City Safe, Fire & Emergencies
Ensure your home and family are safe with our fire and emergency advice:
- Fire and Emergency Services in Rockingham
Locate your nearest Fire and Emergency Services unit.
- Bush Fire Control Officer Training Program
Find out about training for Senior Brigade Officers and Volunteer Firefighter Training
- Be Bushfire Ready
Live near bushland? Minimise the risk of your home being destroyed in a fire by following these tips.
- Safety in the Home
Prevent your home from becoming another house fire statistic by reading these simple tips designed to protect your loved ones and belongings.
- Winter storms, are you ready?
Avoid major home damage through storms by following these tips.
- Formed 1967
- 25 active member and 15 reserves
- Contact: Jim Naylor 9593 3098
- Formed 1979
- 25 active members
- Contact: John Thompson 0401 699 868
- Formed 1979
- 75 active members
- Contact Secretary Peter Skilton: 9528 7895
- Formed 1994
- 30 active members
- Contact: Captain Ian Lyall: 9524 7160
The Bush Fire Control Officer Training Program is specialised training that recognises the responsibilities, skill levels and knowledge required by Bush Fire Control Officers.
This training program incorporates the modules Fire Prevention Legislation and Bush Fire Management, as well as specialist knowledge that Bush Fire Control Officers need to complete their duties. Only very senior brigade officers would complete this training program.
Firefighters who want to become a Volunteer Instructor may complete the Train Small Groups training program – previously known as ‘Category 1 Workplace Trainer’ course – through the Bush Fire Service or a private organisation. Volunteer Instructors must then complete a handover for each module that they wish to present.
The Bush Fire Service considers that the selection and training of Volunteer Instructors is crucial to the skill maintenance of Brigades.
There are other specialty training programs available, some of which include:
- Introduction to Operational ICS (Incident Control System)
- Incident Control System (4.04)
- Plantation Fire Training
- Off-Road Driving
The potential for severe bush fires exists in WA every year. You can reduce the dangers posed by a bush fire through careful planning and making your home Bushfire Ready.
About bush fire safety for you, your family and home. Information is available from your local brigade, local government or the Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA).
- Decide whether you will stay with your property, or go to a safer location.
- If you decide not to stay, leave early. Know where you will go and whether you can get there safely.
- Prepare a list of things to do when a bush fire approaches.
- Prepare a list of emergency phone numbers and numbers of neighbours’ homes.
- Check that all family members are aware of their role in your family bush fire emergency plan.
To make your home Bushfire Ready this summer…
- Maintain a circle of safety, at least 20 metres wide, around your home by clearing away trees, dead leaves, twigs and branches. Also cut long grass and undergrowth in this area.
- Don’t store flammable liquids, firewood or other flammable material close to, or underneath the house.
- Close in eaves and the space under your house.
- Fit bronze flywire screens or shutters to your windows and doors.
- Maintain gutters and the roof clear of leaves.
- Ensure that hoses reach all corners of the home.
- Consider buying a petrol or diesel powered pump and arrange to have an alternative firefighting water supply (eg. tank, pool, dam).
- Comply with the local government fire break notices.
- Don’t burn off or light a barbecue on Very High or Extreme Fire Danger days, and check with your local council to find out about fire restrictions.
Make sure you have…
- Woollen blankets.
- Buckets, mop, knapsack, ladder, rake.
- Torch, battery-powered radio.
- A safe storage box for valuables and important boxes.
Make sure all family members have…
- Protective clothing – cotton or woollen trousers, long-sleeved shirt or jumper, sturdy shoes/ boots, hard hat or wide-brimmed hat, goggles and gloves.
- Burning embers can enter your house through open vents, broken windows or roof spaces. These small sparks can ignite a fire in your house.
- The majority of houses destroyed by bush fires burn down after the fire front has passed.
- During a major bush fire there may not be enough fire appliances available to protect every home, so a great deal of responsibility rests with the home owner to protect his or her house and family.
Should I stay or should I go?
Don’t leave the decision to relocate until the fire is so close that you cannot get out safely!
If there is a bushfire in your area, you must make an early decision on whether you will stay with the house or relocate.
Staying with your own or a neighbour’s home could also be safer than trying to get away on roads blocked by fire and smoke.
You may prefer to stay…
- If you are confident your home is well prepared.
- If you have sufficient emergency water supplies.
- If you think you and your family can deal with the stress and tension of battling the fire.
