Responses to the Black Saturday bushfire crisis
Encyclopedia
The Black Saturday bushfires were a series of bushfires that ignited across the Australia
n state of Victoria
during extreme weather conditions on 7 February 2009. Burning around 450,000 ha for over a month, the fires destroyed over 2,200 homes, destroyed several regional towns and were fought by over 5,000 firefighting personnel.
Responses to the Black Saturday bushfires included immediate community response, donations and later, international aid efforts, Government inquiries including a Royal Commission and recommendations and discussions from a wide variety of bodies, organisations, authorities and communities. Several of these responses are currently ongoing as of September 2009.
was suspended due to the emergency. The Premier of Victoria, John Brumby
, accepted an offer from the Prime Minister
, Kevin Rudd
, to dispatch members of the Australian Defence Force
to provide assistance in that state. Rudd described the bushfires as an "appalling tragedy for Victoria," saying "Hell and all its fury has visited the good people of Victoria in the last 24 hours."
Queen Elizabeth II
made a donation to the Australian Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Fund, and stated that she "was shocked and saddened to learn of the terrible toll being exacted by the fires this weekend," and sent "heartfelt condolences to the families of all those who have died and... deep sympathy to the many that have lost their homes in this disaster," as well as expressing admiration for the firefighters and other emergency personnel. Similarly, Prince Charles
, stated at a reception he hosted for the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia
: "Both my wife and I were so horrified along with so many other people in this country by the extent of the bush fires because I know every year Australia suffers from dreadful events, but this year somehow it's even more dreadful... We just wanted people to know how deeply we feel for all those families who have suffered so terribly... The sheer extent of the horrors is hard to comprehend I think to people who don't live in Australia or know Australia." It was then announced on 18 February that Princess Anne
would represent the Queen at a memorial service to be held in the Rod Laver Arena
in Melbourne
, and to tour some of the areas affected by the fires.
Australian Greens
Party leader Bob Brown
told Sky News, that "[the fires] are a sobering reminder of the need for [Australia] and the whole world to act and put at a priority the need to tackle climate change," and Chief Commissioner of the Victoria Police, Christine Nixon
, who was due to retire in March 2009, announced on 10 February that she would be stepping down early in order to lead a state government committee charged with rebuilding the fire-affected areas.
(CFA) which is primarily responsible for fires on private property and the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) primarily responsible for fires on public land have worked to battle the fires. These groups were assisted by the military aid offered by the Commonwealth Governor-in-Council
, and the firefighters sent not only by the states of NSW, South Australia, ACT, Tasmania, and Western Australia, but also from firefighting personnel from New Zealand
, the latter being limited in number by the extreme fire risk that was concurrent in parts of New Zealand.
Seventy-three firefighters from agencies in the United States travelled to Victoria and assisted in firefighting efforts.
The Metropolitan Fire Brigade
(MFB) who are primarily responsible for fires and other emergencies in the Melbourne metropolitan area, also sent firefighters and support staff to aid in the effort.
The Victorian Government's Department of Human Services offered immediate assistance of up to $1,067 for affected people. The Federal Government
announced a $10 million package of emergency assistance, available from 9 February, providing $1,000 per adult and $400 per child for those who had been hospitalised with injuries or who had lost their homes.
The bushfire appeal raised more than $372 million in total. The appeal by the Australian Red Cross
raised over $315 million. The Red Cross Blood Service received 6,000 offers of blood donation
s on the morning of 9 February alone. The Salvation Army
appeal raised $17.5 million.
Major banks National Australia Bank
, ANZ, the Commonwealth Bank and Westpac
each announced $1 million in donations for fire victims. Telstra
, Australia's largest telecommunications company, donated $500,000 and pledged to match employee donations to the value of $250,000, bringing the total to over $1 million. Telstra also provided free telephone diversions to those affected and offered free local and mobile calls on selected public phone boxes in bushfire areas. Tabcorp donated $2 million.
BP
donated $635,000 to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal, along with donations from employees to be matched from the BP Foundation. BP has offered free food and drinks to emergency service personnel.
Caltex
donated $200,000 to be distributed as either cash or fuel. Caltex also stated that they will match dollar for dollar, all contributions to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal made by Caltex employees.
Woolworths Limited
donated $1 million.
Wesfarmers
donated $500,000. Their supermarket division, Coles
, donated profits from all stores on Friday 13 February while Kmart
, their discount department store chain, donated $100,000 to The Salvation Army
.
