Last week we launched our first electronic newsletter 'Engagement Matters' targeting NSW RFS members who participate in Community Engagement activities, or for those who are thinking they might like to become involved in Community Engagement! We have received some really positive feedback about the articles so I am going to share some of them here on our blog.
The first one is an article from Frances who is a member of the Canyonleigh Brigade. I was privileged to attend one of her Training days and it has been one of the highlights of my first year at NSW RFS. Frances inspired me. Her passion, her energy, the teamwork displayed on the day and the effectiveness and simplicity of the components of the training were simply awesome!
I hope you enjoy the article.
Cheers
Tanyia
Manager, Community Engagement
NSW RFS
Women's Fire Awareness Program
Supporting Women in Canyonleigh
…Providing knowledge and practical experience to help women make informed decisions. The decisions include leaving early and the real risk and preparation needed should they stay and defend. The training day also aims to ensure all participants have a greater awareness of fire behaviour and leave at the end of the day having started their Bush Fire Survival Plan…
A Fire Awareness Training day dedicated solely to the women of the Canyonleigh community has been offered by our local Brigade for the last 8 years. The training day targets women who are at home alone or with children while husbands or partners worked out of the area. These groups were identified as one of the higher at risk groups within our community. It was also acknowledged that women are generally the custodians of their family’s safety and even if they cannot physically drive change, with the right information they will take responsibility for it.
Our local newspaper. We maintain an active presence in “Canyonleigh Chronicle”, our local newspaper which comes out every 2 months. Throughout the year we try to keep up the community aware that we live in a fire prone area by including bush fire related articles. These cover such topics as;
• Presence at community activities. Brigade members often run sausage sizzles at community events which give us the opportunity to talk to people, and if interested in a training day, getting their phone number to contact them later.
On the Day
Back in 2002 when the program started, the training involved putting out spot fires, wearing the correct protective clothing, pump practise and property visits to discuss protection around the home. It was run by brigade members.
The program today is very much the same, with the only essential difference being that the training is now facilitated by women from within the brigade. One of the women has lots of practical bush fire fighting experience whilst the other has adult education experience. Many brigade members help throughout the day and are available to answer questions.
Getting People to the Training Day
Advertising the program takes a lot of effort and publicity. Some of the key marketing activities we use are:
Our local newspaper. We maintain an active presence in “Canyonleigh Chronicle”, our local newspaper which comes out every 2 months. Throughout the year we try to keep up the community aware that we live in a fire prone area by including bush fire related articles. These cover such topics as;
* What the brigade is up too
* Information such as the new Fire Danger Rating meter
* What people need to be doing to protect their homes through the winter
* Advertisements for new brigade members
* Fire Awareness Training Days and articles written by people who have attended a Training Day.
• Utilising women’s networks and school networks. We ask women as they register or show an interest if they know anyone else who might benefit from the Training Day. Women’s networks are very strong which has prompted other brigades in our area to start asking about Canyonleigh’s Women’s Fire Awareness Program.
• Presence at community activities. Brigade members often run sausage sizzles at community events which give us the opportunity to talk to people, and if interested in a training day, getting their phone number to contact them later.
• A notice is put up at the General Store.
• One of the other key activities that we use to get people to attend the day is a follow up phone call after some interest is shown. Follow-up phone calls are very involved and include talking to possible participants about the day, what they can expect and what they need to wear to put out spot fires. During the phone call we also try to find out if they have a Bush Fire Survival Plan and whether they find out the Fire Danger Rating each day during fire season.
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| Part of the 'Getting to Know You' exercise |
It is an 8.00am start with tea and coffee and “Getting to Know You” activities to allow people to settle into the group situation. From the moment people pull up in the car park someone greets them and walks them inside and introduces them around. Some of the “Getting to Know You” activities include butchers paper put up around the room with some really basic questions such as ‘My favourite pets name is . . .’ or ‘My favourite dessert is . . ‘ and ‘Today I am hoping too . . . .’. As participants are waiting for others to arrive they can wander around the room and write on the butchers paper rather than just sit at a table and wait.
We start off by covering topics such as fire behaviour, weather and our local topography and vegetation. We show footage of the Canberra fires and discuss what we’ve seen.