- In extreme conditions police officers or firefighters may direct you to leave.
You may prefer to go if you…
- Aren’t confident about the fire safety of your house.
- Are worried about young children, elderly people or someone who is sick.
- Think you could not cope with the stress of fighting the fire.
- Know it is safe to leave, have a safe destination in mind and know it is safe to get there.
If a bush fire approaches…
- Dress in protective clothing and close all windows and doors.
- Block downpipes and fill gutters with water, also fill buckets, basins, baths and sinks as a back-up supply.
- Extinguish small spot fires around your house and check for spot fires under and in the roof space of the house.
- When it becomes too dangerous outside, shelter inside and take hoses and fittings with you.
In case of fire emergency call 000. For further fire safety information contact you local government or the Fire and Emergency Services Authority.
Every day around Australia preventable fires occur in the home. Far from being something that “will never happen to me”, fire can strike without warning anyone, anywhere, anytime and the results of a home fire are often very tragic.
Loved ones can be injured or even die, and treasured possessions and property can go up in smoke but with a little planning and common sense you can safeguard your family at home from fire.
Council and The Fire Services urge you to act on the information provided below to educate yourself and others about fire safety, removing potential fire hazards from your home and preventing the devastation of fire.
- People aged 0 – 4 years and 65+ years are among those most at risk in a home fire.
- The majority of fires occur between midnight and 8am.
- Smoke alarms provide early warning of fire and help save lives.
- Heaters and discarded cigarettes are a major cause of fires.
- Many accidental fires can be prevented.
Choose from two kinds of smoke alarm:
- Mains powered alarms connected to the mains electricity and installed by a qualified tradesperson.
- Battery operated alarms which are easily installed to ceilings or walls.
Correct installation of smoke alarms is important. Install smoke alarms:
- On or near the ceiling;
- In hallways close to sleeping areas, or inside bedrooms;
- In living areas – lounge and family rooms;
- On each level of a multi story house; and
- Make sure you read the manufacturer’s instructions.
Regularly maintain and clean battery operated smoke alarms.
- Check smoke alarms monthly by pressing the test button.
- Replace the battery each year or as required.
- Clean smoke alarms every six months using a soft brush on the vacuum cleaner.
If renting a residence that has no smoke alarms:
- Talk to your landlord about installing smoke alarms and point out the benefits. Smoke alarms are cheap, easy to install, and can help minimise property loss in the event of a fire and can save lives.
A fire in the home can cause panic and loss of precious time needed to reach safety so be prepared to develop a home escape plan as it may save your own life and your family.
- Ensure all household members know what to do in the event of a fire.
- Identify at least two ways out of your home.
- Always keep keys to doors and windows close at hand.
- Agree on a safe place to meet outside after escaping the house.
- Practice your home escape plan so that everyone knows what to do.
If away from home in holiday accommodation:
- Make sure everyone knows the layout of the residence.
- Plan in advance how to escape in case of fire.
What to do if fire strikes:
- Exit the house immediately and close doors behind you to stop the spread of fire.
- Smoke rises, so crawl low to breathe cleaner air.
- If your clothes catch on fire, stop, drop, cover your face and roll to smother the flames.
- Call the Fire Service on 000 from the nearest phone once safely outside.
- NEVER GO BACK INSIDE THE HOUSE.
Winter storms can cause wide spread damage, however there are basic steps residents can take to reduce the risk and extent of damage to their own homes. The steps, which are promoted in the statewide Storm Safe campaign, include:
- Inspecting your roof and gutters
- Clearing gutters and down pipes
- Trimming branches near your home
- Securing and tidy your yard
- Preparing an emergency kit
With winter approaching, the State Emergency Service is encouraging residents to do some basic preparation around the home. This preparation can reduce the risk and extent of damage done to homes.
Is your home storm safe?
Do your tree branches provide you with much needed shade over summer? If you answered yes, then you need to consider what the branches could do during a storm. Tree branches are a common cause of damage during storms, and if you have tree branches hanging over your house, you need to consider what would happen if these branches came down. Simply trimming tree branches away from your home is just one of many ways you can prepare your home for storms.
The State Emergency Service recommends you take the time now to prepare, so you don't have to worry about repairs later.
The Fire and Emergency Service Authority of Western Australia (FESA) and the State Emergency Service have developed a “Storm Safe” brochure that gives many tips on how to protect your home. This brochure is available at www.fesa.wa.gov.au or by phoning 9323 9300.
