While the Crime Stoppers media road show might have drawn to a close, CFA members are encouraged to make use of materials available online to keep spreading the “see something, say something” message in their communities.
Anyone who can spare the time to help out by downloading and printing out a poster for display in a local shop, school or community centre can find posters and brochures online.
Printable posters and brochures are available to CFA members from the The Very Handy Template Toolkit, a great resource for grabbing a range of fire safety materials. (Alternatively, go to the Crimestoppers website to find more posters, radio ads, statistics or messages that you can copy or download).
An event held for local media in Warrnambool yesterday (Tuesday 10 Feb) marked the end of the ‘Prevent Bushfire Arson’ roadshow, part of an annual campaign run by Crime Stoppers and supported by CFA. The campaign calls on people to report any out-of-the-ordinary behaviour to the confidential Crime Stoppers line 1800 333 000.
You can read an article by the Warnambool Standard here.
How to find Arson prevention and other fire safety materials online:
- Log in to Brigades Online/Staff intranet
- Click on the Very Handy Template Toolkit icon via the sliding bar
- Click on ‘Marketing materials’, then ‘bushfire/grassfire’
- Look for files titled ‘bushfire arson’
Alternatively, type “Bushfire Arson” into the search bar of Brigades Online (Intranet for staff) the Bushfire Arson poster and brochure will come up in the documents field.
Did you know?
- CFA Fire Investigators work in conjunction with the Victoria Police and Forensic Services to investigate the origin and cause of suspicious fires, also to identify ‘hot spots’ across the state.
- The maximum penalty for arson causing death in Victoria is 25 years imprisonment. The maximum penalty for intentionally or recklessly causing a bushfire is 15 years imprisonment.
- Around the State, CFA attended at least 170 suspicious grass and scrub fires in January and December – 13% of all vegetation fires.
Fire terms in laymans’s language:
A suspicious fire is one where there is intent to cause damage and is not an accident. An investigation will be conducted and police notified.
A reckless fire is one where a fire starts and (though it may be unintended) a person has not followed reasonable precautions.
An accidental fire is unintended; where a fire starts even though a person involved has taken reasonable steps to prevent it.
Arson is a criminal offence thatoccurs wherea fire has been deliberately lit with intent to cause damage or harm – this is determined by police.
Author: CFA News