Southern Region BRN Update

Southern Region BRN Update

2020 means the start to a new round of Bushfire-Ready Neighbourhoods (BRN) activities in the Southern Region. With Round 4 now underway, four new southern communities will be the focus of activities for 2020-2022. These communities are Dodges Ferry, Margate, Miena, and Orford.

These locations are spread across the Southern Region and have unique characteristics. These include shack communities, permanent residents, urban fringe communities and rural. All have higher levels of bushfire risk including some with one-way-in one-way-out roads, remote access, and different community connectedness.

While in the initial stage of Round 4, there has been great interest from TFS fire brigades and various stakeholders to be involved in the program and to work with these communities to be more prepared for bushfires. Even though the recent weather in the south has been a little damp, community events are planned to start in October/November across the southern BRN communities.

We have several different types of events happening across the communities. One that is being held in a few areas are the drop-in sessions. These types of sessions enable people to drop in anytime while the session is open.

This allow the TFS fire brigades, Community Development Officer, and other stakeholders to talk to community members one on one or in smaller groups, as well as offering flexibility for community members to come along at a time that suits them.

Another benefit of drop-in sessions is being able to manage COVID-19 government restrictions. By encouraging people to come along during a period of time when they are available, group size is more easily managed within a limited space as well as maintaining physical distancing requirements.

So if you live in, work in, own a shack or spend some time in any of these areas, check out when there is a community event in your area.

Selina Young 
Community Development Officer, South