A Community Protection Plan for Guerilla Bay

Thank you to Kelwyn White, Community Protection Planning Officer, Batemans Bay for writing this article and doing all the consultation work

In October 2011, I began work on the Guerilla Bay Community Protection Plan (CPP) as one of four initial trial locations in NSW. Working in the Customer Service Centre in an area that wasn’t familiar to me was a huge change to doing community engagement at a District/Zone/Team office. With that in mind I knew that unless I built rapport with the community, local Brigades and the District, and developed those trust networks, consultation with the community would not be successful.

The Guerilla Bay community are familiar with the CPP concept as they had a Village Bushfire Mitigation Plan implemented about five years ago. I made contact with a community member that lives in Guerilla Bay, who was heavily involved with the development of the Village Bushfire Mitigation Plan and also contacted a member of the Malua Bay Rural Fire Brigade. These meetings were a great starting point. These two people introduced me to the Guerilla Bay community and provided me with contacts in the community I could consult about the CPP.

I then made contact with the President of the Guerilla Bay Association, giving them written information on what a CPP was and what it would provide for the Guerilla Bay Community. I asked the Association to promote the CPP to residents and arrange a community meeting. The Association set the meeting date and forwarded invites to all members. From there I was in regular contact with the President of the Association as we prepared to take the CPP to the community. Making contacts and getting some background information on the community was an important step to take before doing any other consultation.



Bush Fire Preparation Map, Guerilla Bay

The next step was to meet with the local Malua Bay Rural Fire Brigade. I introduced the concept of CPPs and discussed the existing Village Bushfire Mitigation Plan, and examples of the Survival, Preparation and Operational Maps. I asked the Brigade to:

• highlight any concerns they had with operations in the Guerilla Bay area

• explain what they would like to see on the Operational Map

• provide comment on the existing mitigation measures in Guerilla Bay

• highlight any additional work they would recommend.

This meeting was also an opportunity to encourage the Brigade to attend the community meeting in Guerilla Bay, to show their support for the community and to continue building rapport between the Brigade and residents. The Brigade was really supportive of the planning process and looked forward to seeing the finished product and how they could put the maps to use operationally, for training and for community engagement activities. They were keen to be involved in the development and to work closely with the community.

The Brigade felt that one of the big advantages of the plan was that it would provide essential local information to Brigades assisting from other areas during a bush fire. The visitors would be able to get information on asset protection zones, bush fire risk, available access etc on a far more localised map than the current Village Bushfire Mitigation Plan.

My next port of call was the Eurobodalla Bush Fire Management Committee (BFMC). I introduced the process to all the members, gave them information on the development of the Guerilla Bay CPP and most importantly collected BFMC knowledge on Guerilla Bay.

The community meeting was held in January 2012 with 60-80 residents attending. Consulting the residents is the most vital part of the planning process, increasing their understanding of their bush fire risk, providing them information that will assist in the preparation of personal Bush Fire Survival Plans and giving them the opportunity to contribute to the development of the CPP.

As residents arrived, they were asked to put a sticker on the map to identify their property. Besides allowing us to see where people were from, it gave the residents an idea of the risk to their property.

The meeting was started with a quick survey to determine the resident’s thoughts, which had interesting results:

• 97.44 % believed they were at risk from bush fires in Guerilla Bay

• 79.49% already had a Bush Fire Survival Plan

• 92.31% had taken steps to prepare their homes

• 12.82% were members of the Guerilla Bay FireWise Group

• 64.10% were familiar with the existing Village Bushfire Mitigation Plan.

We then discussed the development of the CPP. The community had experienced a fire event in September 2009. We discussed how things could have been different had the fire been at a different time of year or started in a different location. We also talked about fire behaviour, Neighbourhood Safer Places and other safer locations.

We presented the community with examples of the Bush Fire Survival Map and Preparation Map, and invited the community to come up and view the maps, draw ideas on them and write questions for us. As the community had previously been involved in the development of a Mitigation Plan, they were keen to interact and take part in the discussion. Guerilla Bay is a very informed and educated community. This twenty minute exercise encouraged robust debate and clarified resident queries. The community really appreciated the lengths we went to consult with the majority of them over the holiday period.



