22 March 2010
Community sirens switched off
To coincide with the end of Fire Restrictions Period, the community sirens and SMS system have been switched off.
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We hope you found the community sirens and SMS systems a useful addition to your fire preparations this summer.
On a bad day, Ferny Creek can become the world’s most at-risk residential area for bushfire. Following the devastating fire on January 21, 1997, which killed three people and destroyed nearly 40 homes in a very short period of time, the need for an early warning system was paramount.
After much lobbying, research and trialling, the original siren alert system was established in 2000. It features three strategically placed sirens that are connected to CFA’s brigade paging system for the duration of the Fire Danger Period. The sirens alert the community immediately to a potential fire threat, giving them time to seek further information and respond appropriately by enacting their pre-determined, carefully considered personal bushfire safety plans. The sirens are not a signal to evacuate.
Ferny Creek and the Dandenongs narrowly missed the direct horror of the devastating Black Saturday fires of February 2009. The fire at Quarry Road in Upper Ferntree Gully was described by the CFA to the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission as having the ‘most significant potential’ for losses on the day.
Ahead of the 2009/10 Fire Danger Period, the siren alert system was extended to include SMS and e-mail alerts, providing residents with the CFA pager messages that activate the sirens. The text alerts explain why the sirens are sounding and alert residents who might not hear the sirens due to prevailing winds or local topography or the many residents who work off the mountain.