Vital we learn from tragedy of Black Saturday
It was the darkest day in Victoria's history and one that we never
want to see repeated.
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Bushfires sweeping the state of Victoria. |
Black Saturday, on February 7, 2009, saw bushfires sweep the state
and claim the lives of 173 people. Thousands more lost their homes and
communities were devastated.
And as authorities warn of an approaching fire season that will be
even more dangerous than the last, it is imperative that we learn the
lessons from last summer in order to avoid another tragedy.
The Royal Commission into the bushfires handed down its interim
report specifically to allow for authorities, communities and
individuals to better plan for the fire season ahead.
The commission has made a series of recommendations that will mean
changes in the way we approach fire safety.
Some of those recommendations involve the management of fire
emergencies. While not directly critical of fire services (that may come
in a later report), the interim document does note that trying to
co-ordinate responses to 12 fires from a central point did not work. The
commission recommends handing control back to the local level.
As anticipated, the CFA's 'stay or go' policy will be overhauled to
place the emphasis on the 'go' as the safest option.
More than 100 of those who perished on Black Saturday had sought
refuge in their homes.
Communities have been urged to identify safe refuges, golf courses,
football grounds and the like - which, in the event of a fire, would be
a priority for CFA personnel to protect.
The report also recommends a clearer fire danger scale, perhaps on a
level similar to cyclone warnings, and makes suggestions in relation to
alerting the public to imminent danger in a more timely and efficient
manner than happened on Black Saturday.
The State Government has welcomed the report and promised to act on
its recommendations as quickly as possible. It would be foolish not to.
But it is not just the Government that needs to take heed. All
Victorians who live in bushfire-prone areas need to make sure we are
fully prepared for an emergency. We will never stop bushfires sweeping
Victoria. That is the nature of the landscape in which we live.
However, we can, and should, do more to protect human life as a
priority, and property as a secondary. The interim recommendations of
the Teague Royal Commission, while far from a complete guide to bushfire
survival, are at least a starting point for all communities to build on.
The Courier |
