By MELISSA MEEHAN
HAWTHORN Football Club has joined forces with the Upper Ferntree Gully CFA to warn visitors to the 1000 steps to take care this summer.
CFA Community Education Coordinator Matt Ahern said the brigade had been working with Hawthorn to push safety awareness in the Dandenong Ranges.
“We have roughly 70,000 visitors to the steps a month,” Mr Ahern said.
“Many of these people are unaware of the fact they are in one of the most at risk fire areas in the world.”
Mr Ahern said it was important for the greater community to avoid the steps on days of Total Fire Ban and Code Red.
“People need to rethink where they are going to exercise,” he said.
“They could go to the beach instead.”
He said the fire danger was not the only reason people should avoid the steps during summer.
“The heat affects people differently, and those who are not physically conditioned for the environment can collapse,” he said.
“This holds up fire-fighting resources as it takes 8-10 emergency services personnel to provide assistance to one person who is unwell up there.
“So on days over 32 degrees, we are asking people to avoid the steps.”