Bush Fire Survival Map, Guerilla Bay

Residents were very interested in safer places, as Guerilla Bay only has one access road and no Neighbourhood Safer Place. They were also very interested in warning systems, because there is poor mobile phone reception in the area. They discussed the feasibility of having some sort of formal signal, such as a flag on their letter box, to let fire fighters know that they were home and defending their property. Residents’ concerns about large logs and fallen timber that remained after hazard reductions was reduced after we explained that they weren’t a significant fire hazard on their own. Another concern was the reliability of mains water supplies during a fire.



Through this process, we learnt more about community demographics and the community’s informal plans for action during fire events. When asked about the location of vulnerable residents, everyone agreed that they didn’t want to be considered as ‘vulnerable’. It was understood that everyone knows who they are and where they live, and it was generally felt they would be looked after if a fire occurred. Following the meeting we discussed the option of mapping where vulnerable residents live, but question whether this then means that we are then accepting the responsibility to help them, which may not be possible during a fire and isn’t really the job of the Brigades.

The meeting was concluded with a post meeting survey to determine if the information presented had changed the resident’s ideas:

• 12.82% now believed they were at greater risk of bush fire than before the meeting

• 79.49% were going to review or develop their Bush Fire Survival plan

• 69.23% were going to take additional steps to prepare their homes for bush fire

• 33.33% wanted more information on FireWise Groups

• 92.31% believed that the CPP was going to enhance their own planning

• 15.38% asked for specific follow up from the Rural Fire Service.

 

After the meeting we have continued to have regular contact with the Association to distribute clarification on queries raised at the meeting, and to update them on changes to the CPP. The BFMC endorsed the CPP on 1 March 2012. We can now start promoting and implementing the plan!

Great variety of abstracts received for our 2012 Community Engagement Conference RFSFireup2012 http://ow.ly/i/tTme

Community Protection Plans FAQs

At the beginning of February we introduced you to NSW Rural Fire Service Community Protection Plans. Patrick Schell has answered some common questions about the plans...

What is a Community Protection Plan?
A Community Protection Plan (CPP) is a tactical level bush fire planning document that is being developed in response to the 2009 Victorian Bush Fires Royal Commission. A CPP presents an overview of bush fire threat for the area, the protection options available to the community as well as the current and proposed risk treatment work. This information is presented via the following three maps:

1. Bush Fire Survival Map - will include information on the potential bush fire threat, the safety of access / egress provisions, early relocation options and contingency shelter options.

2. Bush Fire Preparation Map – will provide information for land managers, fire agencies and community members on details of the existing and proposed bush fire risk treatment work for the community.

3. Brigade Operations Map - provides brigades and other fire fighting agencies with important data relevant to the community to be used for operational purposes only.

What can we use a CPP for?
The three maps produced when developing a CPP can be used for a number of purposes. The intended purpose of each map is outlined below:

 1. Bush Fire Survival Map – Can be used for engaging and educating the community on their bush fire exposure, where they can go should they decide to leave early and potential shelter options that can be used as a last resort. Information contained on this map should promote action from the community and inform the preparation of personal Bush Fire Survival Plans.


2. Bush Fire Preparation Map – A work program that will assist districts/teams/zones (D/T/Z), brigades, agencies and land managers in planning mitigation activities for a community. It should also be used to inform residents on specific risk treatment work that is being implemented to protect the community.

3. Brigade Operations Map – Can be used by brigades to inform new or out of area fire fighters on important aspects of a community that may affect fire fighting operations. Data collected during the preparation of this map could also be used when developing pre-incident plans.

Why do we need CPPs?
CPPs are being developed in response to recommendations 1-5 of the final report 2009 Victorian Bush Fires Royal Commission. These recommendations relate to bush fire safety policy and provide the impetus for the creation of the CPP framework.

There is a need to integrate and standardise the format and content of current community level plans that have been developed across NSW. There is also a need to provide guidelines, tools and resources to facilitate a consistent approach to community level bush fire planning.

