People at higher risk

3 min read

If you are older, frail, or have a disability, you are at higher risk of death or injury in a house fire or bushfire. This is because you may take longer to respond to fire and need support to evacuate. But this does not mean you can’t take action and plan for fire yourself. CFA has designed programs and services to empower you to improve your own fire safety, and get help if you need it. Explore our online learning modules and in-home services below.

Bushfire planning mother leaving with child 1600

Summary

  • Free learning and home visit services.
  • Simple, online learning modules.
  • Home fire and bushfire modules available.
  • Designed in collaboration with people with disability.
  • Home visit services are targeted to people who need extra support.

Who is 'at higher risk' in home fires and bushfires?

Everyone is at risk from fire, but some people are at higher risk. Reasons people may be more at risk:

  1. They can't quickly identify that a fire has started.
  2. They don't know what to do in a fire.
  3. They can't quickly escape from a fire in their home.
  4. They can't leave early in a bushfire without support.

Are you or a person you care for at higher risk?

Checklist

Can you hear or respond to a smoke alarm?

If any of these statements apply to you, it may make it harder for you to hear or respond to a fire:

Checklist

Do you have difficulty getting out of your home quickly?

If any of these statements apply to you, it could make it harder for you to hear or respond to a fire:

Online modules to reduce the risk

CFA has designed simple, online learning modules to help you think about:

Home fire safety learning

Including the following topics:

  • how to reduce the chance of a fire starting in your home
  • how to know a fire has started
  • how to make a fire escape plan that works for you

Bushfire safety learning

Including the following topics:

  • how to make a bushfire survival plan that works for you
  • how to understand bushfire risk
  • where to find bushfire information

Program features

Convenient and free

All of our online learning modules are free, can be accessed online, and done anytime. You can save your progress and come back to finish them anytime.

It's as easy as creating an account for the online learning hub and getting started.

Person-centred approach

People manage their own lives every day and are the experts in their own situation.

We design our learning modules to give everyone the opportunity to actively participate in their own emergency planning and decision-making.

Can be held in-person as a group

Each of the modules can be done online anytime, or you can organise an online or in-person group session. Contact your local CFA office or email communityprograms@cfa.vic.gov.au for more information.

Targeted services

CFA also has free, targeted in-home visit services for people who are at higher risk.

Bushfire Planning - You and the person you care for is a free online e-learning module designed for informal carers to learn about how to help the person they care for develop a bushfire plan.

The free Prevent, Detect, Escape online e-learning module is designed to help people at higher risk, and those working with them to improve fire safety in their homes and develop a home fire escape plan.

Explore CFA's programs for People at Higher Risk.

Fired Up English (EAL program)

  • Flexible

Fired Up English is a set of free lessons for teaching English as an Additional Language. It is intended to be used by English as an Additional Language teachers to support adult learning of the English language while also learning about fire safety.

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Multicultural class raising hands 460
Click through to read Fired Up English (EAL program)

Smoke Alarm Installation Service

  • 30 - 60 minutes

This free service involves trained CFA members visiting people in their homes to install smoke alarms. It is designed to reach community members who are at higher risk of death or injury in a house fire because they may not have working smoke alarms.

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Smoke alarm with smoke 460
Click through to read Smoke Alarm Installation Service
 

Page last updated: Thursday, 27 August 2026 10:03:20 AM

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Home fire plan for people with additional needs

If you or someone you care for has additional needs, it may be difficult to get out quickly during a fire in your home. Make a home fire escape plan so you know what to do if a fire starts. You know your needs best, so make a plan that works for you.

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