If you live in a bushfire-prone area it is essential that you know how to prepare for a bushfire - and there are many ways both individuals and communities can do bushfire preparation to minimise risk. Below is information on how to prepare for a bushfire by creating a bushfire survival plan as a community, what to do during a bushfire and what to do after a bushfire.
For over 100 years Save The Children has been keeping children safe from harm, providing aid during & after emergencies and running programs that focus on giving all children safe & happy childhoods with the opportunity to reach their full potential. We believe every child deserves a bright future. We have grown into the world's leading children’s organisation helping millions of children and their families in over 117 countries. Below is advice on how to prepare for a bushfire for you and your community through a bushfire safety plan, what to do during a bushfire & what to do after a bushfire.
Creating a bushfire survival plan as a community
Bushfire preparation as a community is one of the best ways to decrease the risk of bushfires & increase resilience as it encourages more cooperation in the community and ensures not just individual properties are prepared but the wider area as a whole. By working together you can achieve more effective planning and develop community-wide systems before, during and after bushfires to keep people safe and aid more effective recovery. Community-wide bushfire preparation also enables more support, awareness & education around bushfires.
A community bushfire survival plan means that everyone has a clear idea of what they need to do. Everyone knows what resources, support and systems are in place such as how & where to monitor alerts to stay up to date.
Here are some actionable ideas around preparing for bushfires as a community and developing a community bushfire safety plan:
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Create a Bushfire Ready Group and appoint a Bushfire Ready Facilitator (e.g. volunteer firefighter) and a street coordinator who assists your local Facilitator by promoting & organising activities within their street to encourage participation
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Determine how often and when the community can meet to discuss, plan and prepare
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Arrange support & guidance from local Fire Services personnel
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Gain an understanding of where the risks are in the community
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Determine what supplies and equipment are needed at a community level and where evacuation areas or centres will be in the community
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Provide education about what families should include in their emergency kits
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Ensure you have systems & communication channels in place and that everyone knows about these and how to access them
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Provide advice and education on how to prepare properties before the bushfire season
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Reduce the risk of bushfires by planning community initiatives such as burn-offs and creating fire breaks
What to do during a bushfire
Being in a bushfire can be extremely stressful. Try to stay calm, avoid making panic-driven decisions, and keep to your Bushfire Survival Plan. You must stay connected and up to date with local alerts & statuses from emergency services so you know what to do and when to act. This ensures you and your family have the best chance to act early and leave for a safer place.
The most important thing is to make sure you & your family leave your home before it’s too late. Leave early and make sure you know the safest route to get to your designated safe location (this is information you should include in your bushfire safety plan).
What to do after bushfire
After a bushfire, ensure you stay informed and continue to monitor alerts as there can often be flare-ups after a bushfire has gone through. Wait until you have been given the all-clear to return home by emergency services and ensure you & your family are mentally and emotionally prepared for the changes to your home and community.
Reach out to community supports & services that may be available to help with the recovery process. If your home has been lost or severely damaged look into emergency accommodation that is available in your area and ensure you keep your friends & family notified of where you are. Bushfires can be an extremely traumatic experience, especially for children. Reach out to services that can provide support for your and your family’s mental wellbeing.
If you do return to your home, only enter it if it has been declared safe by a building inspector. You will most likely need to reconnect services that may have been disconnected during the fire and also bear in mind that water may have been polluted so ensure you and your family have safe drinking water.
Contact your insurance company to report any damage or loss as soon as you can. If you are a tenant, notify your landlord of any damage.
If you have pets or livestock, make sure they have adequate water, food and shelter - and tend to any injuries or trauma they may have suffered as soon as possible.
Donate to children and families impacted by bushfires
When a bushfire happens, we provide immediate aid to children and their families and stay for as long as we are needed throughout the recovery process. We make sure children have safe places to play & learn and implement initiatives that support their ongoing mental health & emotional wellbeing.
To support us in continuing the work we do to help children and their families impacted by bushfires make a single donation today or become a monthly giver. Donations over $2 are tax deductible.