What is being done in other Australian states to address this issue?
The Country Fire Authority (CFA) Victoria has developed a similar concept to CPPs known as Township Protection Plans, which can be found at www.cfa.vic.gov.au. To the best of our knowledge, none of the other states or territories have developed an equivalent to the CPP program at this stage.

How is a CPP different from a Bush Fire Risk Management Plan?
A Bush Fire Risk Management Plan (BFRMP) involves an assessment of the bush fire risk across a Bush Fire Management Committee area and establishes treatment strategies to address these risks. A CPP is a tactical document that is prepared at a much finer scale than the BFRMP and assesses the bush fire threat/exposure as well as access/egress provisions, shelter options and risk treatments for a community. CPPs will operate as the work program for an area and will also capture important information such as vulnerable communities, which can be used by local brigades and emergency services during pre-incident planning exercises and fire fighting operations.

What is the difference between a CPP and a Village Protection Plan?
In developing the framework for the CPP initiative, the content and layout of Village Protection Plans (VPPs) and other similar plans that had been prepared throughout the State were reviewed with the key principles incorporated into the guidelines. This was done to avoid potential conflicts between existing plans and ensure that the work carried out by D/T/Z and Bush Fire Management Committees in the past could be readily utilised when developing a CPP. Existing VPPs can be incorporated into the CPP and will typically form the Bush Fire Preparation Map.

CPPs, VPPs and other similar plans are all tactical bush fire planning documents that are prepared at the community level and essentially serve the same purpose. In addition, a CPP will also address matters such as the bush fire threat to communities, shelter options, access/egress provisions and provide for the collection of important data that can feed into brigade operational planning.

What are the benefits of a CPP for local brigades?
The CPP will capture important information such as water supply, location of vulnerable communities and fire history for a community. This information can then be used by local brigades and emergency services during pre-incident planning exercises and fire fighting operations. A CPP will help the brigade plan their activities and will also be a useful tool to encourage and help members of the community to take action and be better prepared for bush fires.

Who should be involved internally within the RFS when developing the CPP?
A CPP is developed by staff from the Customer Service Centres (CSCs), the district/team/zone (D/T/Z) office and members of local brigades. It is important to note that local knowledge and information will be vital to the development of the CPP and D/T/Z staff and local brigade member involvement in the preparation and implementation phase is essential. It is intended that CSC staff will act as a resource to assist the D/T/Z in preparing a CPP for communities within their area.

Who in the community should we consult when developing a CPP?
Members of the community that should be consulted during the preparation of a CPP will be identified in the CPP communication strategy. Typical groups who should be involved in the development of a CPP will include neighbourhood associations, local bush care groups and the general public. In addition, it is vital that consultation occur with other fire authorities, land managers and agencies relevant to the area through the Bush Fire Management Committee and Local Emergency Management Committee.

How long will it take to prepare a CPP?
There is no set time frame, but a Plan could be developed within a 3 month period. However, the time taken to develop the plan will depend on the specific circumstances of the subject community. The scheduling of CPPs throughout the State will be done in consultation between D/T/Z, Region and Customer Service Centres. 

What assistance is available when developing the Plan?
Generally, a CPP will be mostly prepared by Customer Service Centre (CSC) staff in close consultation with the D/T/Z office and local brigades. The role of the CSC staff is to assist the D/T/Z in developing a plan for communities within their area. The Community Planning, Community Engagement and GIS sections at headquarters can help develop and implement a CPP.

Is anyone already using a CPP?
A number of CPP pilot studies are currently occurring throughout NSW. The purpose of these studies is to trial the draft guidelines, tools and framework that have been developed for the initiative. Some of these pilots are now nearing completion and the experiences gained through these studies will inform the further development of CPPs. It is intended that a final version of the guidelines, tools and framework will be made available in coming months. However, as the CPP concept evolves, it is likely that the enhancements and modifications will occur, particularly over the initial 12 month period.

