By Kyra Gillespie
Firefighters who risked life and limb to battle the Bunyip State Park fires have hit back at criticism from pockets of the community, who accuse the CFA of ’hanging back’ rather than helping locals save their homes.
Mick Ott, who led the District 8 Strike Team into the Tonimbuk sector of the fires, shared his disappointment that the 243 homes saved by the CFA in the devastating fires wouldn’t make the Melbourne headlines.
Posting a spread of photographs of homes narrowly saved, he said: “It is unlikely you will see these homes in the papers or on the news.“
“For some reason the media prefers to show the small number of buildings lost to the fire. However homes such as the ones shown here are well and truly in the majority on the fire ground at Bunyip.
“Some have been defended by volunteers and staff of the CFA. Some had MFESB or Forest Fire Management staff protecting them.
“A few, were guarded by home owners who fought hard to save their own property. It is likely some were saved by a well placed drop from a firefighting helicopter. Many are probably still standing due to sheer luck.
“Most though are still intact due to a combination of all of the above.“
The firefighter praised the preparedness of the community in the wake of the fires.
“All of these buildings have one thing in common – the property owners had spent time to prepare for the potential of bush fire.
“Cleaning up, cutting back vegetation, clearing gutters of debris, watering the surrounding gardens to create a safe zone, ensuring driveways are accessible to fire trucks and having dedicated fire fighting water supplies on site.“
He said criticisms levelled against firefighters were unfounded and unreasonable.
“The fire services have copped some bad press in the last few days, accused of not trying to save some homes.
“I’ll be blunt: if you don’t attempt to prepare your property for the event of bushfire and allow years of overgrowth to build up making it unsafe for crews to defend, don’t expect a fire crew to choose to turn up your drive and fight to save your home and their own lives.“
Bunyip strike team leader Lee Bostock recounted the horrific day fighting the Tonimbuk fires.
“Unfortunately the news only gave you a snippet of the story,“ he said.
“[Our] team was deployed to go up and around the winery… when we got to the corner of Tonimbuk and Jolley Road part of the fire front had jumped the road so it was too dangerous to continue.
“Shut off from the rest of the world, we were encircled by fire for 14 hours without rest or meals. We were unable to get out until midnight as trees littered Tonimbuk Road and were still coming down.
“Finally, forest management had two massive dozers reach us in a convoy that escorted us out, removing trees that had fallen in the way.
“In all we did save seven properties, lost ten sheds and one property worth $1.7 million. To the personnel who crewed the tankers, you are all amazing people who, under fire from a massive fire front, saved the houses that we set out to save under extreme duress and heat.“
Volunteer firefighter Rebecca Deliseo, of Pakenham, said she was feeling drained. In a long open letter shared online about her experience, she wrote:
“I’ve been hearing where was help?
“Let me tell you… Help was working all day Friday and on the way home dropping my child off to family members to get on a truck and respond to save yours.
“Help was on the fire ground at 1700 on Friday and home 2200 on Monday night.
“Help was surround by fire, feeling the intense heat while everyone escaped.
“Help was holding a lady as she was screaming because fire was everywhere and she couldn’t reach her husband.
“Help was fighting fires while so stressed as team mates were surrounded by fire with no escape and [not being able] to contact them by radio.
“Help was stopping and collecting pets that had been hurt and burnt and finding them help while still trying to protect your property.
“Help was trying not to cry as [I] listened to the radio to a tree falling on a truck not knowing if anyone was hurt.
“Help was being screamed at by people for not being at their house when [I] was evacuating an elderly couple who had no means of transport to escape because in your eyes help should of been in 10 places at once… While help was protecting your property, saving your animals, not eating or sleeping, listening to friends being trapped while trying to help, keeping track of nearly 100 firefighters, not having a toilet to use, growing blisters on [my] feet, cuts on [my] legs, bitten by bugs and burnt by fire, and not being paid a single cent to risk [my] life.
“So again where was your help – I was out there trying my hardest.“
It comes as Gembrook MP and Shadow Emergency Services Minister Brad Battin renewed calls to the Andrew Labor Government to release MFB and CFA response times.
“The Andrews Government came out 18 months ago saying these figures would be released every three months to improve transparency in fire services – yet no-one can get the figures out of them,“ Mr Battin said on Tuesday 12 March.
A government spokeswoman for Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville responded to say that it was important and would be published in “coming weeks.”
“It’s more than appropriate that these figures are released even while we’ve got fires going,“ Mr Battin continued.
“People have the right to ask questions – so why have they stopped releasing them? Are they negative? Is it to protect someone?
“It’s important to have those figures out there to encourage discussion and lead to improvement.“
