As part of our Keeping Farmers Farming Series, watch the videos below where our Business Development Manager and volunteer firefighter Mark Vayro shares important risk mitigation strategies on the following topics:

  1. Planning ahead
  2. Protecting your property
  3. Protecting yourself

PLANNING AHEAD

For Australian farmers, preparing for a scorching summer means having a bushfire plan and taking precautions on farm. Watch our latest Keeping Farmers Farming video, where our Business Development Manager and volunteer firefighter Mark Vayro shares important risk mitigation strategies to help you prepare for the bushfire season. #KeepingFarmersFarming

Video Transcript:

As we brace for an extreme hot, dry summer, now is the time to take action to reduce bushfire hazards on your farm.

Bushfires can can strike within hours or minutes from ignition; we should remember that from the catastrophic bushfire season three years ago. Fires can escalate rapidly, often in unpredictable ways, leaving little to no time to plan during an emergency. Prepare your farm now and have a bushfire plan ready well in advance, for the safety of your people, and the protection of your property and community.I’m sharing these risk mitigation strategies with you now to help you to be farm safe and fire ready.

  1. Bushfire plan: Create or review your bushfire plan today – you can find information to support you on your state emergency services website. Once you have a plan, share it with everyone involved within your farm so they know what to do if a bushfire strikes.
  2. Firebreaks: Firebreaks are critical to help slow down a fire and reduce its intensity. Remove long grass and debris around your house and farm buildings. Be sure to clear access roads and create turning circles, ensuring they are wide and high enough for firefighting vehicles.
  3. Livestock safety: Prepare a safe zone where you can keep livestock during a bushfire event, where vegetation is minimal and there is adequate access to water. Check that all livestock have the National Livestock Identification System ear tags and that all horses and pets are microchipped.
  4. Review and update your insurance: Review your insurance policy now to ensure it provides adequate coverage for your assets, and that it covers fire-related damages and loss. Be sure to safeguard important documentation, including property records, insurance policies, by storing them in a fireproof safe or electronically.

This information is brought to you by specialist agricultural insurer Achmea Australia as part of our commitment to keeping farmers farming.

PROTECTING YOUR PROPERTY

Defensive lines, firebreaks or asset protection zones – in this edition of our Keeping Farmers Farming series, our Business Development Manager and volunteer firefighter Mark Vayro talks about why firebreaks are a critical line of defence. Watch the video to find out about when you need to prepare, the daily Fire Danger Ratings and who to speak with for support. #KeepingFarmersFarming

Video Transcript:

Defensive lines, firebreaks or asset protection zones – in this edition of our Keeping Farmers Farming video, we’ll be talking about:

  1. What fire breaks are about and why they are a critical line of defense
  2. When you should start to prepare
  3. Understanding the daily Fire Danger Ratings – and when to prepare for the worst
  4. And who to speak to if you need support

So what are firebreaks, and what are they all about and why they a critical line of defense.

  • Put simply, firebreaks are areas that are cleared of vegetation that act as barriers between a bushfire and your assets, which could be a building, your crops or your livestock.
  • We all remember the devastation that fires can bring, and the speed in which they travel, destroying anything and everything in their path.
  • Firebreaks play a vital role in slowing or stopping the spread of a bushfire.
  • They provide safer access for firefighting vehicles entering the property and in the case of safe zone, they can help shield and protect your livestock.
  • They can also create a buffer zone between your property and your neighbour’s property.
  • As a farmer, your income depends on your crop or livestock and putting in place risk mitigation measures, such as firebreaks, can help protect your livelihood from the threat of a fire on a neighbouring property.

When you should start to prepare.

  • It is already hot, it’s already dry, and conditions are likely to deteriorate.
  • That is why, as a critical line of defense against the risk of bushfires, farmers are encouraged to act now to create firebreaks on their property in order to be farm safe and bushfire ready ahead of the hot dry summer that we’re already facing.
  • Most grazing operations will have small to medium holding paddocks, which are heavily grazed and have access to water. But these paddocks aren’t immune to bushfire, but when grazed or mowed properly will allow livestock to seek refuge during a bushfire in areas of the property that have not been burnt yet.

So understanding the daily Fire Danger Ratings

  • Take the time to understand the daily Fire Danger Rating for your area, the actions you need to take to protect your life and property.
  • The Fire Danger Ratings are updated daily and available on the Bureau of Meteorology website.
  • From now on, it’s important to recognise that for these days when the fire danger rating is either extreme or catastrophic – the two highest danger ratings – it is important to prepare for the worst.
  • For instance, on these days I move my cattle to safe zones in preparation for the possibility of bushfire, knowing that if a fire were to start, it could become catastrophic.

So who to speak to if you need support.

  • You don’t need to be an expert in bushfire preparedness but it’s important to prepare using the resources made available by your rural fire service.
  • Talk to your local rural fire service about creating fire breaks, if you need support in getting your property bushfire ready.
  • Depending on where you live you may need a permit to clear trees and shrubs so please ensure to check with your states rules and regulations around clearing.

This information is brought to you by specialist agricultial insurer Achmea Australia as part of our committment to keeping farmers farming.

PROTECTING YOURSELF

When it comes to bushfire preparedness, our Business Development Manager and volunteer firefighter Mark Vayro says you can’t look after life, property or the environment without first protecting yourself. Watch this latest video from our keeping Farmers Farming series, where Mark shows the Personal Protective Equipment he has readily available on his farm to protect himself. #KeepingFarmersFarming

Video Transcript:

We’ve been told to prepare for a scorching summer. For farmers this means being farm safe and fire ready with a bushfire plan and preparedness on-farm.

But you can’t look after life, property or the environment without protecting yourself.

Plan ahead now and put together a kit of Personal Protective Equipment to guard yourself from heat, smoke and flames.

Here are some of the essentials that I have readily available on my farm for you to consider.

  • A long sleeve shirt and pants are ideal, preferably made from thick cotton, as extreme heat and flying embers can burn exposed skin.
  • Sturdy leather boots. If you can, couple these with woollen or cotton socks for extra protection.
  • A hat, preferably with a wide brim. This can help to prevent embers from coming into contact with your skin.
  • Gloves. Not only will they protect your hands from heat and flames, but also from anything hazardous you need to pick up around the farm while protecting your property.
  • Thick smoke and ash will make it hard to see and breathe, so consider:
    • Safety goggles to help keep smoke and embers out of your eyes and
    • A mask to reduce inhalation of smoke and ash.

Consider having enough PPE to cover additional people that might be at the property in the event of a bushfire and consider keeping a second kit in your ute, to avoid getting caught out.

This information is brought to you by specialist agricultural insurer Achmea Australia as part of our commitment to keeping farmers farming.

 

 

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