Club members get fire safety lessons

 MEMBERS of a local Probus club are fire ready after receiving safety tips from a CFA brigade recently.

A dozen members of White Hills Probus Club attended a seminar and training at Maiden Gully CFA in early May where they learnt how to deal with household fire situations.

Andrew Howlett had a foot in both camps, being a member of the club, and treasurer of the brigade.

“They were really enthusiastic and got stuck into it,” said Mr Howlett.

“Kitchen fires are probably the major ones that you can do something about. It’s a matter of what you do and what you don’t do.

“You don’t put water on burning fat because it just makes the fire worse.

“Fire blankets sort of suffocate the fire and cut the oxygen out. Certainly, some members have gone out and bought fire blankets.”

Due to its practical nature, Mr Howlett said he’s confident people left with a better understanding of the steps to take if ever faced with a house fire.

“Very different from sitting in a chair and listening to a guest speaker because this was hands-on stuff,” he said.

“I think the hope is that the people who actually did it have gone away feeling like they’d know what to do.”

Probus members were also trained on how to operate fire extinguishers, and firefighters talked about having heating systems serviced regularly and smoke detectors tested.

With the success of the day, Mr Howlett said the two organisations are already planning on doing a second session later this year.