This leads onto protective clothing and the opportunity to get out of our seats and dress our manikins, Nigel and Audrey appropriately. Then we discuss the new Fire Danger Rating meter and some of the statistics and recommendations as a result of the Victorian Fires.
Part of the discussion is around people's decision making process regarding staying and defending or leaving early. We talk about the pressures that people may feel when making this decision. Here we start to review the Bush Fire Survival Plan and discuss the risks of not having a Bush Fire Survival Plan that everybody in the household is familiar with and the benefits of practising this plan regularly.
We then provide a simple morning tea with fruit and fruit cake with beverages. It is a chance for people to ask questions and think about some of the information they have learnt.
Between morning tea and lunch we do Bush Fire Survival Plans and a “to do” list for Property Preparation. The NSW RFS material is used for these activities.
Lunch is a sausage sizzle (gold coin donation) which male brigade members cook whilst we are at work!
After lunch we simulate a fire experience by blacking out the windows, turning the air conditioner up to maximum heat, getting people to dress in their protective clothing including cloths around their mouths, and finally through amplified speakers play the sound of a fire approaching. This exercise is aimed at getting participants to appreciate (in a very small way) how stressful and challenging defending a property could be.
Once dressed in their protective clothing, amidst the heat and noise we ask them to continue working on their Bush Fire Survival Plans – a simple task again that is complicated by the heat and noise.
The group is then sent out again to put out the spot fires. This time you can see them start to work as a team and in a more orderly manner. The group has a better understanding of what is involved and what is effective in putting out spot fires.
The participants also get to put out a kitchen fire and learn the risks of not doing this properly.
Pumps are then explained by a brigade member including maintenance issues then everyone practises priming pumps, turning them on and off and using the pumped water to put out larger spot fires. Hose sizes and friction are also discussed and experienced.
At the end of the day we specifically discuss how to keep informed about the Fire Danger Rating, such as the radio, NSW RFS web site and talking to friends nearby. We do an evaluation and organise property visits for those who are interested one month later to assist with property protection ideas.
There is a secondary value to going to their property and undertaking a property inspection with them. It increases their knowledge and awareness so they will talk to their friends and family when visiting their properties as well.
At the end of the day it is interesting to see who is still going to Stay and Defend, who is going to undertake more property preparedness and who will now be completing their Bush Fire Survival Plans. This is also followed up when we attend for a property inspection.
Some feedback from past participants
• Most helpful: action plan guide and practical demonstrations of spot fire fighting & pump use.
• Having come - actually thinking about a plan (instead of on the “get round to it” list).
• Seeing/using/starting a fire pump (never seen one before).
• Meeting local RFS Members – do feel more comfortable to contact for help/advice.
• This course has made me aware of how real and scary situations can be. It has shown me how to prepare my house, property & myself to survive if a fire comes through.
• BIG THANK YOU! For your time, knowledge and friendliness.
• Thank you for taking the time to give us all such valuable information on fire protection. It was great to have the instruction and hands on experience a month ago and especially good to have you both come and look at our homes. I am sure we are now in a better position to know what to expect and how to cope (leave early ...... !). Even if improvements and plans have not immediately been implemented, it is definitely on my mind and I feel I have a direction in mind to organise and plan for a fire event. I do so appreciate the efforts both you and your colleagues put in to protecting us, our homes and the environment.
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| An innovative way to discuss the Fire Danger Rating |
This is followed by a fun “Stress” activity to get people thinking about their reactions to stress and the unknown.
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| OK so the Brigade Captain got a bit 'enthusiastic' with his distractions! |
The activity involves getting people to sort a deck of cards with no distractions. We then get half of the group to provide distractions such as banging tables, making loud noises, yelling, running around etc. Amidst the distractions the group is asked to sort the deck of cards again. This demonstrates that a task you feel is simple can become complicated when the environment around you changes. We then talk about how this transfers to a bush fire situation. We also discuss the value and benefits of practising your own Bush Fire Survival Plan with your own household.
Finally the first session is wound up with a guest speaker from the first Women’s Fire Day 8 years ago who talks about her fire plan, evacuation kit and protective clothing and most importantly her change in attitude regarding living in a bush fire prone area. She states that attending this workshop 8 years ago was a life changing event for her and her family. Increasing her knowledge about bush fires has allowed her to put in place a long term plan for her property preparation such as installing water tanks and fuel management techniques.
