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Wellington Shire Council is urging residents and local business owners not to become complacent about fire safety during the winter season. The prompt follows a spate of fires in recent weeks which has seen entire households and commercial buildings within the Shire completely destroyed. The winter months are among the most dangerous time of the year in terms of house fires. Whilst the most common place in the home where fires start is in the kitchen, data from the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and Fire Rescue Victoria shows that more than 72 per cent of deadly fires start in bedrooms and living areas; most of which are caused by mechanical failure of heating systems, appliances, and equipment. As the weather cools down, residents are being asked to stay vigilant when using heating equipment such as indoor fireplaces and electric room heaters. When it comes to home heating in particular, Fire Rescue Victoria and the CFA recommend the following fire safety and prevention tips. Never leave portable heaters and fireplaces unattended and turn off heating devices before leaving home or going to sleep. Drying clothes and other items must be kept at least one metre away from all heating. Residents should have their gas heaters inspected and serviced every two years to ensure the safety of loved ones from carbon monoxide poisoning or fire. Children must be supervised near all types of heating. Heaters should be installed as per the manufacturer's instructions, away from wet areas if they are portable and when purchasing a heater look for one that has an automatic safety switch that will turn off if the heater is tipped over. Under the Victorian smoke alarm legislation, all residential properties must have a smoke alarm installed on every level including in every sleeping area and living room. As a further safety precaution, smoke alarms should be installed with a 10 year long-life battery and tested each month to reduce fire risk. Wellington Shire Council Mayor, Cr Ian Bye was shocked to learn about the recent fires in Wellington Shire. “Having these fires happen within the first two weeks of winter is devastating and has such a huge impact on so many people living in our community. I encourage all residents to stay alert of the fire risks in their home or business and to develop a fire escape plan and practice it”. Cr Bye said. If a fire starts inside your property, get out and stay out and in every case - call Triple Zero (000). More information about fire prevention: Victorian Government - Practical Fire Safety Tips: www.vic.gov.au/practical-fire-safety-tips CFA - Fires in the Home: www.cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare/fires-in-the-home Fire Rescue Victoria: Home Fire Safety: www.frv.vic.gov.au/home-fire-safety-v2 More information about fire prevention in and around the Port Albert area, reach out to the Port Albert CFA Learn More >>>

Welcome to The Coastal Township of Port Albert Article by Escape to Gippsland Recently, Escape to Gippsland published a wonderful article about Port Albert. Port Albert is a picturesque coastal town located in Gippsland Victoria, Australia, with a rich maritime history and a vibrant local community. Read their list of the many things you can do while visiting Port Albert. Read the full article by Escape to Gippsland here >>> **Image below is credited Boat Harbour Jetty BnB

PORT Albert Progress Association’s (PAPA) Easter Sunday at Rutter Park Playground on Bay St in Port Albert went ahead despite challenging weather conditions. Strong winds meant the cancellation of the jumping castle and lanterns on the water as a safety precaution. Around 300 people braved the cold weather across the day to attend ‘Picnic in the Park’, which ran adjacent to the Tarra Festival in Yarram. The kids activities were all well-attended, with the petting zoo proving popular. Although not recording huge sales due to the small crowd, most food vans showed up and experienced steady trade. Coffee, pizza, spuds, burgers, face painting, dessert food trucks and live music by Gippsland band The Badgers kept the crowd happy. Showbags were also available and the Easter Bunny took time out of a busy schedule to give out free Easter eggs. PAPA thanked Peter Stoitse Transport for providing a truck trailer for the band at short notice. PAPA also thanked Wellington Shire and the Tarra Festival for providing funding support for the event, and St John’s volunteers. Read the Gippsland Times Full Story >>>