‘Be ready’: This fire season, don’t assume RFS will save you

AFTER last year’s devastating bushfires, the messages to be prepared are starting early.

Lismore City Council general manager Shelley Oldham with mayor Isaac Smith, local emergency management officer Scott Turner and Paula Newman, strategic planning co-ordinator.

LISMORE City Council is urging the public to make sure they plan ahead of the annual bushfire season.

Last bushfire season was devastating across the entire Northern Rivers region and the council has taken steps to ensure their community can be better prepared this season.

Ahead of NSW Rural Fire Service Get Ready Weekend, Lismore Mayor Isaac Smith said being prepared can save lives.

“This is the opportunity for everyone in our community to think about the coming fire season and really about managing your property amongst disasters, know the risks,” he said.

“The evidence shows over the last couple of years that it saves lives basically … have all your plans in place, be ready to go, have the solution before the problem occurs.”

Cr Smith said the council was committed to providing better resources for the local community this bushfire season.

“We had situations last year where we couldn’t turn around a truck on a dirt road so we had to reverse up kilometres of dirt road to fight fires … we’re doing a lot of work in the coming months to prepare those roads, to have more water tanks available, to have more access to the emergency services,” he said.

Local Emergency Management Officer (LEMO) for the council, Scott Turner, said the responsibility being safe in bushfire season fell to everyone.

“The messages for this year are be ready, get your own plans in place, be ready because as much as they (RFS) want to turn up, they may not be able to help and that’s just the way it is,” he said.

“That’s what they have to do … where do we think the resources are most needed and that’s where they go.”

The council is urging people to get in contact with their local RFS brigade Facebook page or visit www.rfs.nsw.gov.au.

NSW Rural Fire Service Get Ready Weekend is September 19 to 20.