Firefighters have pledged to listen more to the community when working to protect homes during the dangerous fire season.
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NSW RFS corporate communications director Anthony Clark said the southern Border team, as hosts of an important conference on fire safety, led by example as “shining stars in community engagement”.
“In previous years, we’ve tried to march into an area and said ‘we’re from the fire service, we’re here to help’,” he said.
“The first step in changing attitudes in the community is actually sitting down and having a conversation.”
More community meetings can be expected before the next fire season.
About 500 delegates from across NSW and the rest of the country attended the Australian Community Engagement and Fire Awareness Conference held at the Albury Entertainment Centre last Thursday to Saturday.
“Mind the pun, but everybody’s pretty fired up after the conference,” Mr Clark said.
“The conference is an opportunity for our people and people around the country to actually showcase the work they’re doing.”
Everybody’s pretty fired up after the conference
- NSW RFS corporate communications director Anthony Clark
He said the event was not just to inspire firefighters, but to discuss how to encourage residents to do the “little things” which could prevent a fire.
Tidying up gardens, clearing out gutters and ensuring a good water supply was on hand were all suggestions made at the conference.
Speakers at the conference were well-received including host and Albury entertainer Steve Bowen and NSW young Australian of the year Melissa Abu-Gazaleh, plus a performance from students at Albury’s Flying Fruit Fly Circus.
Mr Clark said the conference was also a chance to plan ahead.
“We’ve been really lucky we haven’t had much of a fire season (during 2015-16),” he said.
“We’ve certainly got some concerns about the upcoming season.”
Albury and Hume residents also have another month to have their say on additions to Hume zone bushfire risk management plan, which was on public display.
The RFS added treatments to protect 33 assets and added Wirlinga ammunition depot as a new asset with an extreme risk of fire.
Locations such as Albury TAFE and Henty Retirement Village, listed at a very high risk of fire, would have maintenance on their fire trails under the updated plan.
Hazard-reduction burns would be completed at 13 locations including the Albury tip and Jindera industrial estate.
Copies of the plan are available from Albury and Greater Hume council websites and offices or Albury’s RFS office. Comments can be emailed to southernborder.team@rfs.nsw.gov.au.