Browse Forums General Discussion Re: Does anyone have a fire plan??? 14Feb 09, 2009 7:27 am 'chelle We have a hand-over date...15/10...but I won't hold my breath! http://people-in-glass-houses.blogspot.com/ Re: Does anyone have a fire plan??? 15Feb 09, 2009 10:35 am Someone on the radio yesterday was saying that in light of what's happened this weekend, they may well reconsider their standing assertion that a properly prepared and defended house is the safest place to be.
We don't have a fire plan at our place, save for knowing what we'd grab, how we'd get out, and where we'd go. My standing assumption is that with a grassland reserve down the back of our current house, any fire that started there would be quick, but would also burn itself out reasonably quickly, and that with colorbond fences and a garden hose we'd be right. Happy to be told I'm wrong, though. When we move to Mernda, I will certainly be establishing a formal fire plan and bushfire plan should the worst happen, and was planning to do so even before this weekend's events. All the last couple of days have done is reinforce my desire to fireproof our lives as much as I can--the house itself means nothing in the context of escaping with lives intact. --Mike Everything I know, I learned from SBS. LATEST: Frame Complete http://metricon-mercer.livejournal.com Re: Does anyone have a fire plan??? 16Feb 09, 2009 10:46 am 'chelle A few other things to consider for a bushfire plan... -have a hose attachment on an internal tap (we have one on our laundry tap) as you most probably won't be able to access your outside taps, and make sure you have a spare hose inside too (hoses melt!) I noticed that our cheap plastic hose connector (connecting 2 segments of hose kept popping off. If that had happened during a fire, it could cost lives. I am thinking of getting a quality hose with brass connectors. 'chelle -if you have a water tank, consider getting a petrol/diesel pump (chances are you won't have electricity). Or maybe a generator to connect your electric pump to. That way you have the generator for other emergencies. 'chelle -consider not getting a poly plastic tank...how many stories have been on the news about melted water tanks Stainless steel are good but we would need to get a crane to lift it in whereas poly can be rolled in. A sprinkler above the tank to keep it cool and wet may be enough. 'chelle We have always said that we would stay and defend the house, I would take the kids somewhere safe (my parents) and then come back to help. Not so sure now...they say that a properly prepared and defended house is the safest place to be during the fire front, but with so many dead in this tragedy...it makes you question this One thing's for sure, if you are going to leave, then leave early. I think without an underground shelter to retreat to, this can be more of a suicide mission than most people realise. What is your plan for a 100 foot wall of fire racing towards you. A hosepipe starts to look pitiful. You need to know that you can retreat to a safe sealed underground shelter if that happens. A typical bushfire may not be too much of a problem but on a day like this sad Saturday, fire burns differently with trees exploding into flame instantly. Re: Does anyone have a fire plan??? 17Feb 09, 2009 11:04 am Its interesting how people think so differently, on Saturday all I wanted to do was leave, their was no indication a fire front was going to come through our area only warnings to prepare for ember attack, but I just wanted to be gone. We have a small file full of important documents and a box of photos, DS, DH and Roxy our dog, that was all I needed and I wanted out of there.
DH on the other hand wanted to put us in the car to leave and stay to put out any spot fires - to me that is utterly ridiculous and I was so very angry with him for even suggesting it. Re: Does anyone have a fire plan??? 18Feb 09, 2009 11:37 am 3timesbuilda 'chelle -if you have a water tank, consider getting a petrol/diesel pump (chances are you won't have electricity). Or maybe a generator to connect your electric pump to. That way you have the generator for other emergencies. Good idea, we'll look into it. 3timesbuilda 'chelle -consider not getting a poly plastic tank...how many stories have been on the news about melted water tanks Stainless steel are good but we would need to get a crane to lift it in whereas poly can be rolled in. A sprinkler above the tank to keep it cool and wet may be enough. Or like our neighbours have done, bury the poly tank in the ground (but make sure it is one that can be buried) We have too much rock to bury ours. 3timesbuilda 'chelle We have always said that we would stay and defend the house, I would take the kids somewhere safe (my parents) and then come back to help. Not so sure now...they say that a properly prepared and defended house is the safest place to be during the fire front, but with so many dead in this tragedy...it makes you question this One thing's for sure, if you are going to leave, then leave early. I think without an underground shelter to retreat to, this can be more of a suicide mission than most people realise. What is your plan for a 100 foot wall of fire racing towards you. A hosepipe starts to look pitiful. You need to know that you can retreat to a safe sealed underground shelter if that happens. A typical bushfire may not be too much of a problem but on a day like this sad Saturday, fire burns differently with trees exploding into flame instantly. That's why I said "not so sure now". Like you said, by all accounts this was no ordinary fire. I have heard that normally it takes 10-20min for the fire front to pass, but some people have reported the fire front lasting over 40min in this case. Don't think many houses could stand a chance in those sort of conditions. I'll be really interested in the investigations into this fire, how those that survived did so and how those that managed to save their houses did so as well. Do others that live in fire prone areas have to have a certain distance from the house clear. We have to have a "Building protection zone" (where there is little or no potential fuel for the fire) for the first 20m around the house and then the next 15m is the "Fuel management zone" (vegetation selectively removed). Just curious 'chelle We have a hand-over date...15/10...but I won't hold my breath! http://people-in-glass-houses.blogspot.com/ We are tossing up between a Jarrahdale radiant wood fire (the Pioneer) and a convection wood fire (Innovator or Countryman) but cannot decide on which type of wood fire is… 0 5251 Need some advice. Living in a townhouse with one common wall, recently we have discovered that the fire separation wall is incomplete and on further investigation, support… 0 3863 Not back peddling at all. You seem to have issues with comprehension my friend. Guy fcked up, he's considering being dishonest with his bank and hiding it. It will end… 21 14261 |