‘Get Ready’ this bush fire season

The NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) is calling on all residents to plan and prepare for the fire season this Get Ready Weekend.

NSW RFS Superintendent Paul Metcalfe said all residents can take simple steps to get themselves and their properties prepared.

“Over recent weeks, our firefighters have seized upon favourable weather to conduct vital hazard reduction burns across the state. Now it’s the community’s turn to get their property in order to better protect their home and their loved ones,” Superintendent Paul Metcalfe said.

“As many of us are under stay-at-home orders with the current COVID-19 restrictions, it is the perfect time to take the necessary steps to plan and prepare for this fire season.

“Getting ready doesn’t have to be onerous and is quicker than you think with some of the most simple tasks making a significant difference.”

• Cleaning out your gutters is just one of the things every household should do to protect against fire.

Superintendent Paul Metcalfe said there are five simple steps you can take to reduce your bush fire risk,

1. TRIM overhanging trees and shrubs.

2. MOW grass and remove the cuttings.  Have a cleared area around your home.

3. REMOVE material that can burn around your home (e.g. Door mats, wood piles, mulch)

4. CLEAR and remove all the debris and leaves from the gutters surrounding your home.   

5. PREPARE a sturdy hose or hoses that will reach all around your home.

Most importantly, you should have a five-minute conversation with your household and ask if threatened by fire - when will you go, what will you take and where will you go?

“Get Ready Weekend, which will be held over the weekend of 11 and 12 September, is the ideal opportunity to take that action,” Superintendent Paul Metcalfe said.

COVID-19 restrictions will see local NSW RFS brigades move online to host Get Ready Weekend events.

Residents can check in on our Facebook Page, North West Zone Rural Fire Service and find out about the bush fire risk in your area.

This year, all Get Ready Weekend events will take place online, including:

·        Online Meetings and Facebook Live events

·        Social Media Campaigns

All events for Get Ready Weekend can be found at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/getready.