BLAZEAID - BUSHFIRE RECOVERY
BUCHAN - EAST GIPPSLAND
Date: 28th March to 5th April 2020, inclusive of the weekends of 28th/29th March and 4th/5th April 2020. The previous trip in late January/early February was cancelled due to the Bruthen camp having sufficient volunteers until the end of March. Since that time, additional camps have opened in East Gippsland at Buchan and Omeo. The club will participate at the Buchan camp.
Description:
BlazeAid is a volunteer organization, Australia wide, that assists farmers in rebuilding fences that have been damaged or destroyed. In doing so, volunteers lift the spirits of people and help to rebuild the local communities devastated by bushfires. Website is blazeaid.com.au for more details.
The club participated in BlazeAid in May 2019 with the Bunyip fires and those members that participated found it a very rewarding and worthwhile experience.
We will again participate in BlazeAid, where camps have been established at Bruthen, Omeo and Buchan in East Gippsland, the areas of which were subject to devastaing bushfires and loss of property .
The event start and finish dates covers a 9 day period including bookend weekends. This provides members the option to participate during the week and/or at a weekend. When registering, please indicate in the comments line, what dates you plan to volunteer which can obviously be adjusted closer to the time.
Breakfast from 6.30am. Muster and safety briefing is at 7.30 am each day. Departure to the farms will be in convoy from 7.30am, returning around 3pm - 4 pm in the afternoon with dinner at 6.00pm.Breakfast and dinner at the camp and morning tea and lunch at the farm is all provided by Blaze Aid with help from local community groups.
Camping is available at the camps for caravans, campers, tents and swags with toilets and hot showers. Power availability will be limited.
All equipment is supplied in purpose built trailers. Volunteers are allocated to teams of aroun6-4-6 led by an experienced team leader No fencing experience is required, as volunteers quickly learn on the job. BlazeAid provides PPE of vests, safety glasses and riggers gloves
Volunteers are to wear robust work clothes and boots and be prepared for inclement weather.
Volunteers are insured for accidents through the Blaze Aid Volunteer Insurance policy. However this policy does NOT include ambulance cover. Blaze Aid strongly recommends that volunteers have, or take out ambulance cover. As a club event, members will also be covered under the FWDV Insurance policy
Members are welcome to bring friends to work as volunteers with the club but will need to register any friends as temporary members on the club website. As a community service, the $15 temporary membership fee will be paid by the club. Please indicate in your registration in the "who is coming with you" box, the names of any non-members you may be bringing.
Trip Leader: Graeme Allen - phone 0477488434 or email at graeme.allen86@gmail.com for any queries or requiring any further information.
