Get Ready now for a challenging bush fire season

Summary

The NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) is encouraging residents to drop by their local fire station this weekend and talk about how to prepare their homes and families for the bush fire season as part of Get Ready Weekend 2017.

More than 500 NSW Rural Fire Brigades will host events across the state on 16-17 September, featuring firefighting equipment displays, information stands and workshops held at community venues such as shopping centres, local parks and fire stations.

NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said Get Ready Weekend is a great opportunity for families to get to know their local firefighters and find out about the fire risk in their area.

“We’ve seen in the last few days how quickly fires can develop and threaten homes and lives, so it’s a timely reminder to get ready,” Commissioner Fitzsimmons said.

“The first step in getting ready is knowing your risk, and local brigades can help this Get Ready Weekend.

“They can also provide valuable advice on preparing your home and family, and making your bush fire survival plan.

“The dry and warm conditions mean we’re facing a potentially dangerous bush fire season – so now is the time to get ready”.

The top four tips to getting ready for bush fire season are:

  • Discuss what to do if a bush fire threatens your home
  • Prepare your home and get it ready for bush fire season
  • Know the bush fire alert levels
  • Keep all the bush fire information numbers, websites and smartphone app handy.

More than 540 brigades will be taking part in Get Ready Weekend this weekend, with a range of displays, demonstrations and activities for families. Find out about local activities at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/getready

Apple smartphone and tablet users should ensure they have the latest version of the NSW RFS Fires Near Me app by tapping Updates in the App Store while Android owners will need to delete the old app and download the new version via Google Play.

Attached files:

Contact Name: State Duty Media Officer

Contact Phone: 02 9898 1855