Vic Fires. How can I help

How about donating blood to the Red Cross. The hospitals will be in dire need for it for the burn victims.

Hey Vince

Try this contact at Four Wheel Drive NSW & ACT. Good luck with it..

The Landy


NSW / ACT 4WD Assoc

Might be just a little early Vince but I suspect that within your 2 weeks the situation will stabilze.
There are still current fires as well.

The town of Aexandra - a local hub of about 2000 people might be a good base as its just north of the worst areas and is becoming a large staging ground.

Help may be needed in some areas.

From our own experience some interesting things are happening - despite a loss of life a relatives motel complex in Marysville has already been assesed and a huge check is already in the mail. However this site will be permanently abandoned .

Moving over to slightly less affected areas - a friends house at Buxton has been burnt down.

Another friends house was burnt down in the unrelated gippsland fires of a week earlier.
His experience has been that he has had to divide his weckage into metal/ bricks and other rubbish.

The council then came and took the rubble away by catergory.

This clearing of rubble might be the first line of practical help required as I believe the number of houses destroyed has been upped to some 1800.

Vince,

the red cross are co-ordinating all the offers of assistance and assessing what people can do and where. Why don't you give them a ring and register your interest and skills with them. They are doing a great job.

Cheers Mick

Vince
Try contacting a service club, like Lions, as they will be in there organising hands on work early in the piece.

Neil

Yeah, pretty frustrating just sending money.

There's a system for registering as a volunteer:

Clicky

Back up a level from that page for other ways to help.

I volunteered at the Sydney Call Centre (SES and Volunteer Rescue Association members only) and the advice we were giving people, was to go to -

http://www.volunteeringaustralia.org/html/s02_article/article_view.asp?art_id=3686&nav_cat_id=359&nav_top_id=55


or phone Victoria Bushfire Volunteer Hotline on 1300 366 356

. . . but keep this in mind -

“We have been inundated with offers of support - more than 10,000 people have offered their services since last weekend, and we are overwhelmed by people's generosity and willingness to help. Victoria's emergency and relief agencies are very grateful for your generous offer of assistance and are working with the Government to determine how to make best use of the help in coming days.

As you will appreciate, it will take some time to respond individually to all these offers, and not everybody can be used immediately, but every offer is greatly valued.

We will be passing your offers of assistance to community organisations who will contact you directly when they need your help.”

Hi Vince.

Yes it is frustrating. The emergency services are doing a brilliant job in at least providing immediate help in food, clothing and shelter. All emergency assistance is absolutely swamped with generosity at present so i think the 2 week period will really tell us what is required.

4wd Victoria is organising a rural response group. Check www.4wdvictoria.com.au.

the Mobile Landcare Groups of LROCV, PAJERO and western clubs are also mobilising as a Landcare response to this disaster. But our response will be over an extended period of months if not years to assist small farms and communities get back on track.

Projects will include fencing and stock yards, sheds and barns, replanting of trees along creeks and gullies, erosion control, feed distribution for both stock and native animals. making and installing nestboxes to replace the tree hollows burnt out. Many other tasks are being thought of all the time.

In the coming days we are establishing a self registration site where you can volunteer your help, which will be greatly appreciated.

David McKinnon

Hi ALL Me again.

Just seen the news about fire fighters getting sacked.

Just opened a beer. Nasty taste, of yeah Carlton is owned by Fosters. Think I might change to something not made by them !!
Hahn, Tooheys or even 4x.

Lets all boycott Fosters, not that they would even care.

And yes Mr. Moderator I know it is probably inappropriate but if Fosters don't care enough about their loyal workers then why should we prop up their profits.