victoria assistance

I suggest you contact WICEN and see if you can be of assistance.

http://www.vic.wicen.org.au/

WICEN is an organisation consisting mainly of Amateur Radio enthusiasts who provide communications to emergency response agencies in times of need.

WICEN is a non-government, self financed, volunteer-based organisation. It operates under the respective State Disaster Plans within each of Australia's States and Territories. In Victoria, WICEN is listed as an emergency response unit under the emergency response plan. For information on WICEN in other states see WICEN's National Home Page

They use no amateur (commercial frequencies) and are not limited to amateur radio operators, so they may be able to use you.

You can follow WICEN bush fire activities here

http://www.vic.wicen.org.au/updates.php

Thankyou for the reply,on their website they are asking for people to help with comms.Have given them my details.

"WICEN (Vic) Secretary Mark Dods has asked for other RADIO AMATEURS to indicate their availability to assist with the communications effort." - i.e those who have been licenced by the government.

The Police will only allow in people who are accredited by recognised emergency support organisations.

In NSW the Amateur Radio Operators emergency communications group, WICEN, is a member of the Volunteer Rescue Association.

Apparently Army has all that in hand.

WICEN - Victorian Bushfire Update
---------------------------------
WICEN has received an unprecedented response to our appeal for operators
for the bushfires. We believe we now have sufficient operators available
to allow us to staff the likely tasks that lie ahead. I want to thank all
the operators, both Victorian and Interstate, who have registered their
availability.
http://www.wia.org.au/newsevents/news/2009/20090211-1/index.php

Whenever an emergency makes the headlines, there are plenty of people who want to jump in instantly and help.

But try to find people who will go through the training to prepare for an emergency and setting up and maintaining the emergency equipment, and the queue becomes very short.

In Sydney the Police have used volunteers to run the Helpline for non-cash donations. They didn't call for general volunteers, they only used accredited members from SES and Volunteer Rescue Association.

If you really want to help people in emergencies, join the emergency services and put in the time to get trained before the next emergency.

The days of just hopping onto a tanker to help out ended decades ago.