October 16, 2007
Not-For-Profit Community Service Announcement
October 16, 2007
Rustlers Gully Alerted to Bushfire
After being in the path of a bushfire last summer, residents of Rustlers Gully were once again under threat from a bushfire yesterday, however this time the residents were alerted by telephone email and SMS.
On the same day that the Country Fire Service (CFS) announced as being the start of the new fire season, Rustlers Gully, on the Northern tip of Port Lincoln, South Australia was in the heat of action with their first bushfire for the season.
October 15, 2007, 1:36 pm - a resident called the community based Bushfire Alert system to alert their neighbours of the outbreak of a grass fire out the back of Rustlers Gully. This message was then sent to all registered members of the Port Lincoln Bushfire Alert community by landline phones, mobiles, email and SMS proving a valuable early warning alert.
October 15, 2007, 1:55 pm - a resident called in to say the fire authority had attended and all looked under control and were standing by. This message was then sent to all the Port Lincoln Bushfire Alert community members again, providing an update, and in this case, some piece of mind.
The CFS recommend communities to set up phone trees and the Bushfire Alert system is very much a phone tree however the difference is that large numbers of people are alerted in a very short time and they receive their voice alerts on multiple telephones plus a text version is delivered by email and SMS, thereby saving valuable time at the early stage of the fire.
Bill Oborn, Director of Skunkworks Australia, who operate the system, said "The alert for Rustlers Gully today was the 35th alert we have sent out on the Lower Eyre Peninsula since we opened the system to the public, now in it's third fire season".
The Lower Eyre Peninsula suffered a massive bushfire in 2005 when 9 lives were lost.
The National Bushfire Alert is a not-for-profit community based system used by communities, fire brigades and other emergency services groups for their local use. Anyone can join an existing community or form a new one by registering their details at BushfireAlert.com.au
The technology is also available to whole of governments to operate themselves for all types emergencies on a state wide or national basis.
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Contact Details:
Bill Oborn
Skunkworks Australia Pty Ltd
Office: 08 8125 5511
Mobile: 0411 112 644
E: bill.net.au
About Bushfire Alert
Skunkworks Australia operates the National Bushfire Alert system as a not-for-profit community service to help people living in bush fire risk areas reduce loss of life and property.
Fire authorities recommend community based phone tree systems and the National Bushfire Alert system operates like a phone tree however the difference is that large numbers of people are alerted in a very short time on multiple phone numbers plus email and SMS – saving valuable time at the early stage of the fire.
Early warning is paramount to helping people make decisions as appropriate for their circumstances at the early stage of the fire.
When someone detects a bushfire they dial the fire reporting number for that community and leave a message that explains where the fire is and any other brief and relevant information. The system then broadcasts that message to all the community members using up to five different delivery methods. Voice alerts are sent to home, work, and mobile phones, while text is sent by email and SMS. Using multiple delivery methods increases the chance of alerting people wherever they are and regardless of the time of day or night.
Further information about whole of government alerting services:
Skunkworks.net.au/alerts
Further information about the community based Bushfire Alert system:
BushfireAlert.com.au
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