Thread: Men of honor: our firey's

When we had our big fires here in Canberra the big Eriksonn Skycranes were flying about, Elvis flew over our house to suck water out a pool nextdoor, non stop they worked, would have been a different situation without them, glad your safe.

You're damn right Luke!
Much the same happened to my place in December 2001. We were out when the bushfire crossed the main road and started heading up our part of the ridge. When we were contacted by neighbours I tried to get back home through the smoke and almost got to our driveway but was halted because the flames were starting to lick over the road. When the chopper flew right over the Disco at tree height and water bombed virtually beside me I figured it probably wasn't a good place to be so I turned around and watched from a friends place about a kilometre up the road. It looked like the end of the world looking back- fireballs bursting into the air from time to time out of a wall of smoke.
The next day when we returned, in amongst all the ash and smoking stumps, was our house, garage and chook-pen untouched thanks to the RFS crew who'd been there all the time.

I'll just add my 2 bobs worth here,

Don't get over-awed by the choppers, all they will do is slow a fire down (mind you they can be pretty effective at slowing), they wont put it out. The guys on the ground are still the ones that do the hard yards and ultimately decide when the fires out ( and that may be weeks after the initial fight ).


Martyn

I've spent the last two days watching the local firey's battle scrub and bush fires. We had the choppers in yesterday firebombing a scrub fire that was only about 150m from my house.

I just want to say a big thank you to these guys for there effort and hard work.

thanks guys you are hero's

With respect, Lucus, but wouldn't it be better to find a Firey's website/Forum in your own state & post that there for them? That way it'd get to the people you want it to.

Google shows a few, but I don't know where you are.

Don't get over-awed by the choppers, all they will do is slow a fire down (mind you they can be pretty effective at slowing), they wont put it out. The guys on the ground are still the ones that do the hard yards and ultimately decide when the fires out ( and that may be weeks after the initial fight ).

Thanks for that "Bushie" - how true and as "Firey" it annoys me how the media makes them thing they are the best thing since sliced bread. They a great machine in slow down the fire so the ground crew cans can catch up and do the hard yackka.....

But many thanks to all the volunteers and staff - top effort.

All the best

Wayne

it's funny the reason guys get into the rurals. i did it because i thought it was the right thing to do in a rural area & then discovered how much fun & the amazing people you meet through it.
not to mention the feeling of pride when you save someone's house/property/animals/lives.
if you ever get the chance try it.

Originally Posted by graceysdad

When we had our big fires here in Canberra the big Eriksonn Skycranes were flying about, Elvis flew over our house to suck water out a pool nextdoor, non stop they worked, would have been a different situation without them, glad your safe.

I think they have two crews per aircraft, so the chopper can remain in the air for as long and as safe as posible.

Those choppers do that work all over the world.

The fire crews do a great job.
It's always a worry living in the main black spot in the area. The good thing with our place is that there is a hydrant right out the front so they can keep cool while watching the lot go bang in no time flat.
Our hose standing rule is evacuate at the first calls and help save the houses around ours. The only thing comming near here in a fire is the choppers.

Only ever been in one decent fire and that burnt out 40 acres of grass land.
Took 8 of use all day to put out with only sacks. Fire was even seem by a police car that stopped on the freeway for a couple of mins and a light aircraft that flew over the fire front. Guess they decided we had it under control.