We then provide a simple morning tea with fruit and fruit cake with beverages. It is a chance for people to ask questions and think about some of the information they have learnt.
Between morning tea and lunch we do Bush Fire Survival Plans and a “to do” list for Property Preparation. The NSW RFS material is used for these activities.
Lunch is a sausage sizzle (gold coin donation) which male brigade members cook whilst we are at work!
After lunch we simulate a fire experience by blacking out the windows, turning the air conditioner up to maximum heat, getting people to dress in their protective clothing including cloths around their mouths, and finally through amplified speakers play the sound of a fire approaching. This exercise is aimed at getting participants to appreciate (in a very small way) how stressful and challenging defending a property could be.
Once dressed in their protective clothing, amidst the heat and noise we ask them to continue working on their Bush Fire Survival Plans – a simple task again that is complicated by the heat and noise.
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| First time out - no team work |
Participants are then asked to move outside into the open shed where brigade members have lit a number of spot fires (in metal drums). Participants then have to use anything they can find laying around (yes we have set it up) such as mops, buckets, shovels, blankets and even small spray bottles and backpack style spray packs to put out the spot fires. This shows the group how little water is needed to put out fires and what can be used to smother spot fires.
The group also realises how easy spot fires can reignite and that the task is harder than they assumed when confronted with numerous spot fires and no awareness of what may happen.
We take the participants back inside and discuss how they found the experience of putting out the spot fires. While we are doing this the brigade members are reigniting the spot fires.
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| 2nd time out team work started to happen |
The group is then sent out again to put out the spot fires. This time you can see them start to work as a team and in a more orderly manner. The group has a better understanding of what is involved and what is effective in putting out spot fires.
The participants also get to put out a kitchen fire and learn the risks of not doing this properly.
Pumps are then explained by a brigade member including maintenance issues then everyone practises priming pumps, turning them on and off and using the pumped water to put out larger spot fires. Hose sizes and friction are also discussed and experienced.
At the end of the day we specifically discuss how to keep informed about the Fire Danger Rating, such as the radio, NSW RFS web site and talking to friends nearby. We do an evaluation and organise property visits for those who are interested one month later to assist with property protection ideas.
There is a secondary value to going to their property and undertaking a property inspection with them. It increases their knowledge and awareness so they will talk to their friends and family when visiting their properties as well.
At the end of the day it is interesting to see who is still going to Stay and Defend, who is going to undertake more property preparedness and who will now be completing their Bush Fire Survival Plans. This is also followed up when we attend for a property inspection.
Some feedback from past participants
• Most helpful: action plan guide and practical demonstrations of spot fire fighting & pump use.
• Having come - actually thinking about a plan (instead of on the “get round to it” list).
• Seeing/using/starting a fire pump (never seen one before).
• Meeting local RFS Members – do feel more comfortable to contact for help/advice.
 |
| Yes some men participated too! |
• Learning how to prepare survival kit. How real a fire can get & what to do. Experience with a fire pump. I feel more confident knowing what I learnt today.
• Realised what equipment I need and now finding it less daunting to operate on my own.
• I feel that implementing what I have learnt will make me feel safer.
• This course has made me aware of how real and scary situations can be. It has shown me how to prepare my house, property & myself to survive if a fire comes through.
• I found almost all aspects of today’s training extremely helpful. Thinking about dealing with stress levels & noise. Committing to a decision of either leaving early or stay & defend. Maintenance of fire fighting equipment I now realise is as big a priority as anything.
• Being prepared and establishing a routine of what to do in the event!
• BIG THANK YOU! For your time, knowledge and friendliness.
• Thank you for taking the time to give us all such valuable information on fire protection. It was great to have the instruction and hands on experience a month ago and especially good to have you both come and look at our homes. I am sure we are now in a better position to know what to expect and how to cope (leave early ...... !). Even if improvements and plans have not immediately been implemented, it is definitely on my mind and I feel I have a direction in mind to organise and plan for a fire event. I do so appreciate the efforts both you and your colleagues put in to protecting us, our homes and the environment.
Frances Crown
BSc, GradDip AdEd, MAppSci
Canyonleigh Rural Fire Service
For more information about the Canyonleigh Women’s Fire Awareness Training Day please email Community.Engagement@rfs.nsw.gov.au
1 comment:
Would be great to see this type of program rolled out statewide
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