Two deployment groups of local NSW Rural Firefighters travelled to Qld in November and early December to assist in the severe fires that raged across the state.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The first group of 12 departed on November 26 destined for Rockhampton while the second left the Macleay on December 2 for Bundaberg.
Staff inspector Wayne Leader said he was amazed at the local brigades' eagerness to volunteer to travel to the fires.
"These were volunteer positions and to have so many put their name down to go was amazing. We had a lot of volunteers, we had to choose who was going to go," he said.
“It was overwhelming to see the eagerness to help within our local brigades.”
On the worst day during their deployment to Qld there were 132 fires burning across the State.
“The first night we were there we worked 16 hours,” James Brady from the Kundabung Brigade said.
“There was a lot of back burning to do and mopping up.”
The QLD firefighters were very thankful for our help, we were told that without us they would have been lost
- James Brady
The first deployment group worked night shifts while the second worked both day and night alongside Qld firefighters and 100 other deployed NSW firefighters.
“We had to travel sometimes around 50 kilometers from where we were staying to the fire,” Brian McKenzie from the Aldavilla Brigade said.
“The weather was difficult too, the humidity could be around 95 per cent on some days.”
Although the difficult conditions and velocity of the fires were trying for local firefighters, they say they would do it all again.
“We would do it again,” Ron Urban from the Kundabung Brigade said.
“The Qld firefighters were very thankful for our help, we were told that without us they would have been lost,” Mr Brady said.
Staff inspector Wayne Leader said he was proud to see so many local firefighters lending a helping hand.
“It’s fantastic to have so many volunteer, I’d really like to say thank you to everyone from the area who went to QLD. And also to the employers who let the volunteers have time off work so close to Christmas,” he said.
Mr Brady said although many of the volunteers are from different brigades in the area, there was mate ship shown between them during the deployment.
“We’re all from different brigades but there definitely is that sense of camaraderie that exists between us,” he said.
Local Rural Fire Service firefighters Rockhampton deployment:
- Issac Papalii – Temagog
- Dianne Camm – Warrell Creek
- Matt Punton – Gumma
- Brian McKenzie – Aldavilla
- Ron Urban – Kundabung
- Kevin Oshea – Yarrahappini / Stuarts Point
- Richard Swan – Gladstone
- Dave Sinclair – N/A
- Nace Parkins – Kundabung
- Morgan Fraser – Newee Creek
- Brett Brigger – Newee Creek
- Tori-Lee Brown – Newee Creek
Bundaberg deployment:
- James Brady – Kundabung
- Virginia Mena – Kundabung
- Henry Greenwood – Valla Beach
- Dakota Edwards – Newee Creek
- Jay Foran – Aldavilla
- Bob Barber – Valla Beach
- Ross Hudson – South West Rocks
- Peter Hull – Hat Head
- Matthew Barber – Newee Creek
- Chris Sedgwick – Eungai
Stay ahead with local news by signing up for the Macleay Argus newsletter here.
