CFS News
Last weekend the Cherry Gardens brigade joined other appliances from Sturt Group to inspect some of the fire tracks in our area. These tracks wind through thick scrub and are often steep and difficult to traverse, especially in a heavy fire truck. It’s important that our drivers familiarise themselves with these roads in case we need to use them to get access to a fire burning in remote country. It’s also a chance to get a look at the state of the scrub around our area – how thick it is, how quickly it’s drying out – so we can be better prepared and forewarned to face the oncoming fire season. Of course it’s not just the CFS who needs to prepare for the oncoming season.
If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to clean up around your house and garden to reduce the chance of a fire taking hold.
- Cut long grass and weeds,
- clean leaves from gutters and roof spaces,
- get rid of rubbish piles around the garden.
Cleaning up can make all the difference should a fire occur.
And if you haven’t already, make a bushfire survival plan. This plan should outline what you need to do to help safeguard your property and what actions each member of your family will take on fire risk days and if a fire threatens. See the CFS website at cfs.sa.gov.au for more information.
It’s also important to consider whether the CFS will be able to access your property should the need arise.
Our trucks generally need a clear space 3.5 meters wide by 3.5 meters high in order to get through. You can make our job easier by cutting back overgrown vegetation and ensuring there are no obstacles that might stop us getting to your property quickly.
If you don’t own one already, now would also be a good time to consider purchasing a petrol or diesel fire pump and connecting it to a rainwater tank or setting it up next to a pool. In the event of a fire it’s unlikely mains water will be available and having an independent source of water could make all the difference between losing and saving your property.
Hopefully this summer will be incident free in our area and beyond, but it’s always best to be prepared!
Your Cherry Gardens CFS Brigade would like to thank everyone for your continuing support throughout last year. It is very much appreciated.
Stay safe, hope everyone had a great Christmas and all the best for 2018!