What steps will you take to prepare for this year's bushfire danger period?
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NRMA Insurance has teamed up with NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS), NSW State Emergency Service and The Australian Red Cross to launch 'First Saturday'.
The initiative is a call-to-action for every Australian to dedicate the first Saturday of every month to carry out one small task to make their homes safer.
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The 'First Saturday' home preparedness initiative launches Saturday, September 5, following new research which has found 63 per cent of Australians want to do more to prepare for the upcoming bushfire season.
NRMA Insurance Executive General Manager Amanda Whiting said there were several measures homeowners could take to help minimise the risk of fire, flood or other emergencies.
"First Saturday gives Australians, many of whom felt so helpless during last summer's bushfire season, a tangible way to help by completing a small safety task every month to make their homes safer," Ms Whiting said.
"These tasks are not chores, they are vital acts of help."
NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Rob Rogers last year's bushfire season saw volunteer firefighters go to extraordinary efforts to protect communities.
"While we're still recovering from that fire season, some parts of the state have already entered the next," Mr Rogers said.
"Doing simple tasks to prepare your home like cleaning gutters and trimming overhanging trees and shrubs, can be the difference between saving your home or it being destroyed.
When a home is at risk, so are the lives of our firefighters who are called out to save it. Through the First Saturday initiative, we're backing the call to encourage all Australians to play their part in making their homes and the wider community safer."
The campaign encourages people to take on a simple safety task on the first Saturday of each month - such as clearing debris from the yard, trimming branches or getting safety equipment for the home - to help our first responders stay safe.
While each task may be small, the impact of not carrying out these tasks could be significant in the event of a natural disaster.
With more than half of Australians (54 per cent) worried about how the next bushfire season will affect them and their community, the initiative aims to make homes safer, while also easing the pressure on the first responders who attend dangerous situations.
The campaign aims to re-invigorate the conversation around how 2020 began and remind people that prevention and preparation is key to keeping themselves and first responders safe.