Whick on Strike Teams
Sydney 2001/2002 "Black Christmas"
My "Tour of Duty" was from 31st of December 2001 until the 3rd of January
2002, doing three 14 hour night shifts. Was putting out a smoldering tree
stump and log at the tick of midnight, so the New Year was called in 5 mins
late by the crew on our truck, and celebrated with water.
Found out I was going on the strike team at about 14:45 on the 29/12/01. From
then it was no more caffine, more sleep, more water and re-check the away bag.
Also headed down to the station to grab some spare gloves, some dust masks
and some goggles.
After getting to Sydney, being feed, rested and feed again we were sent to our
staging area at Mittagong. After a quick refamiliarization of the truck we
were off to maintain and monitor control lines around Hill Top. This is where
we spent NYE, 20m into a backburn, making sure it was blacked out properly.
Our first 2 shifts we blacking out backburns around the Mittagong, Hill Top and
Colo Vale areas, which was an experience in itself considering I had never done
anything like it before. The last night we were on town protection for
Hill Top. Once it became apparant that there was no threat to the town that
evening we were sent back to our staging area. Unfortunatly there was not
enough time left in the shift to get redeployed anywhere else.
God forbid fires that this happen again, but if they do I will be willing to
go again.
From CFA Website:
01/01/02 16:00
"Four strike teams have been working on the fire this morning near Mittagong.
The Colo Vale fire is not burning fiercely. Temperature in the area is in the
mid-30s with strong north-westerly winds. It will be difficult to contain the
fire to the forest areas. Firefighters are experiencing erratic behaviour at
these fires today."
31/12/01 19:00
"Nattai Fire
CFA crews were extremely busy protecting houses at Hilltop as the weather
deteriorated mid afternoon causing active, erratic fire behaviour.
Depending on wind strength the fire has the potential to spread east and jump
the Hume Highway and join the Burke River fire."
Below is the breifing that was on the website the morning before my first
night shift. The flight that was donated was the flight I flew up on.
"MITTAGONG - Taskforce 1. Burke River fire.
CFA crews are assisting with two large fires in this region, approx 110
kilometres south of Sydney. The Burke River fire, which is mainly on Crown Land
in the Sydney Water Catchment Authority area surrounding Lake Nepean and Lake
Avon. CFA crews continued patrolling for spotovers and deepening the burnout to
a distance of at least 50 metres. Crews have been warned about the dangers of
falling trees and limbs and steep rocky slopes in the Water Catchment Authority
land.
A dozer was also deployed to the west end yesterday to assist with the felling
of burning stags. Crews were also ferried across Lake Nepean from the Nepean
Dam to a waterline section of the control line which is not considered to be
sufficiently secure. The crews put in mineral earth hand trails while another
section was burnt to a distance of 500 metres.
Signs seen hanging over or attached to front fences:-
'We love you fireies, we're proud of you'
'God bless the fireies' 'Thank God for the fireies'
Donated Qantas Flight Details:
Flight Number: QF 6030
Departing: 0900 HRS
From: Qantas International Terminal - Melbourne"
(1)
20:27 17 March Named on Strike Team duty for the following day, which was
declared a day of Total Fire Ban (no fires in the open air)
16:17 18 March Alert Cold1 C&SC1 Tanker Required for Strike Team 1312.
Proceed Code 1 to Coldstream Fire Station.
Got the above message on the pager and headed to the station. On our check
of the truck before departure it was found the electrics in our pump had
malfunctioned. The strike team leader was notified, and asked for one crew
member to go to Coldstream to crew another tanker. I was selected by our
crew leader to go. I arrived and got my gear stowed on the truck I was to
go on, then was told 5 minutes later that the strike team leader had replaced
me with someone else from another brigade and I was no longer needed. So I
almost got to go on this one. Like I said when the Strike Team leader told
me he had stuffed up, Shit Happens........there will always be a next time.
Second Strike Team Turnout.
21:19 18 March Named on Strike Team relief crew for other trucks in our
strike team if required. Received a call at 23:45 saying to be at the station
at 05:00 to head off for relief crew duties. Got on the truck about 08:00 and
were out until about 19:00.
