Bushfire survival plan
Bushfire survival plan – Prepare, Act, Survive
You don't have to live in the bush to be threatened by bushfire. Burning material, embers and smoke can travel beyond bushland areas, which is why it is essential you have a bushfire survival plan.
A bushfire survival plan details how to prepare, act and survive if threatened by a bushfire.
Are you prepared for a bushfire? Your family and home could be at risk if:
- you live within a few kilometres of bushland
- your local area has a history of bushfires
- your home is built on a slope
- you have trees and shrubs within 20m of your house.
Understanding your risk
The first step in bushfire survival planning is to understand your level of risk. Factors affecting this include:
- the Fire danger rating for your area
- whether you have any young, elderly or infirm family members
- how well-prepared and -maintained your property is
- whether you'll need to travel through bushland if you need to leave your home
- how up to date your bushfire survival plan is.
Know your options
The most important part of your bushfire survival plan is to understand whether you and your family should leave early or stay and defend your property.
Leaving early
Leaving early is always the safest option. When preparing to leave early, it is important to ensure:
- your property is well prepared for a bushfire
- your bushfire survival plan is up to date
- you have a back-up plan in case of a change in circumstance.
Staying and defending your property
Planning is the key to survival. When preparing to stay and defend your property, it is important to ensure:
- your property is well maintained and capable of withstanding a bushfire
- you have good shelter for you and your family
- your bushfire survival plan is up to date
- you have a back-up plan (including knowing your evacuation route and local designated Neighbourhood Safer Place as a last resort)
- you are physically and mentally prepared to stay and defend your property
- you have enough supplies and well-maintained equipment.
Bushfire survival kit
Your bushfire survival kit should be well stocked and stored in an area of the house that is safe and easy to access. It should contain:
- protective clothing
- a torch
- gloves
- buckets and mops
- hoses
- a shovel
- towels
- safety goggles
- a ladder
- medications
- bottled water
- fire extinguishers
- a battery-operated radio
- spare batteries for the torch and radio
- a smoke mask
- a mobile phone charger
- woollen blankets
- a first-aid kit
- a knapsack sprayer.
Bushfire relocation kit
If you need to leave your property in a bushfire situation, items to take in your relocation kit includes:
- protective clothing for the whole family
- battery-operated radio and spare batteries
- safety goggles
- medications
- your purse or wallet and cash
- spare clothing for the whole family
- ID (such as driver licence, passport or birth certificate)
- bottled water
- food
- woollen blankets
- a list of contact numbers for your family, friends, doctor, local hospital, vet, councils, utility providers
- first-aid kit
- pet food, water and bedding if needed.
