[Gpdd] misc; Off Topic Fires in Oz

[Julie Juwles Johnson]

Dear M. & all GPDD members,

Luckily for me I live in Queensland, and our disaster was severe flooding in the North of the State.    But nothing can compare to to the horror of what has happened, and is still happening, in Victoria.     I keep watching it on TV, but sometimes I find I have to turn it off because it is so very sad.          The news tonight reported that the ferocity of the fires and the damage caused can been compared to the release of 660 atomic bombs!

It's reported that some of those fires - particularly one township where 23 died - were deliberately lit!!   What kind of human being can do that????       Now there are creeps who are looting the remains of houses.     Some townships have been declared a crime scene and no-one is allowed in but for the police & forensic team, looking for bodies and reasons for why the fires started.     People are devastated, having lost everything, photos, children's favourite t-shirts or games, their wallets with all their ID in them, so how can those without a licence or a wallet or any  form of ID prove who they are??

The Australian public has been absolutely fantastic in donations - yesterday morning Ozzies had given $13.5 million; within an hour it was up to $14.5million.   This morning is was up to $33million; and growing.        Also, lots of the public are sending clothing, tents, food, etc. etc.      Now the problem is having those victims accept the "goods" that people are donating - the victims are too proud to take what they think is charity. 

The town where I live is getting a big containter full of sleeping bags, tents, canned foods, pet foods, crockery, blankets, clothes, basically anything we can think of what those poor people might need.        I'm in the middle of doing through my wardrobe packing up woollen coats and jumpers (where I live we don't need those things), and of course we will be donating money.

Through it all, this tragedy has brought Australians together as nothing else could have done.  This is the worst disaster in our history.  We all feel so useless, but at least giving clothes & money etc. is one important  way we can help the victims, and ourselves also, knowing we're helping in some small way.

There was a beautiful story today of a koala that came walking into a burnt out house where there were some fireman working, he had some burns to his feet, but he was very dehydrated.   One fireman bent down, held a bottle of water to the little guy's mouth, and that koala put his paw to the fireman's hand and proceeded to drink  3 bottles of water.    He's now safe in the care of a wildlife carer.   

I too pray that Glynis is a-okay in Victoria, and it would be lovely if you could make a small post to the GPDD Glynis, just so we know you are alright.

Concerned Oinks
Julie and her precious boys (Donald, Wheeky, Joey, Kimba & Snowdrop)
Muppet, Teddy, Dougall, Archie and Brandy forever in my heart and soul - desperately & despairingly missed