We spent the whole shift blacking out around the control lines and dropping
"candles" (trees burning up the inside) and blacking them out. One truck on
our team had a near miss with a falling candle as they directed traffic
around it before tackling the tree. It fell less that a metre (from reports)
from the back of the truck as it moved away from the base of the tree.
The Hearld Sun
ran the following story.
500 battle huge grass fire
By TANYA GILES and PHILIP CULLEN
19 March 2002
FIVE hundred firefighters were last night defending homes from a raging blaze
sweeping through grasslands in central Victoria.
A late cool change fanned the 5000ha fire towards houses after it had roared
through rugged grasslands south of Puckapunyal in 35C heat.
A CFA spokesman said 90 trucks were last night being used to battle the blaze,
which was heading towards a populated area.
He said homes near Tallarook were under threat.
Police closed the Hume Highway between Seymour and Broadford, and the Seymour
Tooborac road. The Melbourne to Seymour rail line was cut near Broadford.
More than 1000 sheep perished as volunteer firefighters tried to negotiate
rocky, rugged bushland to contain the blaze.
Two Helitanker aircraft and two fixed-wing planes were used to dump water on
the blaze, which broke out at 3pm on two separate fronts about 1km apart.
Fire authorities advised residents worried by the fire to activate their
emergency plans, but warned anyone who attempted to leave the area at the last
minute did so at their own risk.
Peter Philp, of the CFA, told residents who felt they could not cope with the
fires to flee to neighbouring homes.
"People who decide to change their mind and move are doing so at great risk,"
he said.
"People who decide to stay should prepare to save their homes."
While the Puckapunyal fire burned out of control, firefighters managed to save
16 homes at Seaford on the Mornington Peninsula after a grassfire broke behind
the town's bowling club about 3.45pm.
The fire was contained within 45 minutes.
In the Bunyip State Park in Gippsland, a stolen car was dumped and torched
starting a small bushfire.
"It is bad enough that people steal a car and dump it in a state park, but
setting it alight on a total fire ban is completely irresponsible and posed a
significant threat to the community," said fire management officer Bernard
Barbetti.
The fire, fuelled by dry vegetation, spread quickly but was contained to 4ha.
A total fire ban was in full force across the state yesterday, the first for
the season.
Temperatures dropped by more than 10C around the state as a southeasterly
change swept through late in the afternoon.
Third Strike Team Turnout.
Heading home from work Tuesday night, 21/01/03, and a page comes across;
STRIKE TEAM REQUIRED FOR ROWVILLE ASAP TO ASSEMBLE AT MONTROSE FIRE STATION
17:01
On arriving at the fire station I donned my rural gear and got my away kit out
of the car. After reporting in and waiting a few minutes, we started checking
the truck over. The decision for the crew was made and we loaded up.
We made our way code 1 to Montrose, and from there joined 4 other trucks
to form a strike team, along with a command car. We were diverted on route
to a small breakaway away from the main fire, apparently lit by a trail bike
rider. After containing the breakaway and blacking it out we headed into the
main fire area and helped work containment lines and small breakouts.
After getting in front of the fire our strike team was able to complete the
containment line before the relief crews for most trucks were sent in, and
all 2 wheel drive tankers, including ours, were sent home.
The Hearld Sun
ran the following story.
City's edge under threat
By CHLOE ADAMS
22jan03
TWO bushfires threatened homes at Lysterfield in Melbourne's outer eastern
suburbs last night.
About 160 firefighters, two water-bombing helicopters and 33 fire trucks fought
two blazes in Lysterfield Park and Churchill National Park, 3km apart.
The fires were reported about 5pm and burned across 20ha in steep terrain, the
Country Fire Authority said.
CFA spokesman Ian Major said the larger of the fires was near private
properties in Brae Rd and Glen Rd, Lysterfield.
He said the smaller blaze in the Churchill National Park was brought under
control about 7pm.
While temperatures in the region remained mild, southwesterly winds up to
40km/h were recorded.
He said residents of Lysterfield and Rowville were being asked to prepare their
homes.
Police said Wellington Rd, between Lysterfield Rd and Napoleon Rd, was closed
for several hours.
Lysterfield resident Maree Prendergast said the fires had come as close to 500m
from her home, but she was not panicking.
"It seems to be moving in the opposite direction at the moment," she said last
night.
"Everybody in this area knows what to do if it does get closer but we're not
too worried."
