Time now to Get Ready for bushfire season

Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, and Superintendent Viki Campbell survey a map of the damage caused by fires at Charmhaven last New Year’s Eve

With the 2020-21 bushfire season fast approaching, the NSW Rural Fire Service is calling on Central Coast residents to spend this weekend preparing.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast and Member for Terrigal, Adam Crouch, said volunteer firefighters will be holding COVID-safe events on September 19 and 20 to provide localized bushfire risk information and practical actions to ‘get ready’.

“Last year, NSW experienced a devastating fire season that saw volunteer firies put their lives on the line to protect people and property,” Crouch said.

“Because of our incredibly effective Rural Fire Brigades led by the indefatigable Superintendent Viki Campbell, the Central Coast region was able to avoid significant loss of property.

“This means it’s vital that local residents take the bushfire threat seriously, and ‘Get Ready Weekend’ is an opportunity to get tips and feedback from local firies on how to reduce bushfire risk and make a bushfire survival plan.

Minister for Police and Emergency Services, David Elliott, said the threat of bushfire is as real as ever, particularly the risk of grass fires in the State’s west.

“Despite a large part of the State having burnt during our ‘Black Summer’, we cannot get complacent about this coming season, so now is the time to get ready,” Elliott said.

The NSW Government is also preparing for the 2020-21 bushfire season with the announcement of $45M to fast-track hazard reduction, employ 100 new paid State Mitigation Crew positions and upgrade the firefighting fleet, including a $121,000 Cat 9 Tanker for The Bays Rural Fire Brigade.

More details can be found at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/GetReady.

Source:
Media release, Sep 16
Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch