The urban interface is the place where the bush meets the houses and it offers Australian families a unique lifestyle with easy access to both the countryside and to urban services and facilities.
The lifestyle advantages are not without risk. Bushfires on the urban interface are one of the greatest challenges facing authorities and fast-moving fires can quickly overwhelm emergency services and threaten life and property.
With many years of community education, the risk of bushfire in the urban interface is well known to many Australians and, for many residents, springtime is when they start preparing their property for the upcoming fire season.
An essential part of preparation includes reviewing your fire plan. Not everyone thinks clearly in an emergency and a fire plan will help you remember what to do. As every family is different, every plan is unique, but it is important to plan ahead.
A fire plan will answer the question about whether to leave early or to stay and defend a property. Planning to stay is a big decision and requires the capacity to defend a property without relying on the support of emergency services and potentially without municipal power and water supply.
While planning is critical, bushfires are fast-moving and extremely unpredictable so even if you plan to leave early, it makes good sense to have some independent fire-fighting capability on your property.
Fire-fighting capability requires a reliable, self-priming, high-pressure water pump, a water storage tank and associated suction and discharge hoses with quick-coupling connections. Your water pump should be a petrol or diesel driven unit and should be kept in a state of readiness with a full fuel tank and regularly checked to ensure it starts easily.
At full capacity, a high-pressure fire pump can deliver 100-200 litres per minute. If you only have a small tank, your water supply could quickly be exhausted, so the larger the water tank the better, and a minimum tank size of 5,000L is recommended for fire-fighting purposes. If you ever have to confront a bushfire, you’ll need to ensure that you have the necessary clothing and equipment to protect you from radiant heat and flying embers.
Remember, emergency services recommend that you leave early and with no time to think in the face of a crisis, the importance of proper preparation cannot be over-stressed.
Rapid Plas have a range of fire-fighting packages with tanks, pumps and hoses, and can provide advice and information. Call our team on 1800 816 299 or email sales@rapidplas.com.au with your enquiry.
