News from the CFA

Hi to all FireGuard members.

Hope you all had a good Christmas & New Year.

As you will be aware we are heading into a few hot days, keep aware of the Fire Danger Ratings and particularly local conditions over the weekend & into early next week. I urge everyone to make sure their preparations are done and to activate their Bushfire Survival Plans.

Community messaging systems.

There are a number of community developed messaging and alert systems that are currently in operation using text messages to mobile phones, emails or web based messages. ( apart from your localised CFG group phone trees ). A few of these I am aware of are 19Fire and Firelinx, some CFG groups and individual CFG members have subscribed to receive messages through these systems.

It has come to our attention that some text and email messages received by people through some of these community developed systems have got CFG in the messaging. I have received some enquiries regarding this and for some people this is causing confusion regarding the origin & source of the messages. To clarify this please note the following:

· Community developed & organised communication systems allow individuals to subscribe if they choose to receive information through these systems.

· The messages are community generated messages from within the community and shared to those who have subscribed.

· These systems are not part of the official Community FireGuard program, although CFG group members are of course free to subscribe to them if they wish.

· These messages are not official CFA messages, they are not authorised messages from CFA and messages are not sent from the CFG program or authorised by the CFG program.

· CFA or the CFG program has no input regarding the content of these messages, the frequency of messages sent, or the timing of when a message is sent.

· All Bushfire Advice, Watch & Act or Emergency Warning messages that are produced by the CFA are authorised and distributed to the official channels such as the CFA website, Radio and TV.

Gaining as much information through as many sources as possible regarding bushfires is an important part of your bushfire plans and community generated messages may be a valuable tool in gathering information. We are not discouraging people from subscribing to any community generated messaging systems they feel may be of benefit, however it is essential to understand the information provided is coming from other community members not CFA.

Hope everyone is good & stay safe over the coming weeks.

Regards Helen

Helen Wositzky

Community Fireguard Coordinator.

CFA Yarra Area