Fire Drill

How to prepare the house when the fire is a couple of kilometers away

It is vital to prepare the house when the fire is still a couple of kilometres away.

• Put on protective wool or cotton clothing. It should totally cover the body. Have on hand a pair of goggles as protection against floating embers. A wet cotton nappy wrapped around the mouth is an effective screen for hot air and ash that can burn the throat.
• Plug up cracks and close windows. Apply masking tape so glass stays in place even if it breaks. Broken windows are a problem because they allow ember attack.
• Fill the bath with water to provide a temporary water supply inside the house because fire fighters will be using all reticulated water and water supply may fail, pump motors mightn't work because of the smoke in the air, and the electric pump mightn't work because the power goes off due to the wire and poles being burnt.
• Wet down the outside area to raise fuel moisture content. Hose down decks and under house.
• Just before the fire front goes through go inside the building for your own protection. Take any plastic hose and hose fittings inside so they don't melt. · If the power is still on, turn off the air conditioning (to stop it overloading). Put wet towels along bottom of doors to protect from radiated heat and ember attack. Move around the house and put out fires started by embers. Use a stepladder to look through manhole to look for problems in the ceiling cavity.
• When the fire front goes through it gets dark, like the end of dusk. The sound is deafening like the sound of a 747 taking off. It can also be accompanied by windstorms.
• Once the front has moved through (~ 1 minute for grass fire and ~5 minutes for bush fire) go outside and put out spot fires. It will be hot and uncomfortable for a while.
• Fire safety and survival means a well prepared and clean property and owners or staff having the correct knowledge of how to protect themselves and their property.

The NSW Rural Fire Service publishes a number of useful publications such as:

• 'Bush Fire Protection for New and Existing Rural Properties'
• 'The Burning Question: The rationale and the problems'
• 'FIRE! The Australian Experience'

To request copies of these publications phone the NSW Rural Fire Service, phone 02 9684 4411, fax 02 9638 7956 or visit www.rfs.nsw.gov.au

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