Following article was on the CFA Website:
Fire in Lysterfield area 21st Jan, 10:30pm
CFA remain in attendance at a fire near Lysterfield
CFA remain in attendance at fires in Lysterfield Park (Melways 82G7)
CFA advise that the fires are now under control. Firefighters will continue to
work for the next few hours to ensure that the fire is completely blackened
out.
The area that the fire burnt was approximately 15 hectares.
The fires in the vicinity of Churchill National Parl are also under control and
will continue to be partrolled.
Residents are advised to remain alert and watch for burning embers. Do not stop
patrolling your home as embers may still be present. Protect from radiant heat
by wearing long sleeved shirts, long pants, sturdy boots and a broad brimmed
hat if defending property.
Note that this is the last expected update on the Lysterfield fires this
evening.
This article appeared in Yahoo! News
Wednesday January 22, 07:45 AM
Lysterfield fires deliberately lit: police
Two fires that tore through about 20 hectares of dense scrubland in Melbourne's
outer east are thought to have been deliberately lit.
Police have appealed for witnesses to the two blazes near Lysterfield, which
were reported shortly after 5pm (AEDT) on Tuesday.
More than 150 firefighters, two water-bombing helicopters and 33 fire trucks
took more than two hours to control the fires, which were about 3km apart in
Lysterfield Park and Churchill National Park.
The Country Fire Authority (CFA) said the larger fire was near private
properties in Brae Road and Glen Road, Lysterfield.
Police said the fires burnt out an area around Glen Track, Donelans Track and
Lamberts Track, and led to the closure of Wellington Road, between Lysterfield
Road and Napoleon Road, for several hours.
Firefighters were monitoring the blazes and carrying out mopping operations.
Police are treating the fire as suspicious, and wish to hear from those who
were in that area of parkland between 4.30 and 5pm on Tuesday.
They are particularly interested in talking to a jogger who stopped to speak
with a parks worker on Lysterfield Hills Track, near Trig Point, about 4.35pm
(AEDT), a spokesman said.
Fourth Strike Team Turnout.
My fourth Strike Team run came as part of the CFA's extended campaign
in Victoria's North East. I was picked to crew our Pumper on the 0801
Pumper Strike Team. I was on the fire line for three days, with a day either
side for travel.
Day 1) Spent the first night at Bairnsdale after the worlds longest
bus trip for the distance travelled. Chicken for the meal.
Day 2) After the SES controller cooking us breakfast at the local fire
station we departed for Omeo. On arrival we checked over our truck and
prepared for duty. Our duty ended up being staying in the staging area
with one other pumper while the other three units (pumper/tankers) in our
team went elsewhere. After getting very board the crew leaders of the two
crews left managed to aquire two tankers. We left 2 crew with the pumpers
and took the two tankers to the local fire station.
Lunch: Chicken
Local station got a call for a spot fire and we responded in a newly aquired
tankers. After getting control of the fire, and calling in 2 pumpers from
another strike team, taking a rake hoe down a 70 degree slope, then going
back up to get a drip torch, then taking it back down, we left it for the
night. On arrival at our sleeping quaters, we were told we were not
part of the team in that room and to find somewhere else. So we did.
The two crew moved from a 30 man dorm in "The flat" complete with TV, shower,
toilet fridge and stove. Was a win in the end. We renamed our two crews
the "Special Operations Stike Team 0813" *l* We had 5 trucks at our
disposal and the gun 8 man crew for the job. Chicken for dinner.
Day 3) Got up earlier than the other crews to black out the fire from the
previous night. Using some class A foam from both our pumper and the other
crews pumper, we blacked the large pile of logs in the middle of the fire area
from the previous day, then went back to the staging area for the days duties.
Got to stay on the oval with 2 pumpers with one crew member from the other crew
after lunch (lasange), where the crew leaders aquired tankers once again.
Chicken for dinner.
Day 4) Aquired two tankers early in the day and whole 8 man crew was deployed
to the fire front. We worked with the NRE on the front, maintaining
containment lines and blacking out spot fires and keeping the heat down on
large trees and logs. We also backburned into the front to have more control
over the lines. Was a busy, but rewarding shift.
Day 5) Travelled home.
Fifth Strike Team Turnout.
Up to the NE of the state again 15 - 19 Feb 2003.