At the end of a challenging Bush Fire Danger Period it’s usually the community who are grateful to the RFS, but the organisation would like to return the thanks.
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Rural Fire Service Cudgegong District Superintendent Troy Porter thanked the community – from employers and media outlets to merchants and the families of RFS volunteers – for their support.
“This has been the most difficult fire season we have experienced in a number of years,” he said.
“It included the District’s first day with a Fire Danger Rating of Catastrophic, the highest danger rating possible.
“Our volunteers battled the White Cedars Road, Kains Flat fire that blackened almost 7,000 Ha in February as well as numerous other local fires, both large and small, and two major fires just outside our District’s northern and western borders.”
A number of these fires required days of around-the-clock firefighting from virtually every RFS brigade in the District and task forces from across NSW.
Thanks to their efforts along with the cooperation of community members there was no loss of life due to fire and only one shed was lost to the flames.
“Employers across the Cudgegong District, which covers the Mid-Western Regional Council area, helped us accomplish this by generously allowing our volunteers to trade work clothes for yellow RFS uniforms time and again when we needed them,” Supt Porter said.
“I offer my sincere thanks to all of those employers who did so.
“My thanks also go out to the Mudgee Guardian and other news media outlets in the District who presented fire safety material throughout the Danger Period, helping prevent untold numbers of fires from starting, and who provided vital information on how to survive fires when they occur along with timely updates during our major fires.
“I particularly want to thank Craig “Basso” Bassett and others at 2MG/RealFM radio station for opening up after hours during the White Cedars Road fire to go on air with up-to-the-minute details on road closures and on where residents were being advised to either evacuate early or prepare to defend their properties against an imminent threat of fire.
“Beyond that there were numerous businesses that donated food for fire fighters or opened their doors to people who had evacuated their homes and needed a place away from the danger zone to wait for the fire to pass.
“Last, but by no means least, I want to thank all of our volunteers for their selfless response when fire calls went out and to the families of our volunteers for the understanding and support they provided to those who were battling the flames.”