even one fractious child can
disrupt the whole group. Childcare can be arranged if required.
The program requires the presenter to study the area, be well informed, and
be a knowledgeable, practical fire fighter who can answer questions off the
cuff. You have to know the fire threat, fire history, access and egress,
local risks and the community you are addressing. Attachment A outlines the
program for presenters, Attachment B lists items to be displayed and
Attachment C gives a quick analysis of the area. The presenter needs to be
able to answer questions, basic or complex, and apply practical solutions to
the particular community they are addressing.
Timeframe and contents
The program is delivered in one day. The morning session is theory,
covering:
a.. fire behaviour (applied to that particular area);
b.. effect of weather;
c.. the local brigade and their vehicles;
d.. what happens when a bush fire approaches a house (noise, embers,
smoke, visibility);
e.. how houses burn;
f.. protective clothing for families - most women do not know you can
buy it yourself;
g.. what services will not be available (no power - you need a portable
pump; keep your mobile phone charged);
h.. the need to address well before hand the people who will be in the
house (should they stay or go);
i.. the difference between a two way radio and a scanner;
j.. how to use a two way radio, listen and interpret scanner
information;
k.. smoke - what it looks like when it is burning particular vegetation,
where it is, and how it can indicate fire behaviour;
l.. what happens to the fixtures around houses when a fire goes through
and what you do about it (ie gates are hot, plastic pipes burn and melt,
wear gloves);
m.. children - give them a job (look after the pet/toys etc); make sure
all their toys and pets are inside (nothing will get a child outside quicker
than the pet rabbit or doll on the front lawn, and then you will not be able
to find that child due to the smoke);
n.. emergency pack - food, water, new games or toys for children (buy
them at the beginning of the season and put them away - if you don't use
them that year give them as presents in the future);
o.. how to plumb a petrol pump into your house line. I give full
instructions on how to buy and plumb a petrol pump into a home water system
and say if they have trouble call me. Nothing gets a man to install a
petrol pump faster than the threat of their wife doing it;
p.. How a pump works, what to do about a cantankerous pump (typical
problems);
q.. Sand bags for down pipes. A gutter sand bag pattern (Attachment D)
that will cover all sizes of down pipes is supplied. Rural dwellings often
have different size down pipes and the sand bags are fun to make and work
well. I suggest people make the sand bags with their children prior to
summer, use them to play games and then put the sand bags away where they
know where they are. This is an opportunity to talk to children about the
family fire plan in a fun environment. Make enough sand bags for all down
pipes. You can make the sand bags out of rag material and when it is time
to use them place them in plastic bags and put them over the down pipes in
the gutters. They will retain water in the gutters for many hours;
r.. Tell women how to clean the gutters. Depending on the roof line I
tell them it is very peaceful on the roof - no one asks you to do anything;
s.. Mapping - how to read a map and what it means to them for fire
behaviour in their area;
t.. Know their rural address and how to call for help. Advise them to
place the rural address next to the phone as it may not be one of their
family that is making the call.
u.. Visitors - how to prepare them and give them a job;
v.. Where to be in the house when the fire approaches;
w.. What to do if you are caught in a car (emergency cover) and look at
where you would not go in the area (eg pine forests);
x.. Emergency contact with family (pre-plan) - how you will make
contact, where you will go, children's school etc;
y.. Spot fires and how to report them;
z.. How to put water on a fire;
aa.. Patrol the house after the fire front has passed;
ab.. What will happen when the fire front impacts on the house;
ac.. Pets - how to look after them in a fire, what to prepare to move
them, where they will go if they are evacuated;
ad.. Evacuation - what will happen.
This information is not drawn from a training handbook but prepared
specifically for the group being addressed. Questions are asked by
participants through the whole session.
Practical session
In the afternoon the local brigade attends with one or two fire fighting
vehicles. This session focuses on the practical aspects of pumps, water,
radios, and personal protective clothing. You need only a few good fire
fighters who will assist the women to have a go with the equipment. You do
not want fire fighters who will take over. This is a session for the women
to practice in a non threatening environment.
Contact details
At the close of the day give local contact numbers and your contact details
for follow up questions.
This program is designed to empower people to make informed decisions.
I hope you draw from this the knowledge and know what you have to do. If
you are an informed, knowledgeable fire fighter you have to get up and out
into your community and give them that knowledge. Don't make convenience of
delivery your highest priority - but have a vision with passion that if your
area faces a major fire you will have done everything in your power to make
that community safe.
Jenny Filmer OAM
Lake George Zone
NSW Rural Fire Service
Phone: 02 6297 1840
Fax: 02 6297 0068
Email: Jenny.Filmer@rfs.nsw.gov.au
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