Who will be responsible for the additional work identified in the CPP and who will resource it?
The land owner/manager or relevant agency will ultimately be responsible for implementing and maintaining additional work identified through the CPP. Where possible, the NSW Rural Fire Service may help with initial implementation of this work e.g. utilising the State Mitigation Service crews to implement an Asset Protection Zone. Opportunities to link current funding programs with CPPs are being investigated.

Get your conference abstracts in: Closing this Friday

Just a friendly nudge…


This Friday (24 February) is the deadline to submit abstracts (i.e. to run a 45 min workshop) for the 2012 Australian Community Engagement & Fire Awareness Conference.

We know from previous years’ feedback that attendees particularly enjoy hearing from others within the service. If you or a member you know are considering a submission feel free to contact me for more information or to bounce ideas around.


For the submission form go to - http://bit.ly/hdXIs8


Below are some FAQs that have arisen throughout the process of collecting abstracts.
FAQs:

• Abstracts are an application to present a 45 minute workshop session at the conference. A number of sessions run simultaneously throughout the conference.

• Abstract submissions will be considered for keynote speakers.

• Submissions are reviewed and ranked by a Working Party comprised of NSW RFS members representing all four Regions.

• It is acceptable to share presenting duties with another NSW RFS member, however, we ask you to indicate this somewhere within your submission.

• If you have particular AV/IT or room set up requirements, please include this information in your submission.

• The conference program will be released after abstracts are assessed and speakers confirmed.

• You do not have to attach your presentation (PowerPoint or handouts) with your application.


If you have any questions don’t hesitate to get in touch – community.engagement@rfs.nsw.gov.au or 02 8741 5416.

Kind regards,


Nicole
Nicole Miller
Community Engagement Coordinator
Community.engagement@rfs.nsw.gov.au
02 8741 5416

Community Protection Plan overview

Many of you may have heard about Community Protection Plans and are probably wondering what they're all about, and what it will mean for your area. Patrick Schell has written an overview for us and is working on making the planning and update process as user-friendly as possible. Join us over the coming weeks to hear how the pilot has gone in Region South.

It's been almost nine months since Community Protection Plans (CPP) were initially presented to NSW RFS staff at the Community Safety Directorate Forum in Wollongong last May. Since the Forum, significant work has occurred in the refinement of the concept and development of guidelines and tools to assist in the implementation of CPPs throughout the State.

In October 2011, the draft CPP guidelines were released to Customer Service Centre staff and the pilot process commenced. It was desirable to trial the draft CPP process in a variety of environments including:

• a typical urban interface

• an isolated coastal township

• rural communities west of the great divide surrounded by a mix of vegetation types including grassland.

As such, the following areas were initially selected for a pilot study:

• Terrey Hills (Region East)
• Tingha (Region North)
• Guerilla Bay (Region South)
• Cumnock (Region West).

The above areas also represent a diverse range of community demographics in which to trial the CPP concept.

As the initial areas progressed with their plans, additional areas in which to pilot the CPP process were identified. This included two villages in the Clarence Valley local government area and the township of Dalgety in the Snowy River local government area. We are also investigating implementing a CPP in the Blue Mountains area.


The initial CPP pilots are now approaching completion and a workshop with the CPP Working Group has been scheduled for 14-15 February 2012 to resolve any emerging issues. The CPP Working Group consists of representatives from D/T/Z, Region, Customer Service Centres and Headquarters and this will be the third time that the group has met to discuss and resolve issues associated with the CPP concept.



Consulting the Duffys Forest Rural Fire Brigade about their Community Protection Plan



A key aspect that has been highlighted through the pilot studies is the involvement and input of the local D/T/Z staff and brigade members in the preparation and implementation of the CPP. Local knowledge of the surrounding landscape, community demographics, location of vulnerable communities, infrastructure (e.g. road networks and water supply provisions) and fire history is vital to the development of a CPP that is relevant, practical and addresses the specific issues of the community. Furthermore, effective engagement of residents, BFMCs and LEMCs is also proving to be a critical part of preparing and implementing a CPP.

Without the support of the D/T/Z office and members of the local brigade, a CPP becomes a redundant plan and the intended benefits to community safety will never be realised. Ultimately, a CPP should seek to provide D/T/Z staff and brigade members with tools to assist in engaging residents and increasing the overall preparedness of the community for bush fire.

