Victorian Fire Disaster
TREW Relief Effort, 2009
Week 2
20.02.09
Some of the 26 refugee horses Sammi is caring for.
Unloading hay
20.02.09
Page Coulson & Steve Evans at Moss Vale Horseland (NSW), preparing yet another shipment destined for the horses affected by the Victorian Bushfires. Page has been a tireless worker, from all the way up in Sydney, and, with her friends, has achieved an incredible amount towards our Relief Effort.
Our heartfelt thanks go to Page for turning over her life for the past couple of weeks to work alongside us. Your input has been invaluable Page.
20.02.09
20.02.09
WeatherBeeta and Horseland have very generously contributed rugs to the value of over $8000 to our TREW Equine Fire Relief Effort.
A huge thank you to WeatherBeeta and Horseland for giving back to the community who support them.
Terry Waddell from Horseland Epping presenting donated WeatherBeeta rugs to Sammi of Triple R Equine Welfare Inc.
18.02.09
Thank You to Bill from Polymaster for their delivery of troughs to Whittlesea.
17.02.09
Email from Cheryl Burke:
"I know a lot of you were keen to hear about my trip on the weekend – so I thought I’d send out an email letting you know what happened and attach a few photos.
Just to recap… following the devastating fires in Victoria, there was an urgent request for hay, chaff and horse supplies. Many of the areas where the fires passed through have been completely wiped out. There is no feed for the animals because all the grazing has gone, many of the property owners have lost everything including feed supplies and there are many animals in need of constant care. A number of dedicated people managed obtain huge quantities of donated feed, a large transport company offered to pay the costs for two trucks to take over the feed and two truck drivers donated their time.
I went over in one of the trucks to help with the coordination, and a friend of mine (Aleathea Howard who pulled a lot of this together) went over in the other truck. In the two trucks we took 750 bales of hay, approximately 100 bags of chaff and many horse rugs, fly masks etc.
We loaded the trucks up on Friday evening and made an early (4:30 am!) start on Saturday morning. We drove through to Toolern Vale (about an hour beyond Ballarat) where we met up with up our Victorian Coordinator who told us he would be escorting us to a farm just outside Whittlesea. This farm was being used as a refuge for horses that had escaped the fire but, due to the devastation of the land, had nowhere to go. He told us they currently had 26 horses there. Although several of the horses were suffering from smoke inhalation and mild burns, none of the seriously injured horses were being kept at the farm – those with serious injuries were being kept with the vet where they were receiving 24 hour medical attention. However, he told us that our supplies would not only be used for the horses currently on the property, they would also be passed onto people who desperately needed help.
We arrived at the property at 3:30 pm. We were greeted by a group of people who treated us like old friends. They were so grateful for the help they were receiving. Everyone pitched in to unload the trucks and we shown many of the rescued horses. My particular favourite was a pony called Napoleon who was suffering from smoke inhalation and a few burns. He was the most seriously injured of all the horses on the property. He was receiving a lot of medical attention from the volunteers at the farm and was enjoying all the attention – although he wasn’t too keen on receiving his injections and taking all the medical paste.
The most amazing thing that struck me was how positive everyone was. We heard some incredible stories. One couple had lost everything – their house was totally gone. Yet they laughed when they told us that the one thing they didn’t like about their house was two pine trees on the property. When they returned to their house a few days ago everything was gone… except for 3 pottery items, the two pine trees and their horse float (which was parked under the pine trees). They thought it was so ironic that the pine trees had survived – but they told us they were happy because their horses and dogs were safe.
A mother and daughter had 3 horses at the farm. They told me they were so worried because they were told that when the fire came through, all the gates on the property had been opened so the horses had the best chance to escape. Maddie (the daughter) was worried because she had visions of one of the horses running in front of a fire truck. They knew that some of the horses had survived, but some hadn’t been so lucky but they weren’t allowed to go and check their horses until the following day. They told me that when they found their horses they were in a paddock that was completely burnt out – there wasn’t an area that had escaped the flames. Yet somehow, their horses had escaped almost unharmed (except for smoke inhalation, singed eyelashes and singed whiskers).