Cricket Australia
used a match scheduled for 10 February between Australia and New Zealand to raise money for fire victims. Sydney Cricket Ground Trust and Cricket NSW raised money from a Twenty20 Cricket match at the SCG between the Waugh XI and the Taylor XI. The Australian Football League
moved the NAB Cup
match on 13 February between Essendon Bombers and Western Bulldogs
from Darwin
to Melbourne as a bushfire appeal match. V8 Supercars Australia donated $100,000 and the use of their main transporter as a communications centre and command post for the duration of the crisis. Football Federation Australia
donated $100,000 to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal and will provide replacement football (soccer) equipment to Victorian schools and junior clubs affected by the disaster.
On 12 February, the Nine Network
held a telethon to benefit the victims of the bushfires, through the Australian Red Cross
. Titled Australia Unites - The Victorian Bushfire Appeal, the event was hosted by Nine Network personality Eddie McGuire
, and accompanied by many celebrities, athletes and entertainers, raising about A$20.5 million.
On 14 March, a charity concert Sound Relief
was held simultaneously in Melbourne and Sydney with ticket sales exceeding $8.8 million. Some funds also went to aid those affected by floods in Queensland.
Some victims of the Queensland floods that had occurred around the same time (the worst floods in the history of north Queensland) who had received government support donated their grants to the Victorian bushfire appeal, saying that "we're not as bad off as the poor people of Victoria" (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/10/2487237.htm).
has provided over 120 accountants to assist with business recovery efforts. Working through Small Business Victoria, they will help to reconstruct lost financial records and reestablish businesses in communities affected by the bushfires.
, Tarcisio Bertone, offered assistance and assurance of prayers and spiritual support to the Governor General.
During the night of 7 February, the Nine Network
showed a 15 minute bulletin at 9pm just on the fire situation and the Seven Network
interrupted programming to produce a special news bulletin.
From 7 February onwards, all major Australian television channels increased their nightly bulletin times to cover the fires more extensively. ABC Local Radio
in Victoria postponed programs to relay up to the minute news of the fires from 7 February, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
set up a message board where people could offer or request help, which was inundated with replies. Similarly, several organisations and individuals used the microblogging service Twitter
to post updates on the developing situation, using a conversion of the Country Fire Authority's RSS stream and the local emergency radio station.
The Yellow Ribbon
has become a symbol of support for the emergency services involved in the disaster.
On 2 March, in anticipation and to create awareness of the extreme bushfire weather conditions predicted for the following days, many residents around Victoria received a text message that read: Msg from Vic Police:Extreme weather in Vic expected Mon night & Tues.High wind & fire risk.Listen to local ABC Radio for emergency updates.Do not reply to this. The message was sent to around 5 million phones throughout Victoria and Tasmania.
Other nations including Andorra
, Brazil
, Cuba
, Ireland
, Nauru
, Solomon Islands
, South Africa
, Sweden
, Ukraine
and Uganda
have sent messages of support, as have European Commission
President José Manuel Barroso, and United Nations
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
.
were involved from two weeks before and many weeks after 'Black Saturday' providing first aid services to other emergency service personnel involved and local residents.
St John volunteers were also sent by their various state commands to join the Victorian volunteers who were already assisting. These included:
Multiple first aid posts were set up across the bushfire-affected areas, mainly at fire-staging grounds where services could be provided to CFA
firefighters and other personnel involved.
By 8 February, St John were operating 16 first aid posts and were represented at the Integrated Fire Coordination Centre (IFCC) and 3 Incident Control Centres (ICCs). Around 300 Victorian members were deployed. It was also the largest national deployment to a disaster in Australia by St John Ambulance.
operators from the Victorian branch of the Wireless Institute Civil and Emergency Network (WICEN) were activated for the emergency and the aftermath until 10 March 2009, with assistance from other WICEN jurisdictions (NSW, ACT, SA), providing communications on amateur radio frequencies and also acting as radio operators for other agencies.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n state of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
during extreme weather conditions on 7 February 2009. Burning around 450,000 ha for over a month, the fires destroyed over 2,200 homes, destroyed several regional towns and were fought by over 5,000 firefighting personnel.
