TOM BROWN - CONT. along in the lead vehicle. I knew both the people and the
During Wednesday the volume of community members
and chatter I could hear were all things I knew I could
area fairly well and could answer questions about what
calling through started to swell, until there was a
help sort out. There were a lot of issues and concerns
was going on when we got there. Those common threads
constant flow of cars and volunteers. The generosity was
coming in from the affected areas, coupled with a good
proved very useful and highlighted the importance of
incredible, as car after car arrived with boots full of food
deal of pent up emotion.
local knowledge and understanding.
and drink, all purchased at personal expense. As news
The ensuing convoy was massive. Once we returned,
of the devastation spread, the community dug deep,
I was finally asked by DFES to go up to Cascade to talk
helping by whatever way was possible.
to the vollies up there, who were desperate to backburn
I was straight back in the co-location centre. All the
another 12,000 hectares. I was to head up in the chopper
entourage from DFES and DPAW were hitting town, and
I spent the remaining part of Wednesday manning
and work out what the plan of attack would be. I felt the
there was another handover. Our local DFES officer was
radios. Clean up efforts had begun in some areas, while
best way to address a lot of the other issues was to see
stood down for two days, so for a period I became the
fighting continued in others. Being a receiver on radios
people on ground directly, so I made a split decision
local ‘go to’ person.
seemed to work pretty well. The SES had come in to
to use the chopper to make our way around the entire
help with communications, but the volunteers on ground
region. On the way out to the chopper I asked DFES if
I found the co-location operations ran like clockwork. The
really needed a voice they recognised. I also knew the
they could get the DFES chaplain, as I wanted to bring
DFES officers that I worked with had a good knowledge
areas involved and had a good idea what was going on
him along.
base and listened to the local people around them. One
from the comms I had been involved in the day before.
officer in particular was incredibly appreciative of the
It made it easier to work out what was needed in certain
Our first stop was Cascade, where quite a crowd had
knowledge and understood how invaluable an asset it
areas. There were a few holes where producers had
gathered. We landed. I let the vollies know that there was
was. The unwavering dedication of local brigades also
been left to fend for themselves in the chaos of the day
a chopper there for them to use, and about four people
garnered a fair bit of respect and admiration. It came up
before, which we managed to address. The importance
jumped in to go up and have a look at where they wanted
in conversation with a DFES officer. He couldn’t get over
of communications during the event, and the ability for
to back burn. After seeing it from the air they all seemed
the response speed.
those on ground to hear a voice they could relate to was
happier - and knew just what they needed to do. They
quite significant.
decided that they didn’t need to backburn, and with that,
“One call over a radio about a spot fire and suddenly fire
the issue was quickly put to bed.
trucks are roaring out of nowhere – the vollies just jump
By Thursday this became even more obvious. The day
on it,” he had said in amazement. “You see a bit of fire
had started out quite frustratingly for me. I had been pulled
Meanwhile, the Chaplin was gradually easing his way
and they just charge at it!”
in around the planning table, and as I sat there I could
around the crowd. He paused to chat or just say hello,
hear the radio calls in the background. The questions
spending longer with some people than he did with
pg 134 | TOM BROWN