2015November NEWSLETTER

Message from The Area Coordinator
After two months away in the Northern Hemisphere it is good to be back in the warm (if at times wet) weather of our wonderful state. We all need to make preparations to keep our property & possessions safe with both storm & bush fire seasons current. Please do all you can to minimise the risk of property in your yards from becoming a missile should we get high winds (or even the tail end of a cyclone) & make sure that undergrowth is kept to a minimum with no material which could burn easily in a bushfire emergency. Don’t forget we are surrounded with a lot of trees in our suburb & it would take just the right combination of wind, dry & high temperatures to provide the essence of a catastrophic fire emergency. We need to do our part to help the emergency services do their job in protecting & safeguarding our surroundings. Also make sure that gutters are cleared of dry leaves & other possible debris which can catch alight or block our drains in the event of a heavy storm.
The first weekend of November gave us a clue as to what mother nature may have in store for us this summer.

On another matter with the end of the school year approaching we must be even more vigilant on our roads for youngsters who may not be paying as much attention to their surroundings as they should with the excitement of holidays, parties etc ahead. The 40kph limit is there for a reason & don’t forget that road speeds are limited to 50kph in suburban streets unless otherwise posted it is evident to me since my return, just how many people are NOT adhering to the speed limits.
Police will be out in force over the coming holiday periods to monitor the FATAL FIVE - after distraction & inattention was added to the Road Safety Campaign. Make sure your vehicles are ready for the long trips which may be involved at holiday time as well as personally being ready.
Including: do not drive fatigued, impaired through drink or drugs, do not speed & always wear your seat belt. We all want to be here this time next year, & however safe we may drive remember that there are always those who share the roads with us who are not so diligent, so leave extra room for braking & be aware of your surroundings.

With the recent death of a young girl from Marsden the community rallied round the Marsden School Community. However police still need help in finding the person(s) involved & it is just possible that you may have the missing piece of information needed. Please look in your backyards in case the uniform or backpack has been disposed of over the fence it could be vital evidence.
Also be warned this “silly season” that there will be the usual conmen operating & cyber crime is still on the increase. Do Not open un-solicited emails particularly those advising that you have won a lottery that you have no knowledge of entering. DO NOT open emails saying that your computer has a virus, have an outstanding invoice from Fed Ex or similar. The Australian Cyber On-Line Reporting System ACORN is a secure reporting and referral service for cybercrime & online incidents which may be in breach of Australian law. Common types of cybercrime include: hacking, scams, fraud, identity theft, attacks on computer systems & illegal or prohibited online content. Make sure you have updated firewall & anti virus protection. If yours is not up to date perhaps give hints that you could do with a new version for a Christmas present instead of the usual unwanted items that just go into drawers.

I hope that you will join us at the AGM & end of year social on November 30th or at the Crestmead Community Carols on Saturday December 5th.

Wishing you a peaceful holiday season, take care
Geoff