Responses to the Black Saturday bushfires included immediate community response, donations and later, international aid efforts, Government inquiries including a Royal Commission and recommendations and discussions from a wide variety of bodies, organisations, authorities and communities. Several of these responses are currently ongoing as of September 2009.
Government
Federal parliamentParliament of Australia
The Parliament of Australia, also known as the Commonwealth Parliament or Federal Parliament, is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It is bicameral, largely modelled in the Westminster tradition, but with some influences from the United States Congress...
was suspended due to the emergency. The Premier of Victoria, John Brumby
John Brumby
John Mansfield Brumby , is an Australian Labor Party politician who was Premier of Victoria from 2007 to 2010. He became Premier after the resignation of Steve Bracks. He also served as the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. He contested his first election...
, accepted an offer from the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
, Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
, to dispatch members of the Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
to provide assistance in that state. Rudd described the bushfires as an "appalling tragedy for Victoria," saying "Hell and all its fury has visited the good people of Victoria in the last 24 hours."
Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
made a donation to the Australian Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Fund, and stated that she "was shocked and saddened to learn of the terrible toll being exacted by the fires this weekend," and sent "heartfelt condolences to the families of all those who have died and... deep sympathy to the many that have lost their homes in this disaster," as well as expressing admiration for the firefighters and other emergency personnel. Similarly, Prince Charles
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
, stated at a reception he hosted for the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia
Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia
The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia is an emergency and primary health care service for those living in rural, remote and regional areas of Australia...
: "Both my wife and I were so horrified along with so many other people in this country by the extent of the bush fires because I know every year Australia suffers from dreadful events, but this year somehow it's even more dreadful... We just wanted people to know how deeply we feel for all those families who have suffered so terribly... The sheer extent of the horrors is hard to comprehend I think to people who don't live in Australia or know Australia." It was then announced on 18 February that Princess Anne
Anne, Princess Royal
Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
would represent the Queen at a memorial service to be held in the Rod Laver Arena
Rod Laver Arena
Rod Laver Arena is a tennis stadium that is part of the Melbourne Park complex located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and has been the main venue for the Australian Open in tennis since 1988, replacing the ageing Kooyong Stadium...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, and to tour some of the areas affected by the fires.
Australian Greens
Australian Greens
The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...
Party leader Bob Brown
Bob Brown
Robert James Brown is an Australian senator, the inaugural Parliamentary Leader of the Australian Greens and was the first openly gay member of the Parliament of Australia...
told Sky News, that "[the fires] are a sobering reminder of the need for [Australia] and the whole world to act and put at a priority the need to tackle climate change," and Chief Commissioner of the Victoria Police, Christine Nixon
Christine Nixon
Christine Nixon APM was the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police between 23 April 2001 and 27 February 2009. After leaving Victoria Police, she was appointed chair of the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority in February 2009 until she stood down from the position in July...
, who was due to retire in March 2009, announced on 10 February that she would be stepping down early in order to lead a state government committee charged with rebuilding the fire-affected areas.
Fire fighting
More than 4,000 firefighters from the Country Fire AuthorityCountry Fire Authority
Country Fire Authority, or CFA, is the name of the fire service that provides firefighting and other emergency services to all of the country areas and regional townships within the state of Victoria, Australia, as well as large portions of the outer suburban areas and growth corridors of Melbourne...
(CFA) which is primarily responsible for fires on private property and the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) primarily responsible for fires on public land have worked to battle the fires. These groups were assisted by the military aid offered by the Commonwealth Governor-in-Council
Queen-in-Council
The Queen-in-Council is, in each of the Commonwealth realms, the technical term of constitutional law that refers to the exercise of executive authority, denoting the monarch acting by and with the advice and consent of his or her privy council or executive council The Queen-in-Council (during...
, and the firefighters sent not only by the states of NSW, South Australia, ACT, Tasmania, and Western Australia, but also from firefighting personnel from New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, the latter being limited in number by the extreme fire risk that was concurrent in parts of New Zealand.
Seventy-three firefighters from agencies in the United States travelled to Victoria and assisted in firefighting efforts.
The Metropolitan Fire Brigade
Metropolitan Fire Brigade (Melbourne)
The Metropolitan Fire Brigade , also known as the Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board, provides firefighting, rescue, and hazardous material incident response services to the metropolitan area of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...
(MFB) who are primarily responsible for fires and other emergencies in the Melbourne metropolitan area, also sent firefighters and support staff to aid in the effort.
