Political fight for fire drill

By Casey Neill
COMMUNITY fire drills will soon help hills residents and emergency services perfect their bushfire response, with the Opposition pledging cash for a trial last week.
But the State Government says they beat the Coalition to the punch, with drills already on their way.
Nationals Leader Peter Ryan said a Coalition Government would allocate $20,000 to a pilot fire drill program in two high fire risk communities next year.
“If the program is successful, it will subsequently be rolled out in other fire-prone areas annually during fire action week,” he said.
Mr Ryan said the plan would “help communities understand changes that have been made to Victoria’s bushfire safety policy as a result of the findings of the Bushfires Royal Commission”.
“The Coalition will ensure bushfire-prone communities can best respond to different fire scenarios, understand evacuation option, and identify potential places of shelter,” he said.
“Government agencies and emergency services including the CFA will assist in co-ordinating drills and the public will be invited to test their individual and household plans.”
But a State Government spokesman said Mr Ryan was “playing catch up” on fire safety.
“Police and CFA are already holding a community drill in Breamlea this weekend and plan to do more in other high risk areas in the coming months,” he said.
“All the lazy Opposition has bothered to do so far is attempt to scare the communities rather than genuinely engage in the hard work to join with them and develop real plans backed by real funding to make a difference.”
Dandenong Ranges Community Bushfire Group (DRCBG) president Jo Hirst said an annual community fire drill was an excellent idea for high risk communities.
“We have fire drills in schools, in high rise buildings. Why not in communities where thousands are at risk of bushfire every fire season?” she said.
“This could not only help residents and business operators understand how important it is to leave early on high risk days, but it will also help emergency services understand what could be improved upon in a real emergency.”
Mr Ryan last week also slammed the State and Federal governments for failing to announce when location-based mobile phone bushfire warnings would begin.