DVD to share Waroona-Yarloop fire memories

Harvey Shire Council is inviting residents impacted by the 2016 Waroona-Yarloop bushfires to share their survival stories in the hope of helping others.

In a project started by the council’s bushfire recovery team, the stories will become part of a DVD about the importance of preparedness in a bushfire.

“We are looking for people who experienced the January 2016 fires to share their perspective on bushfire preparedness,” project coordinator and recovery communications officer Melissa Howard said.

“We are interested to hear from local residents who evacuated early, those who stayed and defended, and those who evacuated at the last minute either from rural farms, town sites or coastal areas.”

Ms Howard said if people were physically and mentally prepared for bushfires, the overall risk to the community was reduced.

“By sharing examples of bushfire preparedness from those who have actually experienced a bushfire, we not only hope to educate others on the risks but also for people to feel empowered to take preparedness actions themselves,” Ms Howard said.

The DVD will be comprised of small segments that will be short bursts of information to convey specific messages about being fire-ready at any stage of a bushfire.

The aim is to allow people to share these important messages via social media platforms and YouTube.

“We will be covering response preparedness in the DVD but it will also cover the preparation that can begin well before any sign of fire – actions that should be taken before every summer season to increase chances of survival,” Ms Howard said.

Anyone interested in taking part can register their interest by visiting the council’s website www.harvey.wa.gov.au and click on Recovery Information, or by contacting Ms Howard directly by calling the council.