Fire Danger: Leaving Early on Extreme/Code Red Days WIth Preschoolers

[OceanPrincess]

A lot of caravan parks have a day visitor fee, so you don't need to get a cabin if you're going to be there short term.

My plan is to meet DH at our local shopping centre if I have to leave and then head to my Dad's house in suburban Melb where I can have the dogs in his backyard and DD can be comfortable. It's unlikely for me though, I live on the suburban fringe, but you never know.

You know how close it got last time hun! My family thought they were safe in HB - they had no idea how close it came until after.

We don't have a code red plan - I've just asked DH now. He said "get in the car and get out!" I said "where to??"

The conversation continues.........

[Astrid]

I've just asked DH now. He said "get in the car and get out!" I said "where to??"

The conversation continues.........

My DH is the same. Previously I argued with him about "where to?" It is all well and good to tell people to leave, but there are many with no where to go. It would be great if one of the safer areas opened up the local sports stadium or similar on those days. I would even pay for somewhere like that.

[Miss.September]

My DH is the same. Previously I argued with him about "where to?" It is all well and good to tell people to leave, but there are many with no where to go. It would be great if one of the safer areas opened up the local sports stadium or similar on those days. I would even pay for somewhere like that.

DH and I had extremely heated discussions about this. My arguement was that many people live around their families, so potentially their safe spots, being family and friends' homes would also be in danger. He said that they could go to the shopping centre, etc. I responded with asking about pets. What are you supposed to do? Sit in the car on a stinking hot day? Safer than being in a fire, but dangerous in it's own regard. We have never come to a conclusion.

OP/ZF - You are always welcome to come to me. And if mine isn't safe, my dad lives in Glen Waverley, so you and the kids are welcome there too

[HotI]

you can look up your town 'town protection plan' on the cfa website. There is one for Woodend, and the 3 recomended evacuation places are sunbury (37km) melb (69km) or bendigo (82km).

[fionas]

you can look up your town 'town protection plan' on the cfa website. There is one for Woodend, and the 3 recomended evacuation places are sunbury (37km) melb (69km) or bendigo (82km).

Thanks HotI! That's interesting because the CFA told us Kyneton or Gisborne for nearby places and those are both closer than Sunbury. I've ruled out Melbourne pretty much because I'm a new driver and have driven there once on NYE. Getting there is fine, getting around the city will be stressful for me because I'm not used to driving in city traffic. Bendigo is do-able though.

[LionsandBears]

Can you do a fire drill type thing? Maybe put an emergency bag together and plan a drive to Sunbury or whatever. It will make you more familiar with the drive and see what works or doesn't.

[fionas]

Can you do a fire drill type thing? Maybe put an emergency bag together and plan a drive to Sunbury or whatever. It will make you more familiar with the drive and see what works or doesn't.

Have half-done the emergency bag and planning a drill on Weds. It's not the drive to nearby places that concerns me it's what to do for the entire day once we're there. On Code Red days, we'll be gone early in the morning and won't be returning until after dinner - that's a long time to entertain a 4-year-old and 1-year-old and the nearby places don't have places like caravan parks that we can stay in.

On Severe Days I'll monitor the situation and go to somewhere nearby (Sunbury, Kyneton or Gisborne) if there's a fire within a bulls roar of here. On Extreme Days, I'm not sure ATM whether to monitor or do the same as for Code Red days and just go to a caravan park/motel in a regional centre. DP says monitor but I'm not really comfortable with that - easier said than done to be checking the CFA website and listening to the radio when you're busy with two littlies. And I don't altogether trust the CFA warning system.