The lady running Merri Park was incredible. Her name was Sammi and she was part of the horse care charity called Triple R. She was constantly helping people and administering care to injured horses – I was amazed by how much energy she still had! She had arranged for a BBQ for the 4 of us (Ally, myself and the two drivers) and for the people who were looking after the horses. Everyone was so kind to us, yet some of them had lost everything. During the BBQ there was even birthday cake for Stuart, (one of the people who had lost everything in the fires). There were no candles so we had to put a match in the cake… everyone joked that we ought to be careful as perhaps a match in a birthday cake could have been responsible for the Kinglake fires. It was incredible to see how positive and happy everyone was. They even offered us rooms in the farmhouse overnight, (which we gratefully accepted).
We left Merri Park at 4:30 am on Sunday morning, and arrived back in Adelaide around 2:30 pm. In total we had covered almost 1600 km. It was an exhausting weekend, but it was an incredible experience. I feel privileged to have met such wonderful people who showed me that possessions are not the most important thing in life. Instead it’s the internal spirit, knowing that your loved ones (including your animals) are safe and the support of people around you that counts.
People and Companies that contributed to this mission include:
- Dean Lewis – Dean is a farrier from Victoria who sent out the request for assistance and was our coordinator.
- Aleathea Howard (Ally) – Ally organised the two trucks, two drivers and the feed.
- Eric and Geoff – Our 2 drivers who volunteered to make the trip from Adelaide to Victoria.
- Visyboard – Visyboard allowed the 2 trucks to be used and paid for all petro.
- Marlborough Park – Marlborough Park helped supply a lot of the feed, and also offered feed and equipment at cost price so proceeds raised by could be used to purchase additional feed and equipment to come on the trucks.
- Sammi Whitehead – Sammi looked after all the horses at Merri Park and was doing most of the medical work. She was part of the horse welfare organisation, Triple R.
- Triple R (http://triplerequinewelfare.org.au) – the horse charity helping with the homeless and injured horses.
Regards
Cheryl Burke"
17.02.09 - Thank You
TREW has made many new, and very good friends over the past week, and there are so many thanks due to so many people when this effort eventually slows down. We do want to acknowledge one incredible worker now though, as she is still going strong, and has been such an asset to this effort.
New member Sammi Whitehead has pretty much single handedly been managing for the Whittlesea area for us. Taking in loads of feed and storing it, personally distributing it, moving horses, accommodating horses on her property (and nursing many of them), distributing gear donations, running errands for us, arranging the receipt of supplies at her end of fencing etc. It goes on and on.
Sammi currently has 25 horses on her property and a child to care for, but on day 9, is as positive, helpful, and professional as she was on day 1. Great work Sammi, a quiet achiever, one of the many. (By the way, poor Sammi spent 4 hours loading 2 horses for someone today, and we all know what fun THAT is!). Thanks Sammi, from your TREW friends, and from the many horses and people you have helped over the past week.
17.02.09 - What has TREW been up to?
Basic Summary to date:
Day One – (Monday 9th Feb)
As the enormity of this disaster unfolded, the TREW committee quickly decided that they must do everything possible to expedite the care and welfare of horses affected by this terrible tragedy.
Our goal was to network with other organisations and individuals within the horse industry, to pool our resources, contacts and knowledge in order that we could achieve five main goals :
- Facilitate and expedite the delivery of urgent feed & medical supplies from all over Australia;
- Establish secure “drop zones” in key locations within affected areas for receipt of incoming supplies & distribution to those in need;
- To collect information and become a “meeting point” for those needing help for their horses AND those offering to help (supplies, transport, medical care, temporary accommodation) thereby offering reliable and useful information to those in distress
- Where necessary assist in the transport of horses in need away from fire zones or damaged properties to receive specialist care.
- Regular informative updates on TREW website to keep the wider horse community up to date with the latest situation.
- Plan for the long term support of those in need.
Since this massive task began over 9 days ago, here are just some of the outcomes that TREW has achieved together with this amazing group of people – the horse community.
TASK : Quickly identified the most urgent needs by speaking with those “on the scene” – hay, chaff, water containers, feed buckets & vet supplies, thereafter general horse supplies. Sharing this information via our web site ensured that those out in the horse community who worked so hard putting together Relief Packages, could obtain the items most desperately needed.
