Home > Get Ready Challenge > Stage Six
In this final task of the Get Ready Challenge we’re going to review all your carefully made plans, and identify any possible weaknesses. Knowing in advance what you’ll do if things go sideways means you’re less likely to panic in the heat of the moment.
Do not underestimate the importance of contingency plans – your future self will thank you!
The Dreaded “What Ifs…”
- But I’m never home on Tuesdays…
- But we’re minding our nephew on Saturday…
- But the car’s at the mechanic’s until Thursday…
- But the fire’s already at my back door!
Life doesn’t stop for emergencies. That’s why every household needs backup options. We call it Plan B—but some days you may need Plan C, D, or even E.
Why You Need a Plan B
The Great Western Highway closed in both directions. Residents in Lithgow fled their homes. Bilpin evacuated after fire jumped Bells Line of Road. Six towns under emergency warnings, with a seventh warning likely. For many Blue Mountains residents, on 21 December 2019 there was simply no way out.
Want a reminder of why planning matters? Watch this footage from the horror day of 21 December 2019.
Activity: 6 Things to Consider for Your Plan B
While you read the following sections, keep asking: what’s different today?
- What is the Fire Danger Rating?
- What are the Alert Levels for nearby bushfires?
- What’s different from the scenario you envisaged when you made your plan?
These facts can be triggers that activate different parts of your plan. If things are out of the ordinary you won’t panic, because you’ve already planned for them.
Tools You’ll Need:
- A simple mud map of your home and surrounding area, including any places you plan to evacuate to (print from Google Maps or draw it)
- Our ScenarioGrid template – a simple Word doc to help plan for different scenarios
- Or a big sheet of paper or whiteboard, if computers aren’t your friend.
1. Transport and Evacuation
Does everyone have transport, and are your planned routes safe?
Revisit Stage 1 of the Challenge where we looked at safest routes and safer places. Remind yourself of your alternative ways out and mark them on your mud map.
On the day of an emergency, check Live Traffic NSW and Transport Info NSW to find out if roads and public transport in your area are affected by bushfire or traffic jams.
2. Planning for Leaving
Your plan is to take Nan and the cats to Aunty Jo’s in Lithgow. But what if the highway’s closed?
The Great Western Highway gets blocked easily, and is lined with dense bushland that can be impacted by fire or closed due to thick smoke. As we’ve just seen, in the 2019 fires, Bilpin residents were completely trapped when the Bells Line of Road was shut in both directions.
Tips:
- Leave early in the day – before 10am gives you the best chance
- If you live on a dead-end street, identify an open area or well-prepared house where you could shelter if your exit is cut off
- Stay up to date with your school’s evacuation policy, bushfire lockdown policy and emergency pickup points.
- Mark at least two safe places where you could stay for 24 hours if you can’t reach your planned evacuation location
- Practice your evacuation strategies. Pack everyone up and do a rehearsal run.
3. If it’s Too Late to Leave
There may be circumstances where you can’t safely leave your house, and you may have no choice but to stay and defend, or shelter in place. If you can’t get away, it is not safe to do nothing.
A solid, defendable structure will give you protection from fire. Get your mud map and mark:
- nearby structures that are well prepared and defendable (your house may not be)
- large clear areas that have nothing to burn – roads, large yards, sports fields or parks with short grass. (Areas the fire has already burnt can also provide relative safety)
- Neighbourhood Safer Places – but remember these are places of last resort, not evacuation centres. Think of them as a temporary refuge when no other shelter is deemed safe and defendable.
4. Get Your Defender Tools Ready
Keep these ready to go throughout the bushfire season, whether you’re planning on defending or it’s too late to leave.
- Cotton hairy mop
- Metal buckets, tubs and bins
- Spare hose on a hook or roll (long enough to reach all sides of house)
- Ladder
- Metal rake and shovel
- Protective clothing
- 3L drinking water per person per day + healthy snacks (muesli bars etc)
- Phone and backup battery
- If you seriously want to stay and defend you’ll need a large water source (swimming pool or water tanks) and pump. Mains water pressure will be severely reduced if fire trucks are working in your street.
5. Know your Stay and Defend action plan
If you are told “It’s too late to leave, shelter in place”, now is not the time to get the mower out. Your job will be to focus on safety and survival.
Before the fire front arrives
- Bring in all wooden outdoor furniture and door mats
- Bring in garden hoses – rubber will melt in the heat of the fire
- Make sure access paths around your shelter are clear of trip hazards or flammable items
- Fill up garbage bins, sinks, tubs and buckets with water
- Block your downpipes and fill gutters with water to prevent embers catching
- Roll up wet towels, block gaps under doors and windows to keep smoke out
- Have your cotton mop ready to go for spot fires
As the fire front arrives
- Choose a ground floor room which you can retreat to with at least two ways out (either windows or doors)
- Keep hallways and exits clear
- Patrol your shelter for spot fires
- Protect yourself from radiant heat and embers with wool blankets from your Emergency Kit.
After the fire front passes
Many houses are lost to spot fires after the fire has passed. The best form of defence is attack, so now is the time to go back into active defender mode.
- Reconnect garden hoses (water pressure will be reduced if firefighters are in your street)
- Grab your hairy mop and patrol both inside and outside for spot fires.
- Don’t stay in a burning building – once the front has passed it will be safer outside
- Remember to rest, rehydrate, and get medical help if needed.
6. Staying Connected
Communication is of paramount importance. Tell your friends and familyif you are in a situation where you are forced to stay and defend so they can check in with you later.
Equip yourself with as many different ways of communicating as possible. Don’t rely completely on mobile networks because during emergencies they can become congested and crash.
- Keep phones charged and backup battery packs/powerbanks ready.
- Install bushfire alert apps, but don’t rely entirely on them.
- A cheap AM radio can keep you informed if mobile networks go down
- Tell people where you are and that you’re safe.
- Talk to neighbours, compare plans, and stay alert to changes.
- Set up your emergency call tree.
Final Thoughts
Have you ever heard these common quotes?
“My plan is to wait and see.”
“I didn’t think it could happen to me.”
The more you have done to prepare, the easier it will be for you to plan and implement your alternatives. Practicing and adapting your plans can get them pretty close to perfect.
People who do not prepare because they do not personalise their risk will take longer to recover from a major incident. We don’t want you to become a statistic of loss.
If anything in this article rang alarm bells, take a look back at the relevant stage of the Challenge and see what you might need to add to your preparations. Otherwise…
…You made it!
Give yourself a pat on the back – you’ve completed the Get Ready Challenge!
Look at what you’ve achieved:
✅ Escape routes and destinations READY
✅ Triggers to leave READY
✅ Fire clothing READY
✅ Emergency Kit READY
✅ Personal Grab Bag READY
✅ Sources of fire information READY
✅ Yard and House READY
✅ Backup Plan READY
Review your progress with our handy Get Ready Checklist. Missed anything? Just go back and fill in the gaps.
Thanks so much for taking part in the Get Ready Challenge and preparing your household for bushfire.
If you’ve found this useful please let your friends, neighbours and family know.
Did we miss anything? We always love to hear your tips, tall tales and truth bombs. Send us a message any time via our contact form or Facebook page.