Thread: All 2019/20 bushfire comments here.

Not sure what to do to help out in the bush fire crisis? An 11 year old NSW girl has that sorted.


NSW schoolgirl makes bushfire care packs

Originally Posted by 4bee

I'm sure bob10 meant for the RAN to pull the finger out & get there & get stuck in OF, but you knew that didn't you?

Sounds like this mob did a grand job with assistance.

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The military can only act upon government direction. The Far Saracen responded to a Victorian emergency services request, and did a great job, possibly because head office allowed them to. My issue is who decided the Navy would not take young children and the elderly .

Originally Posted by 4bee

Yep, & the poor buggers are still endeavoring to help others so there is no escape from the Trauma for them, it is constant.

Defence Force Psychologists are being deployed across the country , and Greg Hunt has announced a health package for bush fire victims. No details other than that at the moment, but a step in the right direction.

My issue is who decided the Navy would not take young children and the elderly .

My understanding is that the young and elderly had priority for helicopter evacuation.

There was a news article about how a woman had declined to get on a ship as she had priority with a young child.

Sounds right to me , yet this thread has jaw jawed about this for what seems like hours.
Regards PhilipA

Originally Posted by bob10

The military can only act upon government direction. The Far Saracen responded to a Victorian emergency services request, and did a great job, possibly because head office allowed them to. My issue is who decided the Navy would not take young children and the elderly .

Our world decided it Bob, with litigation, risk, WHS etc.
Sadly our military are impacted by this as much as any workplace. They can go to war but otherwise now have WHS in place.

Risk assessment decided it was more prudent to lift children and elderly by Air which at the time was an available option.

Unfortunately if during a sea rescue a child or elderly person fell and was hurt the ramifications would be extreme - even though they were trying to save lives.

Damned if they do, damned if they don’t scenario unfortunately.

Originally Posted by Tombie

Our world decided it Bob, with litigation, risk, WHS etc.
Sadly our military are impacted by this as much as any workplace. They can go to war but otherwise now have WHS in place.

Risk assessment decided it was more prudent to lift children and elderly by Air which at the time was an available option.

Unfortunately if during a sea rescue a child or elderly person fell and was hurt the ramifications would be extreme - even though they were trying to save lives.

Damned if they do, damned if they don’t scenario unfortunately.

Yes, I agree. Common sense takes a back seat to future promotion prospects. Thankfully this time no damage was done.

Originally Posted by PhilipA

My understanding is that the young and elderly had priority for helicopter evacuation.

There was a news article about how a woman had declined to get on a ship as she had priority with a young child.

Sounds right to me , yet this thread has jaw jawed about this for what seems like hours.
Regards PhilipA

Would you hold that opinion if children had been lost overnight? The issue to me is that there seemed to be no flexibility in the operation. Or a lack of communication. When it became obvious that helicopters couldn't fly, I'm thinking perhaps the decision should have been made to send LCM's back to pick them up. Just a thought. No one showed initiative, which is disappointing. That's all on the subject from me.

I suspect that as usual the media got things stuffed up (the ABC just referred to a Lt Col as a Lt Gen).

I think that the rule of no little kids only applied to the MV Sycamore where evacuees would have had to climb up the side of the ship from a rib to get onboard.

As discussed would not have applied to Choules due to Larks etc driving into the well to disembark - indeed did see very young kids on the Choules.

So I guess the media then took the rule for Sycamore to also apply to Choules - as for the delay, a ship cannot just sail - remember needed to load required equipment and stores, remembering it brought in stores as well as taking people out. Same applied to Adelaide.

As for the the Far Saracen getting there first - great - well done but it is not a Grand Prix - it was in the area (Bass Strait) and immediately responded and got there before the RAN ships based out of Sydney which only arrived a day later.