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Fire Efforts Praised By MP

The all round effort required to fight fires was demonstrated this week, with a high degree of success, according to Gippsland MP Peter Hall.

By Peter Hall - 24th January 2006 - Back to News

Mr Hall said the smooth co-ordination of effort to fight the Moondarra fire, which burnt out thousands of hectares of bush, was a compliment to all involved.

"While there is never a good time to have a fire, the work that went into fighting this fire over last weekend and early this week was an excellent example of agencies and the community working effectively together," The Nationals MP said.

"The lessons from earlier fires have obviously been learned and it was heartening to see so many people combining smoothly – that is, if any fire event can be called smooth."

Mr Hall visited the incident control centre in Traralgon on Monday and said special congratulations should go to the CFA and Department of Sustainability and Environment personnel for the work they put in.

"I was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit the control centre because it makes you realise just how much goes on in the background to support those people on the fire line," he said.

"It is a very well defined process but it only happens with a combined effort from lots of people and agencies. The work of the CFA and DSE staff in particular is phenomenal and we should also remember that many employers release their staff who are in the CFA for activities such as this and help pay the cost of fighting those fires.

"At the individual level, the work of volunteer fire fighters is extraordinary – they give a lot of their own time and effort, with the support of their families.

"Timber workers also play an integral role in supplying and operating their equipment to assist in fire fighting."

"It’s interesting to think, in an event such as the Moondarra fire, just how many people are directly involved; on the fire, as support staff, families whose lives are disrupted and also industry and business."

Mr Hall said the local communities, especially those under direct threat, also deserved praise.

"Clearly more and more people are heeding the warnings about fires, how to prepare themselves and how to put their fire plans into action. It was really encouraging to see how well prepared many people in the general community were for this particular fire."

Mr Hall said he hoped the Moondarra fire could be brought under control as the week progresses.

Mr Hall also added however that it was important for everyone to heed the lessons.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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