Canberra firies off to Victoria

Canberra has been lucky so far. Victoria was not going so bad at 15:00 Saturday as well. All that changed in the next 2 hours.

For those thinking of a quick evacuation in such circumstances – don’t do it. You are still safer remaining in your house until the fire passes and then moving to burnt ground. Being caught in a car and then in the open is fatal. First your legs will cramp sending you to the ground. With luck the end will come quickly a few minutes later.

Is the ACT sending CAFS trucks? It would be good to see these in action and see if they are as good as the spin doctors say they are.

tylersmayhem said :

My question about ANY cash donation opportunity is always “how much will ACTUALLY get to the victims. How much disappears on “administration”?

If it makes you feel any better, I’ve heard first hand accounts applauding the work the Red Cross are currently performing in the affected areas.

Don’t forget your cash doesn’t have to get into the victims’ pockets to have an impact. I just heard a CWA lady interviewed on radio saying her chapter had made over 2000 sandwiches. That’s a lot of bread and a lot of stuff in between. Stuff that can’t be bought with monopoly money.

S4anta said :

tylersmayhem said :

No offence, buy you are a cock

Please insert ‘but’ instead of ‘buy’ at your leisure.

tylersmayhem said :

My question about ANY cash donation opportunity is always “how much will ACTUALLY get to the victims. How much disappears on “administration”?

No offence, buy you are a cock

I suspect (though don’t know for a fact) that the charity organisations would be saying loud and clear if they do NOT want donations of food, clothing, toys, etc. in preference for cash.

Without a statement to the contrary from the charities, I’d say to donate in whichever form you can afford or manage.

Anyone who uses this as a means of offloading out and out junk (if that’s their motivation) should probably have a good hard look at themselves.

tylersmayhem said :

My question about ANY cash donation opportunity is always “how much will ACTUALLY get to the victims. How much disappears on “administration”?

I don’t know TM, there’s a time and a place to ask those sorts of questions, but maybe now’s the time to just put some money in the tin.

tylersmayhem said :

or those that can afford cash donations I know they will be extremely welcome. And when the items that get donated are catalogued and distributed, these also will be gratefully received.

My question about ANY cash donation opportunity is always “how much will ACTUALLY get to the victims. How much disappears on “administration”?

The Red Cross website says that no donation money will be chewed up in admin fees.

We are unemployed right now without even government benefits coming in, so if donating goods and toys was useful we could do a lot more to help that way. If we give money it’s not much that we can afford, but each toy can cost $30 to $80 new and many of the baby toys are in excellent condition, as with baby clothes etc.

or those that can afford cash donations I know they will be extremely welcome. And when the items that get donated are catalogued and distributed, these also will be gratefully received.

My question about ANY cash donation opportunity is always “how much will ACTUALLY get to the victims. How much disappears on “administration”?

Click the ‘Quote’ link under the relevant comment number, Hells_Bells74. The comment will appear italicised, but you can use the ‘Preview’ button to check that it all appears correctly. You can also use ordinary html tags for bold and italics.

My three-year-old grandson is currently in hospital in Hobart after a household scalding accident all over his back. He has just had a skin graft. His screams on the telephone are not something that anyone should have to experience. I’ve never heard pain like it. It is shocking.

I am sorry you had to experience that also, and for the terrible suffering of the burns victims in Victoria.

There are vastly more people with full-thickness and lung burns, but they have no official figures yet.
Those things are incredibly nasty, and the post-injury and post-surgical needs are horrific.
Any nurse who can work a burns ward for an extended period deserves to be lavished with quiet praise and footrubs.

(how do I get the quotes I copy and paste to go italic I wonder aloud)?

_________________

Here, here!

I copped 40% 3rd degree burns to my head and body as a bub here in Canberra and even back in the seventies the plastic surgeon and nurses I had throughout my childhood were real angels and thank God for them. Belated wishes of footrubs for them!

Oh and don’t even wish them on your worst enemy.

God bless the ones suffering now.

The other day I was running around Canberra attempting to buy a Fan or something to cool me down since my air-con died. Every Northside store was sold out…I was fumeing and carrying on like a lamb chop, shouting curses at the air-con gods.

