Importance of Emergency Markers During Fire Season
With the devasting impact of the 2019/20 bushfires still at the forefront of our minds. Victorians are being urged to start preparing for the current fire season.
Forest Fire Management Victoria Chief Fire Officer Chris Hardman said while some Victorian forests may remain damp enough to experience average to below-average fire activity, even a normal fire season can be dangerous so there is no room for complacency.
“We urge anyone enjoying our parks and outdoors to be extremely careful when using fires. If you’re lighting a campfire this summer, make sure you never leave it unattended and that you put it out properly before you leave as these can otherwise cause devastating bushfires,” he said.
Emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility, and Victorians should not be complacent this summer, no matter the outlook. Like we have seen countless times before, in Victoria, it will be hot and there will be fires. But summer is not just about fires, it’s about heat, floods, storms and water safety.
The emergency services sector continues to work closely together to ensure the safety of Victorian communities with the delivery of more resources and support to protect the community. One of these resources is the Emergency Markers initiative.
The markers include a unique alphanumeric number that is linked to the Triple Zero (000) computer-aided dispatch system, helping emergency services to identify the precise location of an emergency call. Knowing the exact location helps emergency services arrive at the scene of an emergency as quickly as possible. In these situations, Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA), who manages Triple Zero (000), also provides specific navigational assistance to the responding emergency services, including identifying the closest access point.
RapidMap and Iconyx have worked with ESTA throughout 2020 to deliver more than 200 new markers – with this number steadily growing.
Victoria has an amazing array of outdoor areas that are wonderful for getting closer to nature, exercising, recreation, or boosting wellbeing. And with the weather heating up and Covid-19 impacting our ability to travel, now is the perfect time to get out and explore.
However, as the weather heats up and we get further into fire season; it is also important to take every precaution possible. So, if you’re planning a trip to visit or stay overnight at one of Victoria’s picturesque outdoor locations – take the time to check if there are emergency markers in place. This handy tool Emergency Marker mapping tool lets you search the location of all emergency markers across Australia, so familiarise yourself just in case!
If you would like to talk to us about having Emergency Markers installed in an area you manage, get in touch via emergencymarkers@rapidmap.com
