Community engagement key to delivering bushfire safety message as region approaches long fire season

New positions aimed at promoting community empowerment, public safety, building partnerships, resource efficiency, and enhancing trust within the City of Albany emergency services have been launched.

In a WA-first, brigade community safety co-ordinator positions are being established within each of the municipality’s 10 southwest sector bushfire brigades.

The City has worked with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services on what it described as a groundbreaking initiative.

The co-ordinators will help create a safer and more resilient city by fostering communications, collaboration and preparedness within the community ahead of what is expected to be an extended fire season.

They will engage residents, inform them of fire risks and empower them to take proactive measures.

A new community safety trailer has also been launched to further assist community engagement.

City Emergency Services Manager Brendan Gordon said the trailer would make it easier and more convenient to engage with the community.

“One key resource within the trailer is a burn table, which simulates how fires spread and behave in different conditions,” he said.

“This is going to be an important part of the education process in helping residents to visualise fire behaviour.

“The City is committed to creating a safer and more resilient community for all residents. With the introduction of brigade community safety co-ordinators and the innovative community safety trailer, we are taking significant steps towards achieving this goal.”

The City and DFES will conduct training workshops with brigade community safety co-ordinators this month.