Glenhaven Rural Fire Brigade recently held our ‘Get Ready Day’. Thank you to everyone who visited the station and spent some time learning about our activities and what you can do to prepare your home and family for the upcoming Summer. As well as firefighting, Glenhaven Brigade is also assists in times of flood and with storm damage, so we encourage all residents to prepare for fires, flood and storms which can impact our community.
The statutory Bush Fire Danger Period runs from 1st October to the 31st March. We have been busy preparing our vehicles for assessment at the Hills District Operational Readiness day. We will also conduct a brigade-based member competency day in October to ensure everyone is ‘fire fit’. In addition to this, training last month included a pile burn on a local property. This gave some of our newer members a chance to experience and observe ‘live fire’ and the way it interacts with fuel and the environment.
A big initiative of the RFS and other emergency services nationwide is the introduction of a simplified fire danger rating system. The new Australian Fire Danger Rating System has been developed using the latest science to be more accurate and relevant to where you live. The new system will be used across the country, so whether you’re at home or traveling, you will see the same ratings being used.
The new Fire Danger Ratings have four levels instead of six – Moderate, High, Extreme and Catastrophic. When there is minimal risk, such as when it’s raining, ‘No Rating’ will be used. This is the white wedge sitting under Moderate.
Instead of the current system using just bush and grass to determine the fire danger, the new system will use eight different types of vegetation – making it more accurate.
We are also looking forward to the roll out of computer aided dispatch, which will help the RFS respond faster and more efficiently to any incidents in the area.
For more information on the new Fire Danger Rating System, or for advice regarding getting your home ready this Spring, visit www.rfs.nsw.gov.au. To learn more about Glenhaven Rural Fire Brigade, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