Finally, it is important to note that the CPP process remains a work in progress and it is envisaged that the program will constantly evolve over time.

For more information regarding CPPs please email Patrick Schell on patrick.schell@rfs.nsw.gov.au.

Registrations Open: 2012 ACE&FA Conference

Registrations to attend the 2012 Australian Community Engagement & Fire Awareness Conference are now open!

The conference this year will once again be held in sunny Wollongong at the Novotel Northbeach from the 31st May – 2nd June 2012.

Registrations close on 16th March 2012.

As you all know, the theme for this year is FIRE UP ENGAGEMENT! – focusing on strategies for improving and enhancing internal stakeholder engagement, participation and involvement in community safety. FIRE UP ENGAGEMENT! will provide an opportunity for delegates to share community engagement strategies, programs and projects that assist our work with communities to improve resilience before, during and after a natural disaster.

Due to venue capacity restrictions, the number of conference attendees is capped. After this date you may still submit an online registration form but you will be placed on the reserve list and your attendance cannot be guaranteed.

This year all registrations will need to be completed online. Click on the below links to submit your registration.

• Volunteer Members

• Staff 

• External Organisations (i.e. non NSW RFS members)

Volunteer Members - All registrations will be reviewed by CSO/DTZ Managers so please make sure you talk to your CSO or Manager about your intent to register before submitting an online registration form.

If you have any questions please call Community Engagement team on (02) 8741 5416 or email Community.Engagement@rfs.nsw.gov.au

We look forward to seeing you in Wollongong!

Kind regards,

Community Engagement Team

NSW Rural Fire Service

(02) 8741 5416

Community.Engagement@rfs.nsw.gov.au

Trust networks part three

Inspector Eric Berry, Community Safety Officer for the Blue Mountains, brings us the final instalment of a three-part series posted over three weeks, looking at how we can use trust networks in community engagement.

Previously in this series we have discussed what a network is, how people receive information and how we might build a trust network. This final entry talks about how to use your trust network to get the results you are looking for.




The benefit of a trust network is that when you speak to them (verbally or, more likely these days, electronically) you will be listened to and your words are more likely to be acted upon. This can have great potential to produce awareness, preparation and result in safer decision-making by your community.

There’s also another benefit, almost as a by-product, that you might not have foreseen. Those you communicate with, who include you in their trust network, will then share your advice with their other trust networks and social networks, often with the suggestion that those receiving the message should take it seriously because it has come from a trusted source. In this way you’re increasing your clout, enhancing your social capital and strengthening your brand as a result of being recommended by a trusted source.

Remember the term “word of mouth advertising”? It’s the same principle.

But it takes you to make the first move. You have to start somewhere, put in a lot of heavy lifting to get things moving, and maintain your achievements at every step of the way.

Let me give you a recent example.

On Thursday 5 January 2011 we had a severe thunderstorm warning issued for our weather area. At the time, the storm cells were quite a distance away and posed no threat to our area. Later in the evening that situation changed and just after 6pm we used our email and social networks to publicise the approaching storm cell:

Friends,

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is current for the Central Tablelands area. A Number of storm cells are moving through the area.

An intense cell, currently out near Trunkey, is moving north-east towards the mid and upper Blue Mountains, including Katoomba, Hazelbrook and adjoining villages, later moving down the Mountains. Heavy rain, hail and even some flash flooding are possible, along with lightning & thunder.

For emergency help in floods and storms, ring the NSW SES on 132 500. For life-threatening emergencies, ring '000' immediately!

Stay safe, stay calm,

Eric

That was the message. Nothing panicky, nothing too formal – indeed you could say it was quite an informal message. An hour later the visitation of Thor was upon us, as the length and breadth of the mountains were impacted by a heavy storm cell. The following morning, we received some feedback from our community:

Hi Eric,
Just thought you'd like some feedback on your Thunderstorm Warning last night.

I was sitting at my computer when your email arrived with a "bing" - so I checked it out and immediately went to the BOM radar to look at the loop and found it was indeed heading our way (Wentworth Falls).

