It has been a busy month for Glenhaven Rural Fire Brigade. We have been able to assist our neighbours in The Hills and Hawkesbury to restore some normality to their lives by helping with storm damage, assisting the police/SES man their emergency phone lines, participating in flood cleanup, and working as part of search and rescue teams.
Training has focused on Bush Firefighter (BF) and Village Firefighter (VF) skills as we prepare some of our newer members to undertake assessments and complete their qualifications.
As the weather cools, and the environment dries out, hazard reduction burns will start to return across Sydney. Hazard reduction is just one way of preparing for bush fires – it doesn’t remove the threat of fire, and it doesn’t remove the need for you and your family to be prepared. There are different types of hazard reduction including controlled burning, mechanical clearing like slashing undergrowth or even reducing the ground fuel by hand. Glenhaven members use all of these methods to lower the risk to our community.
If there is a hazard reduction burn planned nearby, take the following steps:
- Keep doors and windows closed to prevent smoke entering homes
- Keep outdoor furniture under cover to prevent ember burns
- Retract pool covers to prevent ember damage
- Remove washing from clotheslines
- Ensure pets have a protected area
- Vehicles must slow down, keep windows up, turn headlights on
- Sightseers must keep away from burns for their own safety
- If you have asthma or a lung condition, reduce outdoor activities if smoke levels are high and if shortness of breath or coughing develops, take your reliever medicine or seek medical advice
For health information relating to smoke from bush fires and hazard reduction burning, visit the NSW Health and the Asthma Foundation websites. For more information on Glenhaven Rural Fire Brigade, follow us on Facebook.