Aid efforts
Humanitarian responses to the fires came quickly from government, businesses, individuals and aid agencies, including direct relief efforts as well as fundraising.The Victorian Government's Department of Human Services offered immediate assistance of up to $1,067 for affected people. The Federal Government
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
announced a $10 million package of emergency assistance, available from 9 February, providing $1,000 per adult and $400 per child for those who had been hospitalised with injuries or who had lost their homes.
The bushfire appeal raised more than $372 million in total. The appeal by the Australian Red Cross
Australian Red Cross
The Australian Red Cross is one of the many national Red Cross societies around the world. The Australian organisation was established in 1914, nine days after the commencement of World War I, by Karen Tenenbaum, when she formed a branch of the British Red Cross.the organisation grew at a rapid rate...
raised over $315 million. The Red Cross Blood Service received 6,000 offers of blood donation
Blood donation
A blood donation occurs when a person voluntarily has blood drawn and used for transfusions or made into medications by a process called fractionation....
s on the morning of 9 February alone. The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
appeal raised $17.5 million.
Major banks National Australia Bank
National Australia Bank
National Australia Bank is one of the four largest financial institutions in Australia in terms of market capitalisation and customers. NAB is ranked 17th largest bank in the world measured by market capitalisation...
, ANZ, the Commonwealth Bank and Westpac
Westpac
Westpac , is a multinational financial services, one of the Australian "big four" banks and the second-largest bank in New Zealand....
each announced $1 million in donations for fire victims. Telstra
Telstra
Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....
, Australia's largest telecommunications company, donated $500,000 and pledged to match employee donations to the value of $250,000, bringing the total to over $1 million. Telstra also provided free telephone diversions to those affected and offered free local and mobile calls on selected public phone boxes in bushfire areas. Tabcorp donated $2 million.
BP
BP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
donated $635,000 to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal, along with donations from employees to be matched from the BP Foundation. BP has offered free food and drinks to emergency service personnel.
Caltex
Caltex
Caltex is a petroleum brand name of Chevron Corporation used in more than 60 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, and southern Africa.-History:...
donated $200,000 to be distributed as either cash or fuel. Caltex also stated that they will match dollar for dollar, all contributions to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal made by Caltex employees.
Woolworths Limited
Woolworths Limited
Woolworths Limited is a major Australian company with extensive retail interest throughout Australia and New Zealand. It is the:* largest retail company in Australia and New Zealand by market capitalisation and sales...
donated $1 million.
Wesfarmers
Wesfarmers
Wesfarmers Limited is one of Australia’s largest public companies and one of Australia's largest retailers. Its headquarters are in Perth, Western Australia....
donated $500,000. Their supermarket division, Coles
Coles Supermarkets
Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741...
, donated profits from all stores on Friday 13 February while Kmart
Kmart Australia
Kmart Australia Limited is a discount department store chain owned by Wesfarmers. It operates 172 stores in Australia and 15 in New Zealand, with its head office located in Mulgrave, Victoria. Wesfarmers uses the Kmart name under licence from Sears Holdings Corporation.-History:Kmart Australia...
, their discount department store chain, donated $100,000 to The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
.
Cricket Australia
Cricket Australia
Cricket Australia, formerly known as the Australian Cricket Board, is the governing body for professional and amateur cricket in Australia. It was originally formed in 1905 as the Australian Board of Control for International Cricket...
used a match scheduled for 10 February between Australia and New Zealand to raise money for fire victims. Sydney Cricket Ground Trust and Cricket NSW raised money from a Twenty20 Cricket match at the SCG between the Waugh XI and the Taylor XI. The Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
moved the NAB Cup
Australian Football League pre-season competition
The Australian Football League pre-season competition, which is known at present as the NAB Cup, is a competition held before the beginning of the Australian Football League premiership season...
match on 13 February between Essendon Bombers and Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
from Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
to Melbourne as a bushfire appeal match. V8 Supercars Australia donated $100,000 and the use of their main transporter as a communications centre and command post for the duration of the crisis. Football Federation Australia
Football Federation Australia
Football Federation Australia is the governing body for the sport of football in Australia. Before 1 January 2005, it was known as the Australian Soccer Association , which succeeded Soccer Australia in this role in 2003...
donated $100,000 to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal and will provide replacement football (soccer) equipment to Victorian schools and junior clubs affected by the disaster.
