GUEST SPEAKER: Roger Underwood  - Preventative medicine – the key to effective bushfire management

This week's guest speaker was Roger Underwood who is a forester with fifty years experience in bushfire management and bushfire science.  He has worked as a firefighter, a district and regional manager, a research manager and senior government administrator.
 
Roger's way of getting his message across by comparing the similar way of managing a health issue to effective bushfire management resonated well with his audience.
 
The bottom line is 'prevention is better than cure'.
 
The essence of preventative medicine:
  1.  Public health programs, to ensure a clean environment;
  2.  Inoculation, to prevent infectious diseases;
  3.  A professional and trained response system 
The essence of effective bushfire management
  1. A clean and healthy environment, free from bushfire hazards;
  2. Period inoculation with prescribed fire to reduce bushland fuels; and
  3. A well-trained and equipped force of firefighters