THE Shire of Collie's neighbourhood bushfire preparedness Street Meet for the residents of Rowe Street and Foster Street on July 19 was a resounding success, according to residents who attended the get together.
"The area in the locality of Rowe and Foster streets has been identified by emergency management agencies as posing significant bushfire risk, due to the close proximity of bushland, along with the restricted access and egress in the area.," shire president Wayne Sanford said,
"The closeness of the Collie River also adds to the need for an elevated level of preparedness for the residents living in that vicinity."
Council collaborated with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) to undertake the Street Meet where staff from both organisations set up a community meeting to discuss issues which may affect the safety of property, livestock and people in the area.
More than 20 local residents met on the side of the road along Foster Street to receive bushfire preparedness information from the shire's emergency management officer and DFES personnel.
Cr Sanford, as the chairman of the shire's Local Emergency Management Committee, endorsed the Street Meet initiativeand said council, emergency agencies and the community needed to work together to ensure people have adequate strategies and plans in place prior to an emergency impacting them.
The Street Meet was so successful plans are in place to conduct another event in November at one of the resident's homes with the shire's chief bushfire control officer Terry Hunter planning on conducting a walk through one of the properties to identify any outstanding issues prior to the bushfire season.
