CFA North East Community Safety is for local community CFA events that focus on fire safety.
We deliver CFA fire safety programs in North East Victoria and includes CFA Districts 23 and 24. This includes the Shires of Wangaratta, Mansfield, Benalla, Towong, Wodonga, Indigo and Alpine.
Our suite of tailored fire safety programs and resources help empower and prepare communities by enhancing their knowledge, developing their skills and strengthening community bonds. Delivered locally there is a program to suit all levels of knowledge including:
- Home Fire Safety Awareness programs
- Schools programs
- Bushfire preparedness programs and workshops
- Home visits to discuss bushfire property preparation or smoke alarm
Fire safety programs for your community - If you are interested in hosting a CFA fire safety program contact the host or your local CFA Brigade Community Safety Coordinator to discuss the options.
Do you see a fire safety event that you would like to attend but don't live in that area? - all our events are inclusive and we welcome residents from any community to attend.
CFA Bushfire and Grassfire Programs
| Fire Safety Essentials | CFA's entry level bushfire safety program is an interactive session designed to challenge participants to personalise their fire risk and to survive fire. The program also includes basic explanations of fire behaviour and an overview of last resort options. Fire Safety Essentials (FSE) encourages participants to seek further information through various CFA programs and resources. This is a 1hr information session and is delivered in person. |
| Fire Safety Planning | Fire Safety Planning (FSP) is a facilitated community workshop to assist people with developing their bushfire or grass fire survival plan. The workshop covers how fire behaves, preparing your property, personal survival and planning. FSP is aimed at people who live, work or travel in high bushfire-risk areas. This is a 3 hr workshop delivered in person. |
| Community Fire Guard | A proven behaviour-change program that assists small community groups to build knowledge, networks and capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover from fire. Community Fireguard (CFG) aims to establish self-reliant neighbourhood groups in high-risk areas, empowering residents to take responsibility for their own fire safety. CFG is a highly targeted program for people living in the most extreme fire-risk areas. It is for groups of people who share a local risk, reside near one another and are highly motivated about preparing for fire. CFG is in-person delivery and includes six core facilitated sessions and one optional Stay and Defend workshop. It is encouraged that groups have a yearly or bi-annually maintenance meeting. |
| Property Advice Visit Service | Property Advice Visit Service (PAVS) is designed to reach residents living in high bushfire risk auras. This 'door knocking' or pre-arranged service enables the delivery of fire safety information relevant to the resident's risk. PAVS targets people, at the household level. PAVS takes between 15-40 mins. |
CFA Home Fire Safety Programs
| Reduce the Risk | Reduce the Risk (RTR) provides information about how house fires commonly start and advice on how to prevent them. It also provides advice about fire blankets and fire extinguishers and provides an opportunity to start developing a home fire escape plan. RTR can be targeted at all members of the community. It is usually delivered to community groups. This is a two hour in person session for groups. |
| Early Fire Safe | Early Fire Safe (EFS) provides information about the prevention of burn and scald injuries. It also provides basic home fire safety information tailored to those who have young children at home. EFS is designed for parents of children under 5 years of age. It is particularly useful for first-time parents of newborns. EFS is a 1-hour, in person session for groups. |
People at Higher Risk
| Smoke Alarm Installation Program | CFA members and partner and service groups visit local households at higher risk of residential fire to check and install smoke alarms, plus deliver home fire safety information. All communities can benefit from this service, in particular, community members, because of life circumstances, have less capacity or understanding to install their own smoke alarms because:
- they are older and/or less mobile
- live with a disability
- English is a second language
- they are experiencing social or financial disadvantage
The Smoke Alarm Installation Program (SAIP) takes 15-30 minutes. |
| Emergency Planning Advice Service | Emergency Planning Advice Service (EPAS) engages people at higher risk in their homes and provides a way to consider their capabilities and support needs in planning and preparing for emergencies. EPAS targets people at higher risk that need extra support to plan for fire and other emergencies:
- people with a permanent and significant disability
- people who are older and frail
- people who need day-to-day support to remain living independently at home
There is no timeframe for how long this service takes as it will depend on the needs of the individual. An EPAS visit can also include a Property Advice Visit Service (refer above for details)
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Prevent, Detect, Escape
Home Fire Safety for People at Higher Risk | This home fire safety session for people at higher risk covers three main areas:
1. Prevent - how to prevent fires starting
2. Detect - how to ensure fires can be detected (working smoke alarms)
3. Escape - making an escape plan
This program is targeted at:
- people at higher risk from fire due to disability or older age
- support workers
- service providers
- carers (informal and unpaid)
- others delivering in-home support
This is delivered in person as a group-based session |
| Bushfire Safety for Workers | A fire safety session for people wo work in high-risk bushfire areas over summer. The purpose of this session is to raise awareness of the risk to workers (employees) travelling and working in high-risk bushfire areas over summer and provide safety advice to prevent loss of life during a bushfire or grassfire.
This program is targeted at workers or employees - any person who finds themselves working in high-risk areas over summer. This includes people who work in:
- community and social services
- health
- education
- justice and corrections
- any industry or job where you travel and work in high-risk bushfire areas |
