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originally posted by: NoFearsEqualsFreeMan
a reply to: harold223
So, 2 days ago we had a story all over the news. The headline was something like this "Australia refuses help from Denmark to fight bush fires"
Denmark offered to send 50 firefigthers and some equipment to help with fires, that might not be a lot but wtf would you refuse any help at all? There is properly a good reason even though i cant thing of ANY at all.
But hope you guys are getting it under control again soon and are happy to see that you atleast took the help offered by USA and Canada.
originally posted by: ArMaP
a reply to: mortex
I suppose a change in the climate (rain) would be the biggest help to fight the fires...
originally posted by: harold223
While the thanks are flowing - I thank our own fire fighters, many of whom are volunteers for our various fire fighting associations. I want to clarify something here. Australia has paid fire fighters. The metropolitan fire services are all full time paid fire fighters. In much of rural Australia, fire fighting is conducted by volunteer organisations. What this allows for is a massive standing army of trained volunteers, ready to come into action when needed. In many communities, most able bodied men and increasingly women are volunteer fire fighters. They are not amateurs. They undergo extensive ongoing training. This summer, there are volunteers who have been away from their jobs, away from their farms, fighting these fires to save their communities. They have expended all their leave and are running without pay in many instances. They are true heroes.
originally posted by: bally001
... Got the boots off then peeled the wet smelly socks away. When the realization hit me I felt the stinging. Feet were like sunburned and blistered. ...
Beer? Beer? Sadly never had time for one for over 13 to 14 hours. Longest time I went without a smoke for ages also. Thank goodness for good pumps and hoses.
Funny how you don't feel it at the time. Trouser fire? Just pissed in me pants cobber.
Kind regards,
Bally
International assistance
The New Zealand Defence Force and the Singapore Armed Forces are providing support through military assets and personnel. All Singapore Armed Forces and New Zealand Defence Force elements are now integrated into the operation.
100 light engineers from the Papua New Guinea Defence Force arrived in Australia on January 13 via C130-J Hercules. They will stage in Puckapunyal in readiness to support the ADF contribution to the Australian national bushfire response.
Defence has accepted the Republic of Fiji’s offer to provide a platoon of engineers, who will work alongside ADF personnel operating out of East Gippsland.
Defence has received additional offers from other international partners and expects these to be progressively developed as need and circumstances evolve.
Meanwhile, NZ Army engineers on Kangaroo Island have helped clear routes for emergency services and have helped complete 85 kilometres of fire breaks.
They've also had the job of removing bodies of wildlife - including kangaroos - who died in the devastating fires.
But they've also been constructing feeding stations for koalas and providing gum leaves and water to koalas who [s]urvived the blaze.
originally posted by: TheConstruKctionofLight
a reply to: bally001
Most of Europe learns English beginni ng at primary school age