You can download the following information to assist your planning:

RESTRICTED/PROHIBITED BURNING

1 November 2009 TO 14 December 2009-RESTRICTED burning (contact your Fire Control Officer for a permit)

15 December 2009 to 14 March 2010-PROHIBITED burning (NO BURNING)

15 March 2010 to 26 April 2010-RESTRICTED burning (contact your Fire Control Officer for a permit)

For a list of Fire Control Officer's, see Shire Fire Break Order. click here

• Shire Emergency Risk Manual. This plan, collated in 2006, identifies the wide range of emergencies that might impact upon our community and what strategies needed to be put in place to reduce that risk. This comprehensive document provides an overview of the Risk Management process.

• Shire Emergency Evacuation Plan. This plan details the process that would be followed during an emergency where there is a need to evacuate a specific area:

• • How would the Shire warn the community of the impending emergency?

  • How would the decision to evacuate be made?

  • What information would be provided to people who need assistance/ how would it be disseminated?

• Shire Recovery Arrangements. This plan details the action that would be taken after an emergency:

• • What agencies and community groups would the Shire work with to restore services and facilities?

  • How would we inform/communicate with residents?

• Residents Information Flyer. This one page flyer lists contact numbers for many of the emergency services. Keep it in a place where it can be quickly accessed.

Join the Emergency Services

Our community relies heavily on bush fire brigades for protection against the threat and devastation of fire. Approximately 378 volunteers in the Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup protect us from bushfires through fire prevention and risk management, fire suppression and fire safety education.

These volunteer bush fire brigades are administered by the Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup and trained and supported in bushfire response and prevention.

Bush fire brigade volunteers are trained in:

• personal and team safety

• fire suppression methods

• vehicle driving – on and off road

• communications

• first aid

• leadership and emergency management procedures

Volunteer firefighters learn to operate the wide array of equipment, vehicles and appliances used in fire suppression operations. Equipment used includes charged hoselines, portable pumps, tankers and communications.

Not all of the work involves active fire suppression or rescue activities. Fire education programs involve volunteers visiting schools, service groups, seniors' homes and local businesses to promote safety messages. FESA also provides training for this type of work.

In Donnybrook, we also have a volunteer Fire & Rescue Service Brigade, taking additional responsibility for fires involving man-made structures (such as houses and factories), chemical spills and road crash rescues.

A volunteer State Emergency Service (SES) also operates in the Shire. Their role is even broader than other emergency services –assisting in a wide range of emergency situations such as storm damage, searching for lost people and flood rescue.

These volunteers receive training in:

• Search and rescue skills

• General rescue and storm damage skills

• First Aid

• Radio communications

• Leadership.

The Shire of Donnybrook -Balingup strongly supports the recruitment of both male and female volunteers representing a wide diversity of ages, cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

Local Emergency Management Committee

The Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC) comprises members of the community, Councillors and Shire officers. Their role is to identify possible emergencies and put strategies in place to mitigate the effect.

If you would like more information about LEMC, SES or bush fire brigades, please contact the Shire Ranger on 9780 4200.