Go head for Go-List

EMERALD Community House’s commitment to fire safety has been recognised at the Fire Awareness Awards 2010.
ECH received two community preparedness awards at the 27 October presentation to recognise and highlight its actions to improve bushfire preparedness.
A highly commended certificate applauded the house’s bushfire planning workshops, held in partnership with the CFA.
The only encouragement certificate for the night commended The Go List – an online database listing destinations for people and animals to relocate to on high fire danger days.
ECH coordinator Mary Farrow said final testing had been done and the site www.thegolist.net.au was now up and running.
“It was fantastic to be recognised,” she said.
ECH developed The Go List in October last year after locals said they had nowhere to go on severe, extreme and catastrophic fire danger days.
Earlier this year they received State Government funding to take the list throughout Victoria.
Ms Farrow said the site would continue to grow.
Users will be able to search and filter for locations online and community houses in high fire risk areas will have paper copies available.
Ms Farrow hoped the list would empower residents.
“If they have organised a destination ahead of a high-risk day, they are likely to leave early,” she said. “It is disruptive. It is inconvenient – but so is death.”
The list will include day destinations, overnight accommodation and places for animals.
“We knew of people who would not leave their animals behind and therefore were less likely to leave on a high-risk day,” Ms Farrow said. “People died on Black Saturday because they would not leave their pets or horses. And you don’t want people driving around with a dog in their car on a 30-degree day.”
The idea was born during an ABC broadcast from ECH hall on Bushfire Awareness Day. “Many people said during that broadcast they didn’t know where to go or know anyone out of the area who could accommodate them if they left early,” Ms Farrow said. “Some felt unable to help themselves with another stressful summer bearing down on them.”
Call Emerald Community House on 5968 3881.