Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) is continuing to work with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities to deliver key home fire safety messages as the weather warms up.
FRNSW attended the Canterbury-Bankstown Safety Expo today, with firefighters from Arabic, Greek and Vietnamese backgrounds spending time with locals to discuss fire safety in their native language.
More than 27% of NSW residents were born overseas, and 1 in 3 households speaks a language other than English.
Engaging CALD communities through education initiatives is an important way FRNSW is preparing residents for any emergency, helping overcome knowledge and awareness barriers that might put these communities at risk of home fires.
While fires are more likely to occur during winter, the risk remains year-round with working smoke alarms and cooking safety perennial concerns for firefighters.
As the weather warms up, residents living near bush and grass land are urged to be aware of the fire risk in their area and to heed the advice and warnings of authorities.
Barbecue use is more popular during warmer months, but it carries a heightened risk on hot days and residents are urged to observe limitations on barbecue use during total fire ban days.
Translated fire safety fact sheets and videos are available in several languages on the Fire and Rescue NSW websitelaunch where you can also book in a free home safety visit from your local station.
Minister for Emergency Services and Member for Bankstown Jihad Dib said:
“I can’t stress enough the importance of creating consistent messaging for people from all backgrounds.”
“Bankstown is home to people of diverse languages and backgrounds, and finding a way to reach communities in a way that is familiar to them is incredibly important.”
“I commend FRNSW for recognising this as an outreach opportunity.”
Fire and Rescue NSW Assistant Commissioner Paul McGuiggan said:
“As an organisation we are fully committed to connecting to, and working with, multicultural communities to help prepare them for any emergency.”
“Explaining fire safety messaging in a way that simplifies the language used and the understanding of potential outcomes is crucial.”
“We need to make sure we are able to educate people from different backgrounds, in the language and concepts that make sense.”