By ANEEKA SIMONIS
AN EMERALD childcare facility enforcing compulsory bushfire planning workshops for parents has been acknowledged as one of the best fire awareness project across the state.
Emerald Community House (ECH) took out the prestigious overall Award for Excellence at the 2014 RACV Fire Awareness Awards earlier this month along with a category award for Community Preparedness.
ECH’s Child Health co-ordinator Mary Farrow said they were the only licenced childcare facility across the state to enforce the ground-breaking policy.
”Parents of children who join our child care in any of the four terms have to attend a bush fire workshop,” she said of the project supported by Emerald CFA.
“It is designed to help parents realise their responsibilities during bushfire season as well as highlight our responsibilities.
“Parents who rely on us for care need to know that we might have to shut down during the seasons if conditions are bad, and that they will have to make other arrangements for their children.”
Mary said the compulsory element to the scheme was praised at the awards ceremony in a world where people were often too busy to make time for precautionary education.
“We are poised to head into one of the worst bushfire seasons for years, yet people are too busy to learn about their responsibilities,” she said.
“We decided to make it a requirement that parents learn … the committee thought some families might leave the childcare but we stood by (the project) and now around 100 parents have done the workshop.
“They said the project should be mandated across the state.”
CFA Chief Officer Euan Ferguson said the group, who were up against stiff competition for the award, were innovative, forward-thinkers.
“This project will help to educate locals on their fire risk, and give them essential tools to help protect themselves in the event of fire,” he said.
