The Victorian Fires

[Guest Maj Millard]

That's a very interesting image admin, they need to put that on the front page of newspapers tomorrow perhaps . It does indeed tell a story doesn't it ?. Heat and high wind, a deadly combination.

 

 

[Tomo]

That image looks so realistic, doesn't it... the redness and all.

 

 

[Gibbo]

===== Please note that Tooradin is having a BBQ this Saturday in aid of the bush fire victims =====

 

Concept that as a group (Raa or just the rec flyers (and the Tooradin flyers ;)) should get together and do over the next few weeks / months..

 

Now we have passenger insurance (thanks RaAus)!

 

As Tooradin, Lilydale and Latrobe Valley are the closest to the fires we should as a group run some distraction flights for the kids. It may only take their minds off things for a few minutes but it would all help.

 

Brent -> Would Gary be interested in Helping.

 

LFS -> Same deal.

 

I'm happy to scare some poor kid sitting in the passenger seat and will put in for the cost.

 

Gibbo

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

That's a top idea Gibbo, that and arrange something in the near future with a fly-in once things settle a bit.

 

 

[Guest palexxxx]

I've been trying to get in touch with a friend of mine who lives at Yarra Glen since Saturday. Finally got to speak with him yesterday. His home phone number which I rang was redirected to his mobile as he told me that his house is no more. He's lost everything. He and his wife were still at home when his house caught fire and they were lucky to get out. They had only just finished puting the final touches to an extention that they'd been working on for a year.

 

We hadn't heard much about the losses in Yarra Glen as Kinglake and Marysville and other places were making the headlines, but Yarra Glen is only about 10 kilometres as the crow flies from Kinglake and St Andrews so it wouldn't take much for embers to fly from there.

 

 

[Ben Longden]

I got a call early Sunday morning to go with a St John Volunteer ambo crew (Im a volunteer paramedic in my spare time) and was sent to Alexandra, where the Marysville survivors were located.

 

I did a 12 hr shift there, and on arrival I was told these folks had escaped by the skin of their teeth, had a fire plan and only made it with the clothing on their backs; everything in the town was lost.

 

There were 350 people my partner and I had to look after, but the DHS already had counsellors in the community, the Red Cross was catering (with help from Lions) and the fire crews were always on the go.

 

A human tragedy beyond belief.

 

Certainly the worst disaster - natural or man made, in recorded history.

 

Talking to a colleague in the CFA, whom I work with in my day job, I had the easy task. He was assigned to search parties to look for "teeth and jewellery".

 

The best thing that you can do to help is donate to the Red Cross appeal.

 

They have enough clothing to cater for the immediate needs.

 

While they say they have enough accommodation for the victimes, they are always on the lookout for spare houses - not shared accommodation or billets.

 

Having said that, if there is any fire victim needing accom, let me know. (pets welcome)

 

Ben

 

 

[turboplanner]

Please thank your CFA colleague for doing a job which would have been utterly unenviable, but of huge importance to loved ones.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

I know there are a few active and ex skydivers here so they may recall well known photogragher and video man Shane Sparkes. Shane is also known outside skydiving for his filmwork. last night at our clubs annual do we recieived a phone call that Shane had been caught up in the Vic fires. He and his elderly parents are SAFE. but the story of their survival really showed the horror of what the victims of these fires went thru. Shane and his elderly parents sort refuge in their house that caught fire. As they fought the fire they had to retreat room by room to the rear of the house until they ended up between two water tanks at the rear of the house. covered with blankets they survived with minimal injuries. Shane's has lost all of his archived photos and thousand of hours of footage. Shane's career as a photogapher stated by accident when he was learning how to use his first camera and managed to capture the horrific collapse of the Westgate? bridge way back in the seventies. Along with the total loss of his house and contents he has also lost a huge collection of rare cameras and darkroom equipment most of which can never be replaced. He had some luck tho he was in the middle of a shoot and had two sets of skydiving gear and three of his expensive cameras in his car that somehow survived the blaze.

 

Proud to say that within half an hour of recieving the call the members of NSPC managed to collect over 2000 dollars for Shane. Anyone wishing to help Shane can do so via the APF office in Canberra.

 

Ozzie aka Robes

 

 

[Guest dracer]

i lost everything, my dreams of finishing my raa and owning my own little aircraft are stuffed now. iv lost over 200k of goods and im underinsured to buggery.

 

lifes pretty ordinary at the moment, were renting in south morang and will try to buy in yarra glen.

 

for those who dont know me

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM7iBVP0GvI"

 

 

[turboplanner]

Brad, you are a real live Australian hero - what you did matches many actions at places like Gallipoli, and I'm very proud to find you are a fellow flier.

 

I hope in time your story gets out and becomes an inspiration to others, and that you get a suitable reward.

 

I wrote a little bit about you I'd remembered from a news story (see above posts).

 

The friend I spoke of was found dead in her car, and only in the last couple of days our group has been putting together presentations using her posthumous words.

 

Chin up mate, this is a setback, but you are the type of person who has the drive to recover.

 

I'm assuming you've been allocated one of the one stop representatives to guide you through the recovery phase; if that's not working properly please PM me.

 

Best of luck

 

Alan Hood

 

 

[slartibartfast]

All the best Brad. That's an amazing story. We wish you well in this recovery phase. I'm sure you get it all together again. If you need a fly to restore your spirits, I'm sure we can muster a few thousand volunteers. Let us know.

 

Best wishes,

 

Ross

 

 

[BLA82]

Brad,

 

I to refered to you in earlier posts and I have to admit shed a tear when I first saw you on TV. Mate as Turbo said you are nothing short of a hero and you make me proud to be Australian.

 

Chin up mate and if anyone here can do anything to help please PM them. I am in QLD so a bit far to help in person but am always available for a chat. If you need to talk PM me your number and I will call

 

 

[Guest dracer]

hey guys, yer im doing ok, were in good spirits most of the day, im a fairly tuff bastard so im not loosing it just yet.

 

i did do some crazy XXXX that night, hopefully one day everyone can here my story and the ddesperate search for survivors and the dead.

 

right now i need to finish my pilots license, get a new house and start building up some of my toy collection, dirtbikes, hot cars etc. hard work a plenty for me.

 

im looking forward to the GP this weekend and a bernefit show at crown saturday night.

 

my numbers 0417549807 if anyone want a chat.

 

brad

 

 

[BLA82]

What is that in the last photo?.

 

If it is a dead animal it might be worth removing that picture as it quite wrong

 

 

[Guest dracer]

no one is getting help no goverment money has come our way, no propper counciling, its like a bloody mad max world up there at the moment.

 

im trying to get a new mortgage with no collateral lol.... and some money for my rra licence lol..... no chance

 

 

[turboplanner]

OK dracer, I did ask you to PM me if this was occurring, but I'll see what I can do to help. If you get a phone call, please don't turn a hose on the person, this will be someone trying to cut red tape.

 

 

[Guest dracer]

gee sorry turboplanner, i didnt recall u posting that, yer appreciate it, need all the help we can get,brad

 

 

[turboplanner]

No worries, have put in an email, we'll see what happens

 

 

[Guest dracer]

hi guys still waiting and waiting, ben hardman member for seymore has sent a letter to government on our behalf, hopefully with good results, im looking to purchase a trike or similar in coming months as we have decided to take a backward step due to finances, my rra license can wait a few more years, but im keen to get fly(on a budget)(big one) none the less. so if anyone has a good trike or microlight PM or call me.

 

thanks \brad