Sirens to give first alert

THE Dandenong Ranges will be among the first to have emergency sirens in place to warn residents about potentially life-threatening incidents and nearby dangers.
Twenty eight sirens will be used across 23 towns in the Dandenong Ranges, to warn residents of emergencies like fires, hazardous materials, floods and severe storms.
The launch of emergency sirens in the Dandenong Ranges was part of a state-wide pilot program, testing and refining how sirens work in practice.
Bushfire Response Minister Peter Ryan said that the official launch of the sirens on Thursday was a “significant milestone” for the community.
The sirens, which can be controlled remotely or manually from local CFA stations, will be used across 23 towns to alert residents in two ways.
A short, 90 second signal is used to alert fire brigade members to attend emergency callouts.
And a longer, five minute signal is activated to alert people in the local area of an emergency and to encourage them to seek more information.
Upon hearing an emergency siren, residents should refer to www.cfa.vic.gov.au, www.ses.vic.gov.au, local ABC radio, the CFA FireReady app for smartphones or call the Bushfire Information Line on 1800 240 667.