Everybody reacts differently

Every community reacts differently in the moment—and so does every individual. At our second Kalorama workshop, participants’ responses during the Virtual Reality experience reflected this reality: some sat perfectly still, others became vocal and emotional. Just as in a real emergency, some people freeze, some take action, and some are overcome by feeling.

The discussion that followed was rich and deeply personal. Residents spoke about their plans and the emotions they might experience under pressure. One person reflected that involving her children in an evacuation would heighten her stress, while another said that the overwhelming noise of a fire made it hard to think clearly.

Workshops like this are designed to help people anticipate those reactions—to understand not just what they’ll do, but how they’ll feel and think when a bushfire threatens.

We’re off to Belgrave tonight to run a workshop for Mums of the Hills, and our final Kalorama session will take place on 26 October.