On 12 February, the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
held a telethon to benefit the victims of the bushfires, through the Australian Red Cross
Australian Red Cross
The Australian Red Cross is one of the many national Red Cross societies around the world. The Australian organisation was established in 1914, nine days after the commencement of World War I, by Karen Tenenbaum, when she formed a branch of the British Red Cross.the organisation grew at a rapid rate...
. Titled Australia Unites - The Victorian Bushfire Appeal, the event was hosted by Nine Network personality Eddie McGuire
Eddie McGuire
Edward Joseph "Eddie" McGuire AM is an Australian television presenter and businessman known for his long association with Australian rules football and the Channel 9 television network....
, and accompanied by many celebrities, athletes and entertainers, raising about A$20.5 million.
On 14 March, a charity concert Sound Relief
Sound Relief
Sound Relief was a multi-venue rock music concert held on 14 March 2009, which was announced by the Premier of Victoria, John Brumby on 24 February 2009...
was held simultaneously in Melbourne and Sydney with ticket sales exceeding $8.8 million. Some funds also went to aid those affected by floods in Queensland.
Some victims of the Queensland floods that had occurred around the same time (the worst floods in the history of north Queensland) who had received government support donated their grants to the Victorian bushfire appeal, saying that "we're not as bad off as the poor people of Victoria" (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/10/2487237.htm).
Aid for injured wildlife
As a result of the bushfires, many hundreds of burnt animals required care in wildlife centres across Victoria. Additionally, six wildlife care centres were destroyed by the bushfires. Wildlife Victoria requested help to treat and feed the animals through the Wildlife Victoria Bushfire Appeal. The National Parks and Wildlife Service also requested donations be made for burnt and injured wildlife.Aid for local business
CPA AustraliaCPA Australia
CPA Australia is one of three professional accounting bodies in Australia, the others being the Institute of Public Accountants and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia....
has provided over 120 accountants to assist with business recovery efforts. Working through Small Business Victoria, they will help to reconstruct lost financial records and reestablish businesses in communities affected by the bushfires.
Media and community action
Australian national flags were lowered to half-mast in remembrance of the victims, and members of the Australian parliament gave speeches and observed a moment of silence, while Roman Catholic Archbishop Philip Wilson of Adelaide pledged that Saint Vincent de Paul and other Catholic aid organisations would offer assistance, and offered prayers and condolences on behalf of the Australian Catholic conference of bishops. Pope Benedict XVI, through his Cardinal Secretary of StateCardinal Secretary of State
The Cardinal Secretary of State—officially Secretary of State of His Holiness The Pope—presides over the Holy See, usually known as the "Vatican", Secretariat of State, which is the oldest and most important dicastery of the Roman Curia...
, Tarcisio Bertone, offered assistance and assurance of prayers and spiritual support to the Governor General.
During the night of 7 February, the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
showed a 15 minute bulletin at 9pm just on the fire situation and the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
interrupted programming to produce a special news bulletin.
From 7 February onwards, all major Australian television channels increased their nightly bulletin times to cover the fires more extensively. ABC Local Radio
ABC Local Radio
ABC Local Radio is a network of publicly owned radio stations in Australia, operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.ABC Local Radio stations broadcast across the continent using terrestrial transmitters and satellites...
in Victoria postponed programs to relay up to the minute news of the fires from 7 February, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
set up a message board where people could offer or request help, which was inundated with replies. Similarly, several organisations and individuals used the microblogging service Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
to post updates on the developing situation, using a conversion of the Country Fire Authority's RSS stream and the local emergency radio station.
The Yellow Ribbon
Yellow ribbon
The yellow ribbon is used for various symbolic purposes. It is often worn on one's person or tied around a tree in one's front yard.- Earliest Evidence unearthed at Pompeii :...
has become a symbol of support for the emergency services involved in the disaster.
On 2 March, in anticipation and to create awareness of the extreme bushfire weather conditions predicted for the following days, many residents around Victoria received a text message that read: Msg from Vic Police:Extreme weather in Vic expected Mon night & Tues.High wind & fire risk.Listen to local ABC Radio for emergency updates.Do not reply to this. The message was sent to around 5 million phones throughout Victoria and Tasmania.