OUTCOME :
- Delivery into drop zones of no less than 5000 bales of hay, 300 bags of chaff, 8 pallets of horse rugs and general supplies, 12 boxes of medical supplies and equipment. Click here to see just some of these goods on the move;
- Spoke with major suppliers / manufacturers of electric fencing, batteries, feed troughs, water troughs etc – made arrangements for donations & delivery
- TREW has now worked with over 50 individuals and organisations, (Pony Clubs etc) to advise on most needed items, to identify best drop zones, and assisted with delivery & drop off arrangements.
TASK : Set up secure drop zones for incoming goods to best service affected regions.
OUTCOME : Within 48 hours we had secured the Bendigo Showground as a key storage site for TREW incoming donations. We had help on site by local managers, until Sharon Cook took over management of all in-comings. This has included many semi-trailer loads of hay, some of which has been offloaded and stacked by volunteers.
Specific supplies are now sent out on loads as needed into drop zones – Whittlesea, Kinglake, Cottles Bridge, Yea, Flowerdale, Coldstream and Bayles and where necessary, incoming loads are often directly sent straight to locations where there are urgent needs.
TASK : To set up a database of information to assist those in need.
OUTCOME :
- Since Monday Feb 9, we have received in excess of 5000 emails, and fielded incoming calls of not less than 80 per day. Within 24 hours of set up, TREW volunteers created a database of 798 offers of temporary accommodation, together with extensive offers of support for transport, vet services, general volunteers.
- Closed the database within 2 days of set up.
- Over the past 9 days, TREW volunteers have directed hundreds of individuals to the correct contacts depending on their needs – as well as “connecting” those with others who could enhance their own efforts.
- For example, when Belinda from Yarramin Stud in the Hunter Valley called to say that she had $6000 to donate to help the horses – we made arrangements for that money to be paid directly to the wonderful guys at Drysedales Chaff Mill in Yellingbo. Days before, Drysedales had donated 50 bags of chaff to TREW, and were generous enough to supply another 250 bales at cost price. We then (coerced!) Paul Dryesdale to deliver these stocks to our Bendigo facility, which he did on a Saturday morning with his 3 year son in the truck beside him – all free of charge. A truly great bloke and just one of the many, many individuals who have given so freely of their time and resources.
- TREW has connected distraught owners of injured horses to those that so kindly offered their properties as temporary homes. At least 70 horses have been assisted directly by this service to date.
TASK: Help co-ordinate moving horses off fire affected properties to safe havens.
OUTCOME: Due to the enormous number of individuals who offered to personally assist in moving horses with their own floats, TREW’s role once again was to bring people together. In the initial days, many horses were moved off hot & burnt ground in order that the risk of heat induced laminitis wouldn’t claim animals that had just survived the fires.
This week, a herd of 30 miniature horses will be relocated to safer pastures by TREW volunteers.
TASK : Keep the wider horse community up to date.
OUTCOME: We have done our absolute best to keep the website current & informative – thank you to everyone who has supplied us with their pictures and stories that we can share on the TREW site. Many of the stories and photos are incredibly heartwarming, and some are just sad, but all kept us going when exhaustion set in ! (around Day 3).
Other TREW volunteers kept local radio up to date with lists of Drop Zones, most urgent needs and other relevant information.
Flyers with “Do you need Help” information were printed and distributed by hand in the fire zones – given that many horse owners did not have access to internet or radio, we wanted to be sure that those in need could find TREW for help.
TASK: Plan for the long term care of horses & support for their owners.
Cash donations provided to TREW totaled $10,310 as of Sunday. TREW will utilise donated funds to ensure that when the general media attention has ceased, those horses will not go hungry. Our advice is that paddocks will take a very long time to recover with the current season & expected weather conditions. New feed will mostly likely not come through until next Spring. We must ensure that help is available until this time comes.
16.02.09
Thanks to Dean Lewis and Paul who have been arranging constant semi loads of hay from South Australia, to some of our drop/collection points. Absolutely huge effort there, with all loads being made up of donated hay from SA growers. Heartfelt thanks to the farmers of SA who are digging so deep for the fire affected horses of Victoria.
Big thank you to Debbie Austin and her partner, who didn't hesitate to volunteer to help Tony unload and stack the hay tonight.
15.02.09
Page, Connie, Tania, and Lee
I think I can safely say, on behalf of everyone
YOU ARE LEGENDS!
Two truckloads of rugs, (a lot of new ones), vet supplies, saddles, feed, hay, and chaff on its way.