As soon as the distant thunder started getting a bit louder, I shut down. So glad I did as the lightning and thunder was some of the most intense we've experienced in nearly 16 years of living here.

Just wanted you to know there are people out there who value the service you provide.

Best regards, John

This is just one of a number of similar emails.

Why do I point this out? Because it is an example of what happens in real life. As you can see, John received our message, decided that it was important, and then went on to validate it with another “trust” source (the Weather Bureau), which is a fair call since storm warnings aren’t our main business most of the time. This is a start – people are taking notice and taking action. Now to keep building and waiting for an opportunity to test it further under bushfire conditions.

Oh and there’s another benefit too. When it comes time to involve your community in planning and preparation activities, you’ll be able to get some leverage with your existing trust networks and, if you’re doing it right, you’ll find a ready-and-willing core of people who will be prepared to get involved, even if only peripherally.

If you haven’t started yet then you should get going! You are not going to build your network overnight. Get your name and face known, start giving to your community and you too can start to build your very own trust network.

So get yourself out there!

Trust networks part two

Inspector Eric Berry, Community Safety Officer for the Blue Mountains, brings us the second instalment of a three-part series posted over three weeks, looking at how we can use trust networks in community engagement.

Part one of this blog explained networks and how people receive information. Now we discuss how to build and maintain a trust network.



To get people to act before disaster threatens, we need to become part of their “trust network”.

We often hear talk of building “community networks”, or of networking with our communities, but all too often this is either lip-service, being used to inform the community of an action we already plan to take, or it is seen as being a one-way path to get our message out to as many people as possible. We might develop information channels and processes, but if we only use them during “time of war” then they will be viewed as being yet another media release or piece of propaganda.

A true network is based on trust and, in order to do this, we must show ourselves to be worthy of that trust and truly make it a reciprocal relationship. We have to build these networks well in advance of any disaster, make sure they are robust, and most of all ensure that we are committed to using them at all times as part of our core response to any and all events.

Accept that you will never create a trust network that will get your message to all of the community, all of the time. Even “blanket” systems such as Reverse-911 or NEWS will still miss some of your target audience. Instead you need to build a diverse network that will get most of the people, most of the time.

There are many scholarly and practical guides around to help you design and implement your networks, so they don’t need repeating here. The advent of social media has provided additional opportunities for fire services (and all other emergency agencies) to connect with their communities and start building networks. Once the process has started, it must be nurtured, promoted and supported at all levels of the organisation. The best intentions will amount to nought if your networks are only used occasionally, haphazardly or as an afterthought once everything else has been done. 

What does need to be highlighted is how to connect to your community to create these networks. Your community must learn to trust you and your organisation – if you like, your “brand”.



Warragamba Dam Fest 2011

The most important thing you can do is be yourself. People like to identify with an individual within an agency, so someone must be the public face, voice and fingers. This person (or indeed persons), identified either by choice or by circumstance, has to be given the freedom to build on the other steps required to build the trust relationship.

Join us for part three of this series on trust networks to find out how to use trust networks to achieve action.

Trust networks

Inspector Eric Berry, Community Safety Officer for the Blue Mountains, brings us the first instalment of a three-part series posted over three weeks, looking at how we can use trust networks in community engagement.

Part One: Networks and how people receive information
Part Two: How to create and maintain a trust network
Part Three: Achieving action through your trust network 

How trusted are you?

We all trust people. Some of us trust more than others and some of us are more selective on who we trust. Often this is based on the relationship we have with that person, their history of reliability and how disposed we are to their beliefs, thoughts and opinions. We are also automatically distrustful of some groups. This might be because of their history, their position or role in our community, or because their opinions are at odds with our own.

When we hear some important news, we will usually seek out the opinions of those we trust – our “trust networks”. We’re seeking to validate the external information, check with our peers to see how they rate it, and then use that rating to inform and prioritise any further belief, reaction or lack thereof. In a nutshell, if our “trust network” validate the information, we are far more likely to act on it, with the reverse being true if they place little or no stock in it.

What is a network?