International reaction
Following the Black Saturday bushfires the Australian government received offers of assistance and condolences from a number of foreign heads of state, heads of government, and other leaders. The following is a summary of the response from various countries:| Country | | Response |
|---|---|
 BulgariaBulgaria Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east... |
The Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Sergei Stanishev, sent a letter to his Australian counterpart Prime Minister of Australia The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful... , Kevin Rudd Kevin Rudd Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010... , expressing his country's sympathies, and added that Bulgaria was ready to send humanitarian aid to Australia "in these difficult times for the Australian people." |
 CanadaCanada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Lawrence Cannon Lawrence Cannon Lawrence Cannon, PC is a Canadian politician from Quebec and Prime Minister Stephen Harper's former Quebec lieutenant. On October 30, 2008 he was sworn in as Minister of Foreign Affairs... , the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada) The Minister of Foreign Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's international relations section of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.... , issued a statement expressing the Canadian government Government of Canada The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council... 's sympathies to those affected by the bushfires, and nine wildfire specialists from British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858... were sent to Victoria to help. |
 ChinaChina Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture... |
Chancellor of China Chancellor of China The Chancellor , variously translated as Prime Minister, Chancellor of State, Premier or Chief Councillor, was a generic name given to the highest-ranking official in the imperial government in ancient China... Wen Jiabao Wen Jiabao Wen Jiabao is the sixth and current Premier and Party secretary of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, serving as China's head of government and leading its cabinet. In his capacity as Premier, Wen is regarded as the leading figure behind China's economic policy... sent a message of condolences to his Australian counterpart, Kevin Rudd. |
 CyprusCyprus Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the... |
President of Cyprus Demetris Christofias signed a book of condolences at the Australian mission in Nicosia Nicosia Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line... , to "express our condolences, sorrow and our solidarity for the loss of so many people and of course for the suffering caused by these large fires." |
 East TimorEast Timor The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor... |
"On behalf of the Timorese people, I would like to extend my deep condolences to our brothers and sisters of Australia, especially to those who have lost their loved ones and properties in this tragedy," said East Timorese President President of East Timor The President of East Timor is the Head of state of the East Timorese republic, elected by popular vote for a five-year term. The role is largely symbolic, though he is able to veto some legislation. Following elections, the president appoints as the prime minister, the leader of the majority party... José Ramos-Horta in a statement, after delaying his official visit to Australia. |
 FranceFrance The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
In a letter to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, President Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier.... expressed his country's sympathy, and offered assistance from French resources in New Caledonia New Caledonia New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of... . |
 GermanyGermany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
The Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel Angela Merkel Angela Dorothea Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany . Merkel, elected to the Bundestag from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.From 2005 to 2009 she led a... , sent a personal letter to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, offering aid and support. |
 IndiaIndia India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... |
External Affairs Minister for India Pranab Mukherjee Pranab Mukherjee Pranab Kumar Mukherjee is the current Finance Minister of India and leader of the current Lok Sabha.Mukherjee is a senior member of the Cabinet Committees on Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Parliamentary Affairs, Political Affairs, Prices, Security, Unique Identification Authority of India,... telephoned Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith Stephen Smith (Australian politician) Stephen Francis Smith , is the Australian Minister for Defence. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1993, representing the Division of Perth, Western Australia.... to convey his "deep condolences and sympathies to the families of the deceased and victims of the bushfires in the State of Victoria," and offered to provide any necessary disaster relief. |
 IndonesiaIndonesia Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an... |
President of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono AC , is an Indonesian politician and retired Army general officer who has been President of Indonesia since 2004.... sent a letter to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd expressing deep sympathy: "In the spirit of the Australia-Indonesia partnership, Australia's success is also Indonesia's success, and its misery is also Indonesia's misery." The President said he would send a police forensic team to help identify bushfire victims, and would also contribute US$1 million for the reconstruction of schools. |
 IranIran Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia... |
