A phone tree designed to pass on messages quickly to a wide number of people in an emergency was put to the test last month when parts of Allanson caught fire.
The phone tree, was led by Mungalup Bushfire Ready Group, which was formed by the Mungalup community back in 2016 after a bushfire tore through the Minninup area.
Mungalup Bushfire Ready Group street coordinator Elaine Woodman said the phone tree was developed after the Minninup fire as a way for the group to communicate better, and as a way to notify others if there was a fire.
“Basically, the message starts at one end and goes to a point at the other end. You ring your next door neighbour, and then they ring their next door neighbour, but if you don’t get a response you just keep calling down the line until you get someone,” she said.
“Then we contact the person who got the first call to see if the message that was passed on down the line matches up with what the final message is.
“This system was tested a few times and had a few teething problems, but this system was put to the test for real on the day of the Allanson fire as a property owner here was contacted and advised that the fire was in the Mungalup Pine Plantation, which turned out to be Allanson.
“The phone tree was started and everyone was advised that it was not a test. The phone tree on this day worked well.”
Mrs Woodman said the group also fixed many other issues that were raised from the Minninup fire.
“With the fire at Minninup the access in and out of Mungalup was restricted and for a short period it was not accessible at all,” she said.
“This led to researching and finding alternative routes, in case we needed to get out, depending on where the fire was coming from.
“We now have an escape route that is marked as a last resort to get out and people check the route regularly for any problems and send an email to everyone that it is clear or if there is a problem.”
The group also made an application to the state government for funding to put a noticeboard in place.
It would be to advise people in the settlement when the next meeting is, on fire dangers such as no camp fires or total fire ban, which can be seen by those heading out to camp at places such as Wellington Dam.
Funding was successfully secured and with the assistance of the Shire the noticeboard was erected.
Since the formation of the group four years ago, Mrs Woodman said they have been working hard on maintaining their properties to be bushfire ready.
“We received an email from the rangers this year when they did their fire break inspections that there was a marked improvement in the properties out at Mungalup,” she said.
Mrs Woodman said during the last year, three people from the valley have attended training to become volunteer bushfire firefighters, as well as training in loading water bombers.
“We also have two people waiting to complete their Bushfire Ready Group Facilitators Course,” she said.
Members of the group have also spoken at the Rural Urban Interface Meeting in Cardiff last year and more recently at the Allanson street meet, to discuss how they started the group and to give Allanson residents the guidance they need if they would be interested in starting their own Bushfire Ready Group.