When I heard the news of the vic fires, I promptly shut up and donated money cause I felt like absolute a-hole for whinging about my little problem.

A second task force is being prepared for departure from the ACT on Wednesday. This task force as is the first Task force includes RFS, SES Volunteers, Ambulance , AFP and Staff from both organisations.

There are vastly more people with full-thickness and lung burns, but they have no official figures yet.
Those things are incredibly nasty, and the post-injury and post-surgical needs are horrific.
Any nurse who can work a burns ward for an extended period deserves to be lavished with quiet praise and footrubs.

It seems I shouldn’t have believed the SMH tabloid journalist. The worst fire, yes. The worst ever disaster (natural or otherwise)?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_disasters_in_Australia_by_death_toll

That said, it does make us all feel very, very lucky from 2003.

Yes, indeed, Mr Evil. It is most sobering.

The VIC Govt has been warned by the emergency services that up to 230 people may have perished in these fires.

When you see what has happened in Victoria, it makes you think that Canberra was very, very lucky in 2003 not to lose more than four people.

The SMH says:

AUSTRALIA has witnessed its greatest natural disaster. Worse than Black Friday. Worse than Ash Wednesday. Only in wartime has the toll of dead and wounded been greater. At 14.35pm today the official death toll was 126. The toll is expected to rise. At least 750 homes have also been destroyed – 550 of those in Kinglake, north of Melbourne, and surrounding areas.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/news/general/many-good-people-lie-dead/2009/02/09/1234027889048.html

Pommy bastard said :

Buying a lottery ticket this am the girl behind the counter made me swear to give $ 1 million to the bush fire appeal should I win the jackpot. A nice thought and one I wholeheartedly agreed to.

Hope you win then, PB! It would be nice if whomever won did something similar. A really nice gesture.

Wildlife Victoria site is here:

http://www.wildlifevictoria.org.au/cms/index.php

More $ on its way to them… thanks for the link.

burkes08 said :

“”Hopefully the tossers who think that the ACT never does anything for anyone else saw the news last night – our 100 firies and 10 trucks off to help their mates in the CFA certainly compared very well to the NSW contribution of 250 firies and 20+ trucks.””

FYI there are currently 44 separate fires burning in NSW and over 440 firefighters working hard to save their own regions. It is not a case of NSW not assisting.

Sorry, I didn’t word that very well: I wasn’t criticising the NSW contribution – just saying how good the ACT’s effort was for such a small territory.

I also believe that NSW has added to the number of crews they are sending down to assit in Victoria.

a really terrible event. whoever caused this fire is pure scum.

I would rather doneate stuff personally.

I also believe this maybe the catalyst to crush the insurance companies. The next industry to collapse? the timing would be a little too convenient. wait and see i guess.

Arsonist = Involuntary Organ Donor.

The problem is that none of this will help people now. Donations like that will be stored for weeks – it will take a long time for the donations to be catalogued so they can work out where things will be useful. In some ways, material donations can be a burden on charities at times like this.

Cash is more immediately useful, and more immediately helpful. Less wastage and it can get out there, helping now.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

I guess ultimately it depends on peoples personal financial circumstances. Its the fact that people care enough to want to help in some fashion. For those that can afford cash donations I know they will be extremely welcome. And when the items that get donated are catalogued and distributed, these also will be gratefully received.

For those wanting to donate items, the important thing to keep in mind is that they are clean and in good order. nothing trashy.

tylersmayhem said :

Again, I’m not condoning it, but I wouldn’t crucify them….I would.

Oh yes – me too, BIG TIME. I think the most appropriate action would be to turn them over to those left standing after the fires and let them decide on the most appropriate action. I suspect it would be none too pleasant.

I disagree. They should be made to help the victims in a direct manner. A victim needs skin grafts? Let the arsonist face the knife. A victim requires a corneal transplant because of smoke or fire damage to their eyes? Let the arsonist contribute. Blood donations required? Strap the arsonist down and start tapping veins. Or is it arteries?

Much more civilised then letting a rampaging mob tear them apart. And lasts longer.