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki Manouchehr Mottaki Manouchehr Mottaki is an Iranian politician and diplomat. He was the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Whilst technically appointed by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, he is considered to be closer to more pragmatic conservative factions and during the 2005 presidential election, he was the campaign... rang Stephen Smith Stephen Smith (Australian politician) Stephen Francis Smith , is the Australian Minister for Defence. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1993, representing the Division of Perth, Western Australia.... to express "deep grief" over the fires. |
 IsraelIsrael The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea... |
Outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Ehud Olmert Ehud Olmert is an Israeli politician and lawyer. He served as Prime Minister of Israel from 2006 to 2009, as a Cabinet Minister from 1988 to 1992 and from 2003 to 2006, and as Mayor of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2003.... sent a letter to Kevin Rudd, stating: "I have been following with horror and disbelief the deadly wildfires raging in the Australian state of Victoria over the past few days, which claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent people and left thousands homeless and destitute." |
 JapanJapan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Hirofumi Nakasone Hirofumi Nakasone is a Japanese politician from Takasaki, Gunma, who served as Minister for Foreign Affairs until September 2009. He was Minister of Education under Prime Minister Yoshirō Mori. He is former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone's son.... , the Japanese Foreign Minister, offered "any cooperation" necessary from the Japanese, in a letter to Foreign Minister Stephen Smith Stephen Smith (Australian politician) Stephen Francis Smith , is the Australian Minister for Defence. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1993, representing the Division of Perth, Western Australia.... . |
 LithuaniaLithuania Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark... |
President of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus Valdas Adamkus Valdas Adamkus was President of Lithuania from 1998 to 2003 and again from 2004 to 2009.In Lithuania, the President's tenure lasts for five years; Adamkus' first term in office began on February 26, 1998 and ended on February 28, 2003, following his defeat by Rolandas Paksas in the next... sent a condolence message to Australia's Governor-General, Quentin Bryce Quentin Bryce Quentin Bryce, AC, CVO is the 25th and current Governor-General of Australia and former Governor of Queensland.... . "Today our thoughts are with the Australian firefighters, rescue teams, and all those who are battling the fires, risking their lives to save others." |
 New ZealandNew Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... |
John Key John Key John Phillip Key is the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, in office since 2008. He has led the New Zealand National Party since 2006.... , Prime Minister of New Zealand, stated that "our relationship is like no other. At this time we stand shoulder to shoulder with you as you battle the blaze that will be marked forever in the history of your great nation"; he offered fire-fighting and police personnel and equipment. A specialist New Zealand firefighting helicopter and victim identification police specialists were sent to Australia, along with 100 firefighters, and the New Zealand government donated NZ $500,000 to victims of the disaster. |
 NorwayNorway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... |
King Harald V of Norway Harald V of Norway Harald V is the king of Norway. He succeeded to the throne of Norway upon the death of his father Olav V on 17 January 1991... sent condolences to Australia's Governor-General, Quentin Bryce. "I am deeply saddened by the news of the terrible wildfires that has ravaged parts of Australia, resulting in the tragic loss of so many lives and causing such widespread damage. On behalf of myself and the Norwegian people I send you my condolences, and ask you to convey my deepest sympathies to those bereaved and to others afflicted by this tragic disaster." |
 Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands... |
The government of Papua New Guinea decided to donate $A2 million to assist disaster victims in the bushfires in Victoria and those who've been affected by flooding in north Queensland. |
 PortugalPortugal Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the... |
President of Portugal Aníbal Cavaco Silva Aníbal Cavaco Silva Aníbal António Cavaco Silva, GCC , is the President of Portugal. He won the Portuguese presidential election on 22 January 2006 and was re-elected on 23 January 2011, for a second five-year term. Cavaco Silva was sworn in on 9 March 2006.... sent his condolences to Australia's Governor-General. "It was with profound grief that I took awareness of the devastating consequences of the fires in the South of Australia and in particular, the loss of human lives it caused." Cavaco then proceeded by adding: "In this hour of suffering, I wish to express to you, and to the families of the victims, in my own name and of the Portuguese people, our healtfelt mourning and our most sincere condolences." |
 RussiaRussia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... |
President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev Dmitry Medvedev Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint... sent a telegram to Governor-General Quentin Bryce, saying: "I learned with regret about the great tragedy in Australia large-scale wildfires that rage in the south-eastern part of the continent. I ask you to convey words of condolence, deep sympathy and support to the families and friends of the dead and wishes of soonest recovery to the injured." In October 2009, at the Royal Commission 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission The 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission is an Australian Royal Commission which concluded on 31 July 2010, it investigated the nature of circumstances surrounding the Black Saturday bushfires.-Precluding events:... , the Russian Ambassador to Australia said that the Russian Government had offered the Australian Government two advanced Ilyushin Il-76 Ilyushin Il-76 The Ilyushin Il-76 is a multi-purpose four-engined strategic airlifter designed by Ilyushin design bureau. It was first planned as a commercial freighter in 1967. Intended as a replacement for the Antonov An-12, the Il-76 was designed for delivering heavy machinery to remote, poorly-serviced areas... waterbombers to help put out the bushfires. The offer was forwarded to the Victorian authorities, but the DSE declined it due to the aircraft not being suitable for the conditions in Victoria and the time it would have taken for approval from aviation authorities. Ilyushin Il-76 waterbombers have the capacity to drop 42,000 litres of water in a single pass. |
 SingaporeSingapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... |
Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong Lee Hsien Loong Lee Hsien Loong is the third and current Prime Minister of Singapore. He is married to Ho Ching, who is the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Temasek Holdings. He is the eldest son of Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.... offered the use of a fleet of Super Puma Helicopters Eurocopter Super Puma The Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-size utility helicopter marketed for both civil and military use. Originally designed and built by Aérospatiale, it is an enlarged and re-engined version of the original Aérospatiale Puma... that were stationed in Oakey Oakey, Queensland Oakey is a rural town situated in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia. It is situated west of the state capital, Brisbane, and west of the regional city of Toowoomba. At the 2006 census, Oakey had a population of 3,657.-History:... , Queensland. |
 TurkeyTurkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe... |
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Recep Tayyip Erdogan Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been Prime Minister of Turkey since 2003 and is chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party , which holds a majority of the seats in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Erdoğan served as Mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. He graduated in 1981 from Marmara... sent condolences, and Environment and Forestry Minister Veysel Eroğlu Veysel Eroglu Prof. Veysel Eroğlu is currently Minister of Environment and Forests of Turkey and a Member of Parliament for Afyonkarahisar of the ruling Justice and Development Party.-Career:... offered assistance. |
 United KingdomUnited Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Gordon Brown Gordon Brown James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007... , telephoned Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to offer sympathy and assistance in dealing with the bushfires. |
 United StatesUnited States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Barack Obama Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in... , President of the United States, telephoned Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to offer his condolences over the Victorian bushfires. More than 30 US Department of the Interior and US Forest Service wildland firefighters were deployed to Victoria, and the US has also offered the expertise of aviation managers, planning section chiefs, and specialists in emergency land rehabilitation. |
 Vatican CityVatican City Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of... |
Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See... sent his condolences, relayed by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, stating the Pope was "deeply saddened to learn of the tragic consequences of recent fires in the state of Victoria." |
Other nations including Andorra
Andorra
Andorra , officially the Principality of Andorra , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra, , is a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe having an area of...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
, Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
and Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
have sent messages of support, as have European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
President José Manuel Barroso, and United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
.
St John Ambulance
St John Ambulance AustraliaSt John Ambulance Australia
St John Ambulance Australia is a self-funding charitable organisation dedicated to helping people in sickness, distress, suffering or danger. It is part of an international organisation that consists of eight Priories that form the Order of St John.- History :St John First Aid training centres...
were involved from two weeks before and many weeks after 'Black Saturday' providing first aid services to other emergency service personnel involved and local residents.
St John volunteers were also sent by their various state commands to join the Victorian volunteers who were already assisting. These included:
- Over 50 members and two emergency management teams from South AustraliaSouth AustraliaSouth Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
- Five members to assist in manning the Victorian Headquarters from the Northern TerritoryNorthern TerritoryThe Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
Multiple first aid posts were set up across the bushfire-affected areas, mainly at fire-staging grounds where services could be provided to CFA
Country Fire Authority
Country Fire Authority, or CFA, is the name of the fire service that provides firefighting and other emergency services to all of the country areas and regional townships within the state of Victoria, Australia, as well as large portions of the outer suburban areas and growth corridors of Melbourne...
firefighters and other personnel involved.
By 8 February, St John were operating 16 first aid posts and were represented at the Integrated Fire Coordination Centre (IFCC) and 3 Incident Control Centres (ICCs). Around 300 Victorian members were deployed. It was also the largest national deployment to a disaster in Australia by St John Ambulance.
Amateur Radio
Amateur RadioAmateur radio
Amateur radio is the use of designated radio frequency spectrum for purposes of private recreation, non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communication...
operators from the Victorian branch of the Wireless Institute Civil and Emergency Network (WICEN) were activated for the emergency and the aftermath until 10 March 2009, with assistance from other WICEN jurisdictions (NSW, ACT, SA), providing communications on amateur radio frequencies and also acting as radio operators for other agencies.