We bought our block on Cove Boulevarde in 1987 and completed building our house in 2000. We have spent a large part of the bushfire season here ever since 1987. We have never experienced a catastrophic fire, but we have come close. This year the signs are all there for a very risky fire season.
We have had numerous early season fires. They are usually local and start over near the highway or near Bulga Creek. There have been January fires at Pindimar/Bundabah that have put smoke and ash all over the Cove. There have been two fires just south of Bundabah that have burnt right up to the edge of the water- see the attached photo. And there have been fires that have cut off the access road to North Arm Cove. Another large fire to the southwest jumped the Karuah River and was heading our way until a change in the wind direction. We have just been lucky that a fire has not reached our doorstep.
It has been surprising how many people in the Cove have not even been aware that there was a fire burning between us and the highway. One resident told me that he did not know that there was a fire about 10 years ago until someone from across the water at Pindimar rang him to ask how he was coping. The access road was already cut and it was too late to leave.
We have had a couple of occasions when fires further away were a problem. Once was when Mum had pneumonia and the smoke was a huge issue. Another time we had visitors for lunch who were going to drive back to Sydney. They had to stay overnight as the M1 was closed due to fire.
We may get little warning if a fire starts between us and the highway. It could be dry lightening without rain. It could be the idiots who let off firecrackers in the bush over New Year or the car that is set alight near the highway. It could be a campfire in the non-urban area, or kids playing with fire, or it could be bad luck from the spark from a passing car or truck. The scenarios are endless. And our local volunteer fire brigade may not be here, but off fighting a fire or attending an accident somewhere else.
Everyone needs a plan about what to do in an emergency. It could happen in the middle of the night and we may not have the time to leave. If you are given notice, are you going to stay? What will happen to your pets if you are at work or out shopping and can’t get back? What will you take with you if you have just a couple of minutes to decide? What about your neighbours, are they OK? If you decide to leave, where will you go? You may not have a choice about whether to go north or south, so two alternatives are needed.
At our fire preparedness meeting at the beginning of August, we were told that every household should have a plan and a grab box. We were also told that, if you decide to stay and fight the fire, you need to make sure you have the physical and emotional resilience to cope. Only you can decide, but the advice to most people is to leave, and leave early. Bob and I will be following this advice, and if we have the time, we will take the caravan with us.
One piece of advice I was given many years ago is to put copies of all your personal documents on a USB stick and leave it with a family member who lives somewhere else. Another thing to do is go around your property and photograph/video everything so that you have a copy if you have to make a claim on insurance. You need to take several photographs of every room including inside all the cupboards, plus pictures of all the outside structures, including fences and sheds.
The other thing you can do is get the emergency apps on your phone or other devices. One is called Emergency Plus. It gives you quick access to triple 0, SES and Police. It also tells you your exact location by address, latitude and longitude and also by a three word phrase linked to your location. Hazards Near Me is a Service NSW app that you can set to notify you in the case of a local emergency. I have mine set for a 20km radius from North arm Cove, but you can modify it according to your individual circumstances.
We also need a committee to organize an emergency plan for the entire village, especially for the situation where we are cut off from emergency services. We already have two volunteers. Pindimar/Bundabah and several other villages already have working groups, so we would not need to start from scratch. Some things to think about would be:
How will we make sure that everyone is aware of the situation?
How do we look after our elderly and infirm? Do we need a list of people who may need help?
If it is holiday season, what do we need to do about warning the people in B and B’s and camping?
Is water evacuation using private jetties a possibility?
If the Community Hall is a place of refuge, who will unlock the doors?
If people are suffering breathing difficulties, what can we do to help?
Are there any measures that can be taken to reduce the risk of a fire starting locally?
As shown by recent events overseas, we must make sure that our community has the information and power to look after itself in an emergency. If anyone is interested in being on the committee to help prepare a community emergency plan, please contact Bob Reid on 0419 475496.