Crucifixion for arsonists +1. Actually no. Make them go out with Forensics and ID bodies, then make them fix and test power lines… with their tongues.

“”Hopefully the tossers who think that the ACT never does anything for anyone else saw the news last night – our 100 firies and 10 trucks off to help their mates in the CFA certainly compared very well to the NSW contribution of 250 firies and 20+ trucks.””

FYI there are currently 44 separate fires burning in NSW and over 440 firefighters working hard to save their own regions. It is not a case of NSW not assisting.

zanzibar01 said :

I think getting things like good clothes, blanketsm towels, water, canned food etc is definitely much needed.

And good on the radio for doing something to help. And shame on you who are bagging them out for doing their bit. You should be a shamed of yourself for attacking anyone who is doing their bit to help

The problem is that none of this will help people now. Donations like that will be stored for weeks – it will take a long time for the donations to be catalogued so they can work out where things will be useful. In some ways, material donations can be a burden on charities at times like this.

Cash is more immediately useful, and more immediately helpful. Less wastage and it can get out there, helping now.

Unfortunately the logistics of dealing with material donations is too much for charities, but cars may be another thing. Perhaps Canberrans with second cars, or old cars with a bit of rego around that aren’t worth a bean, could lend their second car or give the latter to victims?

Arsonists are on a par with rapists in my book.

If you’re not yet considering donating, remember that when Canberra burned 500 homes and four people died, donations came in from across the nation.
The fire has killed at least that many children in one town alone, has a deathtoll maybe 25 times higher than ours, destroyed double that number of homes, torn apart families, and levelled towns, businesses, livelihoods.

I have no idea how many children have third-degree burns, but they’ll have those for life.

Oh, and despite earlier denials, they really have run out of morphine for burns victims, and the Red Cross still need more blood donations.

So don’t be the Scrooge.

Again, I’m not condoning it, but I wouldn’t crucify them….I would.

Oh yes – me too, BIG TIME. I think the most appropriate action would be to turn them over to those left standing after the fires and let them decide on the most appropriate action. I suspect it would be none to pleasant.

MissPeaches said :

I heard on the radio this morning that there will be shipping containers in various locations in Canberra so donations can be dropped off there.

Does anyone know where the shipping containers are?

The containers are at Mix 106 and Allied. I have just been out there and they have a stack of great stuff. Everything people would need in a situation like this.

And for those who say donate cash, not everyone can afford to give cash. I think getting things like good clothes, blanketsm towels, water, canned food etc is definitely much needed.

And good on the radio for doing something to help. And shame on you who are bagging them out for doing their bit. You should be a shamed of yourself for attacking anyone who is doing their bit to help

TB, I’ve learnt that there are some people out there who truly aren’t at all consumed by guilt for their actions.

The 31 year old who was caught for ‘allegedly’ starting fires up on the NSW Central Coast over the weekend should be taken down to Kinglake to have a nice close look at what happens when idiots light fires. Put a large sign around his neck proclaiming he’s an arsonist as well – just to negate any possible thrill he might get from seeing what a bushfire can do to.

may you suffer for the rest of your lives, you cruel, heartless bastards.

Not condoning the starting of the fires (who would), but I bet the people who started it are blissfully unaware as they selfishly flicked with ciggie butt out of the window. Happens all the time, and I hate it. But I bet it’s pure laziness, and not malicious.

If arsonists started it, I bet it wasn’t to kill people. Again, just stupidity, not malicious.

Again, I’m not condoning it, but I wouldn’t crucify them.

If the people who started it, actually do realise they caused this catastrophe, I think they WILL be suffering for the rest of their lives. Guilt works like that.

Hopefully the tossers who think that the ACT never does anything for anyone else saw the news last night – our 100 firies and 10 trucks off to help their mates in the CFA certainly compared very well to the NSW contribution of 250 firies and 20+ trucks.

I lived in Holbrook back in 2001-02 whenever those bad bushfires were that occurred in NSW when the Victorian CFA drove through en masse after helping. Almost the whole town turned out to cheers them as the convoy drove home. Same thing happened every town they went through.

