Bushfire van show for the Gippsland area

[eddy]

Call me at work, 0408303066, I am planning a community event at the Dandenong Bunnings carpark on 28 March, I have a committment from the 25 Polynesian youth performers that I work with and the Police Show Band, I have no money, no stage, no PA, I am inviting the local MFB,  CFA, SES, St Johns to display, this event was initiated by myself before the fires to raise funds for the street kids I work with to keep them at school by paying for their school books, they have now said that they want any funds to go to the bushfire victims in Gippsland, I have a venue, I have a starting point, today I am on duty at Moe, starting 3.00 and will not knock off till 800 am tommorrow and then do the same shifts again on Saturday, I have seen the devastion, I want to do more, I am committed to this event 200%, I am inviting BUGA members to help us to help those that need it most ..... call me   

[hammers_spanners]

Count me in Eddy I'll help out.

Craig

[eddy]

Just got back from patrolling the fire areas in Gippsland, won't say where because I by no means wish to dramatise other's suffering, I am respectful towards those that suffered, this post is helping me to get things off my chest before I head off to sleep.

We patrolled for looters at a small mountain community which suffered beyond imagination, we did 14 hour night shifts, I had the gracious opportunity to speak to some of the survivors, to listen to their stories, I had the privlege to share breakfast with the bush fire fighters  from South Australia, I saw and heard their stories of long hours battling the fires and still going, they have been at the fires since Wednesday last week, they were tired and drained, missing their own families. We patrolled the worst areas during the night and saw the total devastation, I felt the sadness, I saw the community spirit, they played a game of cricket at the local oval to try to retain normality, I spoke with kids their who told me their house had been burned down, I assisted at the crime scene where the last missing victim was finally found, sad that he suffered but knowing that his loved ones would now get closure. I felt out of place in my clean uniform at the start of my shifts whilst they had soot and blackened faces and hands. I had no hesitation in shaking the blackened hands that was offered in friendship or in hope, my own hands were clean and that felt odd for me like I didn't belong  there.

I had no hesitation getting my clean uniform dirty and sooty and blackened from the ash when talking to victims at the homes or for want of a better a description where there homes had been. No hesitation in getting back in the patrtol car that we drove down from the cleanliness of the city and covering the seats with filthy ash. I lost patience with the dicks that were driving in the back roads to sightsee looking at others sorrow, no patience with the dicks that were stealing from abandoned properties., no time for the dicks who are not emergency service workers or volunteers or are not part of the community, who are not affected by the tragedy, who have not suffered at all, but who put themselves on pedestals to seek admiration from others. It was sadness, a deep deep black sadness.  Now I'm going to bed, 5 hours sleep in 3 days is not good. Sorry brothers if I'm rambling, my head is filled of visions of tragedy.     

[Warren]

Vent all you like Eddy.

Grief is a strange beast, and we all deal with it in our own way.

Having been up close and personal with death myself on a few occasions I know how hard it can be to deal with, so whatever helps you is OK with me.

I have just learned that an old Friend lost their 17 year old son in King Lake, it all takes me back to Ash Wednesday, when I was living in Panton Hills (not far from where the fires were this time).

Another Friend of mine was part of the Panton Hills CFA, and was in the crew that perished in Cockatoo.

Thank you for your work and dedication.

My sympathies go out to anyone touched by this tragedy.

Warren

[beddiediesel]

Hi Eddy-warren and others that ive chat to on BUGA-My heart goes out to you guys and for those familys who lost their love ones-i wish i can be there to help out.
My 2 cousin and their familys are in brizzy and vic but as far as i know they are ok.....

I just heard on the news tonight that they say the fires was started by a snapped power cable and those bloody fire bugs....how sad that these thugs can do such a thing...its down right murder!!....

Eddy-i sometimes wonder those who go around looting & stealing are fire bugs??....anyway i wish you all best in recovery......cheers