How to get ready for bushfire!
Hi it’s dirtgirl here.
In dirtgirlworld today, like in so many places around Australia and across the planet, we are doing things to prepare for an emergency. In our case it’s bushfire preparation.
We have a drought in dirtgirlworld so it’s very very dry and hot here. Is it like that at your place too?
I thought I’d share with you some ideas to keep us safe and calm if we are faced with a bush fire emergency
Living in the bush, Scrapboy, Costa the garden gnome and I have a very thorough fire plan to protect dirtgirlworld.
Our gutters are cleared, we have raked and removed all the leaves around dirtgirlworld, we have packed away all the garden tools and moved the firewood and compost and mulch away from our houses.
We also have a plan that we will follow to protect ourselves and our animal friends.
We know that the most important thing is being safe
When there is an emergency, so much can happen at once and it can be scary
A Bushfire is really noisy, it smells strongly of smoke , the world feels very very hot and sometimes it can get very dark.
Often there are sparks and embers.
Not being near a bushfire is the best idea but sometimes we are surprised by bushfire.
If that happens here’s some of my top tips for what to do in a bushfire emergency.
When it is an emergency… pop on your emergency goggles! and switch them on!
They aren’t real goggles …they are pretend …but they help me focus on what to do to stay safe.
Remember who the emergency captain is….that’s the person in your family who is giving the emergency instructions . Sometimes it is more than one person. Look at them. Listen to them and act as calmly and as quickly as you can.
We have chosen scrapboy as our fire captain this time. He knows our fire plan and I trust him.
Have a look at your families faces… your emergency goggles help you to know if this serious time. … serious isn’t mad or grumpy.
Here I’ll show me you’re my serious face. Now you show me yours. Ok , got it
It’s good to be prepared.
Fill your water bottle with water.
Choose some snacks and fruit/
fun stuff to play with
your fav your teddy
some clean undies and pjs and some clothes for tomorrow
and a card with your contact details on it.
Pop them all in a back pack
Have a practice wearing it and crawling down low …or walking to the front of the house ….or running with it on.
Your emergency goggles give you an energy boost to carry your backpack on your own
"If you have to evacuate your house…evacuate is an emergency word for quickly leaving your house or school….it’s time to stay calm and follow instructions.
It’s all about staying safe,
To keep calm, I talk to myself …I say
'I can cope, we've got a plan, we know what to do, it's just one step at a time'.
And I keep saying that to myself , it helps me to be calm to know we have a plan…I can say it as many times as I like.
I make sure I stop talking to myself to listen to my family fire captain and follow instructions.
And the other thing I do is that I slow myself down…I try and take slow breathes
I make sure I have my own back pack, and we follow our plan to get to safety
Being safe is the most important thing.
Our things can be replaced, we can get new things, all being safe is what we need to remember
I hope that none of you have to use any of these top tips but I am happier knowing we have had this chat
and You can check out my videos here
https://www.facebook.com/dirtgirlworld/videos/688980468178026/
https://www.facebook.com/dirtgirlworld/videos/487539185184412/
Scrapboy, Costa the garden gnome and I are sending you all our love as well as well as our top tips.
Be safe!
Thankyou
To all the of the incredible and brave firefighters our massive thanks and love goes out to you.
So many of our tribe are volunteers fighting these fires, feeding people, handling communication and logistics…so many helpers…thankyou to everyone
And to all the families and friends who are opening their hearts and homes to give shelter and comfort . The community is incredible.
When times are horrible and hard, we look for the helpers to inspire us and give us hope
For Parents
Some tips for talking to your children about preparing for emergencies:
select a time which is calm and unrushed. Tell children an emergency is something unusual that happens which could hurt people, or cause damage to things like houses and cars. Explain to them that nature sometimes provides ‘too much of a something’ like, rain, wind or fire
talk about effects of an emergency that children can relate to, such as loss of electricity, water, and telephone service; flooded roads and uprooted trees
explain that everyone is better able to take care of themselves in emergencies when they know what to do, and have practised in advance. Tell them that is the reason each family needs to create a Household emergency plan
give examples of several emergencies that could happen in your community and help children recognise the warning signs for each
be prepared to answer children’s questions about scary things they have heard about or seen on television, such as terrorist attacks, bush fires and cyclones. Give constructive information about how to be prepared and respond
teach children how and when to call for help. Teach them to call 000 for police, fire, or ambulance. At home, post emergency numbers by all telephones and explain when to call each number. Include work numbers and mobile phone numbers of household members. Even very young children can be taught how and when to call for emergency assistance
teach children to call your out-of-town contact in case they are separated from the family and cannot reach family members in an emergency (see Safe and well fact sheet for more information). Tell them to leave a message if no-one answers
help children memorise the telephone numbers, and write them down on an Emergency contact card they can keep with them (download at www.redcross.org.au)
quiz children every six months or when an ‘alert’ has been announced, such as a cyclone warning or fire ban day, so they will remember where to meet, what telephone numbers to call, and safety rules
get children to help with putting together your Emergency kit (see Four Steps to Prepare Your Household Booklet). Ask them to think about what is important to them and what would they want to take with the
if they had to leave the home. Suggest that they practise packing these into a small backpack
tell children that in an emergency there are many people who can help them. Talk about ways that a police officer, fire-fighter, teacher, family friend, neighbour, doctor, or Red Cross worker might help after a disaster. Educate them about safe practices when dealing with adults.
Tips for talking to children after an emergency:
It’s also important to talk to your children if they have been exposed to emergencies – either first hand or through the media.
try to minimise the distressing images or verbal media reports your children see. If your children are watching or listening to reports of emergencies, be with them to help them make sense of the situation – they need your perspective, guidance and reassurance
be aware of what your child is being exposed to at school, both in the playground and the classroom or outside school in social networking internet sites, chat rooms, email or with text messaging, these are powerful instant communications tools for young people
if your children have been personally involved in an emergency, check with them to see how they are going. You can help them by reassuring them of their safety
encourage your child to talk about their feelings, thoughts and concerns. Don’t dismiss their issues as trivial – this can create a belief that the events were too awful to talk about
acknowledge concerns that are real and correct any misconceptions
if you have any concerns talk to your doctor, or seek a referral to an experienced psychologist.
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