Mums face off fire

By Tania Martin
A GROUP of mothers has banded together to address fire safety concerns in the Dandenongs.
Residents have been left on tenterhooks after several close calls in the past two weeks.
Fires in both Upper Ferntree Gully and Belgrave were contained before reaching nearby forestland.
But this has still left many feeling concerned about the future.
Belgrave’s Clare Blissenden experienced first hand the terror of being caught unawares and the threat faced.
She was one of many locals to be shocked by the fires on Sunday 15 January when a blaze broke out on the corner of Terrys Avenue and Sandells Road, Belgrave.
“We had no warning…we couldn’t see or hear anything,” she said.
“It was only lucky it was contained…If the wind had changed and we hadn’t gotten out we could have been burnt to a crisp.”
Ms Blissenden has now joined Ferny Creek’s Melanie Gajdek who also fears for her family if caught in a fire. They both believe something needs to be done to address fire safety issues in the Dandenongs before it’s too late. “We don’t want another situation like Kinglake,” they said.
Locals have raised a number of concerns with the group, including the lack of fire refuges in the Shire of Yarra Ranges, and the need for an early warning system. Shire spokesman James Martin said the decision was made in 2003 to decommission the fire refuges following consultation with the CFA and the emergency services commissioner. “This approach was also undertaken by most other Victorian councils,” he said. “This was done for a number of reasons, including the fact that refuges can create a false sense of security in that people will often wait until the last minute to flee a fire.”
Mr Martin said this would also increase the risk of people getting caught out in a fire while seeking refuge.He said it also increased the possibility of being involved in an accident.
“The council’s concern is that fire refuges conflict with the CFA’s leave early or stay and defend policy,” Mr Martin said. The council believes the most appropriate way to evaluate the issues relating to fire refuges would be through the work of the Royal Commission into the Black Saturday fires.
Ms Gajdek said these were neither new issues nor ideas but that something needed to be done now to address the problems not five years from now. She said the group wants to hear from the community on their top concerns relating to fire safety in the area.
Ms Gajdek said they would be working alongside the CFA, local brigades and the council over the next few months.
She said the aim was to find out what the top five concerns were. A survey will be sent out to residents over the next few months to gather relevant information before further discussion can be held with emergency services.
Ms Gajdek said the group welcomes any volunteers who want to join in to help with the project or provide any relevant information. Anyone interested can email her at drcbg@yahoogroups.com