Parks, schools to become refuges during fires

Parks, schools to become refuges during fires

1 December 2009

published by hornsby-advocate.whereilive.com.au

Australia — Beaches, schools and ovals have been selected as new Neighbourhood Safer Places, which are bush fire safety refuges chosen as a place of last resort.

The safe places concept was devised after the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria in February which left 173 people dead.

In Hornsby municipality, safe places have been established at Middle Dural Public School, Old Northern Rd, Middle Dural.

No Neighbourhood Safer Places are listed in Ku-ring-gai.

A full list of Neighbourhood Safer Places are available on the Rural Fire Service website (http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au).

The website will be updated as new sites are confirmed, Emergency Services Minister Steve Whan said.

“Neighbourhood Safer Places are community refuges where people can go at short notice if a major fire is threatens, or if they had decided to stay and defend their home but then find this is too dangerous in the fire conditions,” Mr Whan said.

“They are a place of last resort. Signage will be provided to identify Neighbourhood Safer Places and information will be distributed about their use.”