Freewrite Day 162 - the Day of Ash and Smoke

In 5 minutes I cannot describe or fill you in on the horror that was the Black Saturday Victorian Bushfires. But when I see the title "Ash" that is all that fills my mind. It is a day on February 7th 2009 that 173 people around areas in Victoria were killed and countless others lost their homes or were injured horrifically.

I used to work at the Burns ICU at the Alfred, but had left by that time. All I can say is: thank goodness. Friends who worked there told me how they were exhausted from working double shifts and dealing with people who had horrific burns or wounds. I wasn't working that day, and drove with my brother past a suburb near a bushfire (not one of the main ones). I remember seeing the smoke and saying how stupid someone was to be starting any sort of fire on such a hot day (it was 40 degrees celcius). We stayed well clear of it. I still worked in an ICU and looked after some of the other victims later on.

There were stories of people having to drive or run to escape the fires. Of the terror that was flung into people's hearts. There was a lot of heroicism as firefighters saved lives and bravely fought the fires. As people saved family and friends and cared for one another.

I understand that these sorts of atrocities happen often around the world, but anywhere around the world, a bushfire strikes fear, horror and tragedy to people and we have to help and support eachother through it. Not just as a community, but as a humanity.

I will leave it here - I am well past my 5 mins and have not written my funny little story. The areas around Melbourne and Victoria are now regenerated. They are no longer filled with ash, but are green once again and lovely to drive through. But it is a lesson to be learnt - to be prepared that this can happen. To prevent it if possible and have a plan in case a fire happens...