Victorian SAES teams provide ‘amazing’ support at fires across state

Emma Kealy, Nationals Member for Lowan (centre), says the Victorian SAES team had been amazing in helping out the local community, and when it pulled up at midnight at the Horsham Evacuation Centre, there was a visible and obvious sigh of relief from the organisers. She was given a tour of the Salvos’ set-up by SAES General Manager Daryl Crowden (right).

BY LERISSE SMITH

Amidst multiple large-scale fires and intense heatwave conditions in Victoria during the past few weeks, Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) teams have provided vital support to both emergency responders and residents impacted by the blazes.

SAES team members have served hundreds of meals to emergency services personnel fighting bush and grassland fires stretching across regional and western Victoria amidst hot and windy conditions, plus provided material aid and meals to affected community members.

The SAES team prepares bedding for evacuees at an evacuation centre in Horsham after residents were told to leave Dimboola due to a fire at the Little Desert National Park.

“It has been a hectic time for our team,” said Carolyn Spratling, Response Coordinator of the Victorian SAES.

“In one day, we covered many kilometres, starting at the Altona fire, then straight to the Rokewood fire, and finally finding ourselves assisting at the Horsham relief centre. I’m blessed to have such amazing team members who give up so much of their time to help the community.”

Material aid such as bedding, blankets and emergency supplies has formed an integral part of the Victorian SAES support to residents impacted by the fires, while at the time of going to press, the emergency services team remains on high alert as uncontrolled bushfires at the Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park and Little Desert National Park continue to burn.

The Salvation Army has also provided financial support to residents directly impacted by the Grampians fire in December, including replacing food and issuing recovery payments after local councils reached out to the Salvos for help.

CFA firefighters tackling a fire at Rokewood were given much-needed nourishment thanks to the SAES team.

Hot and windy conditions resulted in several new significant fires in the state’s west last Monday week, including the Grampians. About 10,000 dry-lightning strikes caused around 70 ignitions in private land and approximately 80 in public land and national parks across the state, with the most notable occurring in the Little Desert and Grampians (Gariwerd) National Parks.

The lightning strikes ignited multiple fires within the Grampians National Park, including three major ones, plus another significant blaze in the Little Desert National Park located in the Wimmera Mallee region of Victoria. The fire grew at a rapid rate and quickly expanded to 69,000 hectares as a contingent of 68 deployed aircraft responded directly to the crisis.

The SAES team prepare another tasty culinary feast for 120 firefighters working at a grass fire in Wollert.

The SAES team was called to provide bedding to an evacuation centre in Horsham after residents from Dimboola, a western township of Melbourne near Little Desert, were asked to leave their homes due to the fire. It was also instrumental in providing immediate relief to evacuees. They supplied bedding, blankets, and emergency supplies.

Additionally, they provided meals to community members affected by the evacuations. Tracy Sutton, Corps Officer at Horsham, along with the Horsham SAES team, assisted as they set up in the early hours of the morning and provided bedding, clothes, food and psychosocial support.

“When we saw the Salvos pull up at midnight, there was a visible and obvious sigh of relief from the organisers,” remarked Emma Kealy, Nationals Member for Lowan, whose office is located in Horsham. “You guys have been amazing!”

Another significant grass fire broke out at Laverton Wetlands in Altona, with the SAES feeding 250 firefighters who brought the fire under control quickly.  The team then provided dinner to firefighters at Rokewood with help from Ballarat and state volunteers before finishing at Horsham.

More than 200 firefighters fighting a significant fire at Laverton Wetlands in Altona were greatly assisted through meals provided to them from the Victorian SAES team.

A late-night dinner was also provided to 120 firefighters who were working at a grass fire in Wollert on 20 January.

“To our teams, this is more than just handing out food; it is so much bigger than that,” Carolyn said.

“This fire happened in a district where we have walked alongside these brigades during emergencies for 40-plus years. Our team has gotten to know many of the long-term CFA members who are always up for a chat.

“You can’t describe the feeling when you turn out to a job, and a firefighter you have fed on jobs for 30 years looks everywhere for you just so they can give you a hug and say thank you for always being there. These men and women become part of our bigger emergency services family.”