Weekly Newsletter - 22nd December 2021

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A special roster will be in place for the Christmas to New Year period. The second draft of this roster will be sent on Tursday. Please forward any comments or changes to Adrian before Friday.

If you have been rostered on for the 25th, 26th, or 27th and are unavailable please contact Adrian. Due to the expected fire weather it is important that crews are guaranteed to be available for these days.

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Bureau of Meteorology Severe Weather Update: heatwave and elevated fire dangers for WA - 22 Dec 2021

Temperatures are set to increase throughout the remainder of the week, peaking at 41° on Saturday. Combined with broadly easterly winds predicted between 25km/hr to 40km/hr, Severe fire weather is predicted for the area. A Total Fire Ban has been issued for Thursday, and is expected to be replicated each day well into next week.

Any fire that starts may be difficult to control and could escalate rapidly. In addition to the fire conditions, the hot weather will make physical work fatiguing and potentially dangerous.

All members are asked to make themselves available whenever possible during this period. The Christmas roster will spread the burden as evenly as possible, however further assistance may be required in the event of a significant incident.

It is also recommended that member spend some time over the remainder of the week in preparing their own properties for bushfire. Clean out your gutters, rake up the yard, back-up your photos and important documents (off site!), check your home fire kit, and have an overnight bag packed. Whilst this is by no means the worst conditions we have seen, the long hot period does offer a very real potential for serious fires.

http://www.bom.gov.au/places/wa/sawyers-valley/

• Minimum: 17°
• Maximum: 36°
• Winds: east to south easterly 25 to 35 km/hr, turning south to southwesterly 20 to 30 km/hr in the morning then tending south to southeasterly 15 to 25 km/hr in the late evening.

• Minimum: 19°
• Maximum: 39°
• Winds: east to southeasterly 25 to 40 km/hr tending southeast to southwesterly 15 to 25 km/hr in the middle of the day then becoming southeasterly 25 to 35 km/hr in the late evening.

• Minimum: 19°
• Maximum: 41°
• Winds:easterly 35 to 50 km/hr tending east to northeasterly 25 to 35 km/hr during the morning then becoming easterly 30 to 30 km/hr during the evening.

• Minimum: 25°
• Maximum: 40°
• Winds: east to northeasterly 30 to 45 km/hr tending nothereast to southeasterly 20 to 30 km/hr during the morning then tending easterly 15 to 25 km/hr during the evening.

• Minimum: 24°
• Maximum: 38°
• Winds: east to northeasterly 25 to 40 km/hr tending east to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/hr during the day.

• Minimum: 22°
• Maximum: 38°
• Winds: easterly 15 to 20 km/hr shifting south to southwesterly 15 to 25 km/hr during the day.

• Minimum: 20°
• Maximum: 35°
• Winds: easterly 15 to 20 km/hr shifting southeast to southwesterly 15 to 25 km/hr during the day.

The directive from the Chief Health Officer concerning the vaccination of emergency workers and volunteers will come into effect from the 1st of January. To date 21 out of 26 operational members, and 7 out of 12 support members have submitted their certificates to the Shire, with the remainder expected to submit theirs in the next few days.

Thank you all for pro-actively responding to this request and ensuring that our Brigade is able to continue to serve out community.

To assist ICV crews and Incident Management Teams, some recommendations have been made as to the level of detail included on T Cards by arriving crews. In addition to the information typically filled in on a T Card, the following is also recommended:

• DFES ID number is listed for all crew
• Full name listed; no initials or nicknames - full name as it appears on your DFES ID
• Where appropriate an indication of allergies. These may include food or medical allergies.

Please see attached example T Card for reference of these and other details. It is recommended that all crew members attending an incident carry their DFES ID card on their person where possible. This could be the physical card, or a photograph of the card stored on your mobile phone or in you notepad.

No updates.

No updates.

The following email was received from Jamie O'Neill, Chief Bushfire Control Officer for the Shire of Mundaring.

Hi All,

As we get closer to Christmas, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and all your Brigade members for their effort working together to keep the community safe. The past year has thrown some challenges our way, which have not all been isolated to responding to incidents, but it has meant there has been a continuing need to adapt and change to suit the environment. I am grateful for your painstaking efforts and professionalism to ensure that the Shire of Mundaring Fire Service continues to operate and the highest of levels. I would also like to acknowledge and thank your families for their ongoing support to you and all your members who give up so much time away from their families. I hope that the year to come keeps you all safe and well.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND WISHING YOU A SAFE NEW YEAR…

The Santa Lolly Run is over for another year – many thanks to David We. and Rob M. aka Santa and the Naughty Elf; LT and 1-4 drivers John R., Dave S., John L., Dave Wh.; support crew Shane, Sarah, Denise, Keith, Shaun, Vicki; and Michelle and Sarah for promoting this event on our Facebook page.

This year’s Run was held over 2 afternoons - Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd December, with SC and the NE bringing joy and lollies to children and parents in Sawyers Valley and parts of Mundaring. Various community members showed their thanks and appreciation with donations of beer and money, including a very generous $1,000 donation from Sue and Clint Woodward.

Santa and his entourage were honked repeatedly by passing cars and trucks; chased by a potential pollie wanting a photo with SC and his trusty side-kick; apparently when asked what happened to Santa’s fingers he replied that Rudolph bit him, which didn’t go down too well with one little girl!!

Just a reminder that the annual Christmas function will be held at the Station this coming Monday 27th December, commencing with Brigade photos at 1730 hours. Dress standard for the photos – PPE for firefighters; brigade shirts and pants for Station Crew.

• Friday 23rd: Vehicle checks prior to threat period
• Saturday 24th: NO TRAINING
• Monday 27th: Brigade Christmas function and photo, 17:30 at the Station
• Tuesday 28th: Weekly Vehicle Checks, 19:30 at the Station, Crew C

• DFES: Black Hawks to soar with aerial firefighting fleet this summer
• ABC News Video: Kingsley Dixon has built infrastructure to protect his home from bushfires.
• ABC News Video: Drones used to help prevent damage from catastrophic fires