Victorian Equestrian Centre proprietor Ken Aldred (front) inside what used to be one of Cardinia’s fire refuges, with (back from left) chief instructor Courtney Fraser, head of stables and instructor Mel Kleinsmit, instructor Shanyn Heuvel and trainee instructor Danielle Plier.By Sarah Schwager
THE emergence of the fire season has reignited confusion and outrage over the lack of fire refuges in Cardinia Shire.
Ken Aldred, proprietor of the Victorian Equestrian Centre, which used to be a fire refuge until it was withdrawn in 2002, said it was the fright of public liability and the risk of being sued that forced the closure of 15 refuges in Cardinia.
But Mr Aldred, who volunteered as a firefighter between 1997 and 2004, said he was confused about just where people were supposed to go in an emergency.
He said most of this confusion came from a letter dated 25 February 2002 from Cardinia Shire’s fire prevention officer Anthony Hester.
The letter said that despite the Upper Beaconsfield centre not being required for use in an official capacity, “this … does not preclude the use of your buildings and facilities to aid in community recovery after the passing of the fire front”.
Mr Aldred said: “In difficult times I will still take people in, there is no question about it.
“But what happens now that we are no longer covered by the State Government?”
Eric Bumpstead, Upper Beaconsfield CFA captain from 1973 to 1997, said the lack of fire refuges, particularly in fireprone areas such as Emerald, Cockatoo, Upper Beaconsfield and Upper Pakenham, was a disgrace.
“It should be incumbent of the council to provide assembly areas in an emergency,” Mr Bumpstead said.
“Particularly in fireprone areas they should reinstate the fire refuges they had or if they’re not good enough pick other ones.”
Upper Beaconsfield CFA captain Graeme MacGowan said Emergency Services Commission guidelines had ruled out Cardinia’s previous 15 fire refuges because they were not considered safe.
“They’d never really been tested,” he said.
“There should be refuges, but they should be safe.”
Mr Bumpstead said the guidelines that fire refuges had to meet to be considered safe were not practical and too expensive.
He said the CFA’s ‘stay and defend or leave early’ policy was good to a point, but there needed to be other options because people would still stay at their properties.
“People may be physically and mentally prepared to defend their home but when they see what is approaching it might be a different story,” Mr Bumpstead said.
“Every available option should be there to make it as safe as possible.”
Cardinia Shire risk management officer Bernard Tuohy said that in line with the CFA’s ‘stay and defend or leave early’ policy, council no longer designated fire refuges.
“In the event of a fire or other emergency, council will establish emergency relief centres at appropriate safe places near the site of the incident to supply emergency food, water, information, first aid and other assistance,” Mr Tuohy said.
“Property owners and organisations that previously maintained fire refuges on their land will no longer be called upon to supply these, and Cardinia Shire officers are in the process of notifying these organisations of this change to emergency procedures, so property owners need not worry they’ll be called on unexpectedly.”