And before anyone says anything to the contrary, I think it was entirely appropriate that the ACT Government waited until the cool change came through here to ensure ACT was in the clear before sending our firies off to help in Victoria.

Reality is there would have been little they could do to turn around the Victorian situation, and there would have been hell to pay if Canberra were left largely defenceless and some fires started here.

Hopefully the tossers who think that the ACT never does anything for anyone else saw the news last night – our 100 firies and 10 trucks off to help their mates in the CFA certainly compared very well to the NSW contribution of 250 firies and 20+ trucks.

I have made a donation to Wildlife Victoria this morning – thanks for the link, I-filed and Thumper.

By the way, I truly hope some really, really bad shit happens to the bastards who started some of these fires – may you suffer for the rest of your lives, you cruel, heartless bastards.

My deepest respect goes out to all firies everywhere.

Buying a lottery ticket this am the girl behind the counter made me swear to give $ 1 million to the bush fire appeal should I win the jackpot. A nice thought and one I wholeheartedly agreed to.

Gungahlin Al said :

MissPeaches said :

Red Cross is saying that donations of stuff make for difficult logistics for effecting delivery to people who need it. They prefer cash if possible.

Yes, but Lisa and Cam obviously know better! 🙂

If you really must do it, there’s a shipping container at 104.7’s radio sttaion, and there’s another one at Bayldon Rd.

But being realistic instead of warm & fluffy feeling, its pretty tough to ask a lot of people who have just been burned out to store a lot of extra crap that well-intentioned people thought you -might- need when half the town has burned down.

Cash is king, people.

MissPeaches said :

I heard on the radio this morning that there will be shipping containers in various locations in Canberra so donations can be dropped off there.

Does anyone know where the shipping containers are?

Red Cross is saying that donations of stuff make for difficult logistics for effecting delivery to people who need it. They prefer cash if possible.

There was a woman interviewed by Ross Solly this morning talking about how they did lots of what they were supposed to around their home once they realised they were in strife, but they forgot the gas cylinder, which exploded and blew in their house. They spent the fire inside their car with the a/c running while the temp gauge read 58 outside…Scary stuff.

Looking at pictures of people fighting these fires in singlets and thongs, and doing all the things the firies constantly tell us NOT to do, just makes you wonder.

Our builder though we were a bit weird paying extra money for enclosed guttering that is self-cleaning, and for wanting sealing strips along the lead edge of the corro roofing and around garage rolladors. But I’d rather know we’ll be resistant to ember attack if things happen again, irrespective of how deep within the ‘burbs we are. BTW Magnet Mart has these cheap little mesh inserts to put in the weephole slots in brick walls to stop embers (and vermin) entering that way.

well my mate is in the RFS (Canberra) and they left last night for VIC.

I heard on the radio this morning that there will be shipping containers in various locations in Canberra so donations can be dropped off there.

Does anyone know where the shipping containers are?

Well, I’m just concerned that in 2003 a lot of people didn’t have adequate insurance when the fires hit and they didn’t have their valuable documents and photographs all together in a spot that was quick to grab if they had to evacuate.

It’s easy to get complacent now that the intervening years have passed safely.

We need to be doing the gutter thing and getting rid of combustible stuff from the yard thing, and also revisiting procedures with the kids and all the other stuff I’ve managed to forget.

Old Canberran, I’m so proud of your son-in-law and I wish him a very safe return. I have a feeling that he will never be quite the same after this, however.

This morning’s Telegraph seems to think that the ACT is at risk at the moment.

Great to see the ACT lending a hand. I agree with you Granny, Canberra is very dry and it wouldn’t take much to get a fire going there again. My son-in-law is fire fighting somewhere in Victoria at the moment and we are concerned for him as well.
I wouldn’t like to be in the shoes of the idiots who lit some of those fires if they ever catch them.

I’m glad we’re sending some help. It’s all just too awful.

Meanwhile, it’s cycloning and flooding in Queensland! I love this country, but it is a bit psycho!!

And I really think Canberrans should also be taking sensible precautions and putting things in order. It only takes one idiot to be malicious and careless, or one misplaced lightning strike to ruin the lives of so many.