Flourish Health & Wellbeing eMag - Jan 26 - Flipbook - Page 25
Here’s some helpful tips you can use
provided by the ABC:
Plan
Make an action plan including what
you’ll do if a bushfire hits, your place
of refuge, and what will trigger you to
leave (for example, the fire danger
rating is extreme). Also, have a backup
plan in case things don’t go as
expected.
Frequently monitor fire danger ratings,
research what each rating means, and
understand which rating indicates you
need to leave.
Keep an eye on Australia’s Warning
System. There are three levels:
Advice: there’s a hazard in your area
that you need to watch. However,
you’re not in immediate danger.
Watch & Act: Your life and property
are at risk, and you need to take
action.
Emergency Warning: When the threat
level is at this stage, you are in danger
and need to act promptly and
immediately without delay.
Prepare a survival kit that includes
medical supplies and necessities. Store
it in an easily accessible place.
Some areas may be at more risk than
others, especially in regional settings,
so know where your ‘safe place’ is.
That being your local meeting or
evacuation points.
Act
If a bushfire has impacted your local area,
you may need to act. Here are some tips
for when you’re in the act phase of PAR:
Follow your action plan.
Leave early if you can.
Actively listen to advice from local
authorities or stay informed by
listening to local radio for warnings or
checking emergency services
websites.
If there isn’t enough time to leave and
you must stay, seek shelter. Wear
protective clothing, stay in a bunker or
well-prepared sheltered area, and have
a clear exit point if you need to
evacuate quickly.
Never seek shelter in a bathroom; if
you need to evacuate your shelter,
head to burnt ground away from the
fire.
Click here to learn more about what
you should do when you need to act.
Protecting your mental
wellbeing
Bushfires are deeply traumatic. Some
people may lose their houses, and others
may experience extreme loss, like the
death of a friend, neighbour, or family
member.