In this context we are discussing social networks rather than IT networks, although for those of you with a tech fetish you will see that there are some similarities. For our purpose, we use the definition of a network as:

“…individuals or organisations which are tied together by friendship, common interest or beliefs, family or societal links etc…”[1].

A Trust Network is a social evolution of this, extending the definition to:

A group of connected people who rely on each other to identify or validate information, news, actions or opinions, regardless of whether their information or opinion is reliable.

The density of these networks and social relationships indicate a society’s resilience and ability to collectively resist external threats[2], especially those that are unexpected.

Let me give you a couple of hypothetical examples.

We usually trust our family. We’ve known them for a long time, they’ve (usually) been truthful with us and have our best interests in mind. Generally we might also share some of the same beliefs and opinions on things that we believe are important, such as religion or politics.

We usually trust our best friends – after all they wouldn’t be our best friends if we didn’t trust them. Once again we have a long-term relationship with them, share common thoughts and interests, and know we can turn to each other both for advice and in times of crisis (indeed this is often when you find out just how good a friend someone is).

We usually don’t trust politicians. In our community we see them as remote, because we generally don’t have a relationship with them, and we expect that all politicians will at some time tell a fib, or go back on their word. Statistically speaking, we also distrust journalists, car salesmen, and telemarketers.

These same statistics tell us that we do trust paramedics, firefighters, nurses and those in other professions who may help us when there is trouble[3].

Here is where we have a double-edged sword for emergency services and, especially, fire agencies.

How people receive information

Whilst our message is good, great, or even of life-and-death importance, we are seen through a filter of mistrusting the messenger.

We rely on journalists to relay our information to the public. Once the information leaves the Rural Fire Service we have little control on how it is used, or if it is used at all.

A broadcast warning through traditional media channels, even when backed up by the reporting of its origin being with the fire services, may create awareness but may not result in informed, life-saving decisions and action.

Language is also important. Messages need to be, timely, interesting, with adequate detail,  and easy to understand.



Our communities will hear our message, but may not act on it until they have validated it within their trust networks. Often we will hear afterwards that, upon hearing a warning message, people will contact others within their trust network, such as a neighbour or family member, to discuss the warning and what, if anything, they should do about it. They might do this up to four times before acting, even if the message conveys an urgent warning.



Telephone tree: http://www.artfulcare.com/communication/telephone-tree



Additionally, they might also “look for themselves” to gain the desired level of validation. This can include activities as varied as looking out a window (if I can’t see smoke the fire isn’t going to trouble me) or contacting a local fire station or fire service website. This is advantageous, as they can still see the fire services as a trusted party, however if this takes time, or is unavailable, then precious time can be lost before action is taken or indeed none taken at all (due to lack of validation).

Thus when we ‘go to war’, our message loses a lot of its impact.

Join us next week for part two of this blog about trust networks, and find out how to build and maintain a trust network.

References:

[1] Berry, 2011.
[2] The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia by Jim Scott
[3] Australia's Most Trusted Professions 2010 (Readers Digest) http://www.readersdigest.com.au/most-trusted-professions-2010-press/

Go on, show off!

Have you thought about submitting an abstract for the 2012 Australian Community Engagement & Fire Awareness Conference? Last year’s attendees told us they especially liked hearing other volunteers speak.

Abstract submissions are expressions of interest to present one of our workshop streams (which run for approximately 45 minutes) or you may like to submit a poster or short video. All submissions will be reviewed by a Working Party of volunteers who will help us shape the conference program.

Why don’t you share your successes? What have been the biggest challenges and how did you overcome them? Any programs that are working well?

If public speaking gives you the horrors, why don’t you share the duties with another volunteer? This site has some great public speaking tips - http://bit.ly/9qgLbY.

Get cracking as the deadline is 24 February. For more information and the abstract paperwork go to http://bit.ly/hdXIs8.

Online registrations (to attend the conference) will take place soon. Standby for more information. Once the form is posted we’ll let you know.

Kind regards,



Nicole Miller

Community Engagement Coordinator

NSW Rural Fire Service

Community.engagement@rfs.nsw.gov.au