Books strengthen bushfire safety

Highlighting the breadth and depth of Australia’s national bushfire research program, two books have today been launched by the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre (CRC).

The two books demonstrate the extensive reach of Bushfire CRC research, and are very different in both content and style:

• The Handbook of Disaster Policies and Institutions – Improving Emergency Management and Climate Change Adaption by Bushfire CRC research leaders Professor John Handmer from RMIT University and Professor Stephen Dovers from the Australian National University
• The Making a bushfire survival plan? Involve your kids! ebook by Dr Briony Towers from RMIT University

Designed for parents to help discuss bushfire preparation and safety with their children, the ebook is interactive and engaging, outlining how the whole family can help prepare for bushfire. The ebook is only available from the Bushfire CRC website, www.bushfirecrc.com by searching for ‘ebook’, or can be downloaded here. It is a free download, and viewable on any tablet device or PC.

The ebook is based on the PhD research of Dr Briony Towers from RMIT University. Funded by the Bushfire CRC, Dr Towers completed her PhD in 2011, investigating children’s understanding of causality and prevention as applied to the bushfire context. Dr Towers also examined the role of parents, friends, and teachers in the development children’s bushfire understanding.  

“Parents should talk to their children about fire safety and involve them in their bushfire survival plans – in a serious event, that knowledge could be crucial,” said Dr Towers.

“When children are given the chance to discuss bushfire mitigation and planning with more knowledgeable peers or adults, they are more than capable of understanding the fundamental principles of safety and survival.

“While parents may be concerned that talking about bushfire may cause unnecessary anxiety, my research shows that when children have a clear understanding of the steps that could be taken to prevent or reduce bushfire impacts, they are less fearful and anxious about living in a high bushfire-risk area,” said Dr Towers.

Aimed at policy makers and operational personnel, the updated and revised second edition of the Handbook of Disaster Policies and Institutions – Improving Emergency Management and Climate Change Adaption includes new coverage of climate change adaptation, which has rapidly become central to disaster and emergency planning and management. The book is an essential handbook for practitioners across the world seeking to improve the quality, robustness and capacity of their disaster management mechanisms.

The Handbook of Disaster Policies and Institutions – Improving Emergency Management and Climate Change Adaption is available for order from Palgrave MacMillan.