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putting out bush fires in the mountains |
1. Any smoke in
bushland is BAD, any smoke with 90km winds is DOUBLY BAD.
2. All the cleaning
leaves and sticks out of gutters and the backyard that you thought you should
do all year – guess what – you should have done it and don’t forget hose
nozzles and gutter blockers will all be sold out in your local community –
stock up.
3. The mobile phone
service will crash, you will run out of credit, the power will go out. Buy a
landline as loved ones will be separated from you for hours by blocked roads
and fires.
4. You will be
scared and every family member will react differently to the situation. Go with
it – just be safe.
5. Packing to
evacuate becomes like an equation;
The longer the time you have to evacuate = more of a dilemma for you as
to what to take.
P.S. Take photos and certificates.
6 The constant
sirens, helicopters, fire trucks and police cars are all good because they are
the brave men and women who will put their life on the line for you and your
community. It is now a confirmed fact in your mind that the Police are AWESOME
and that the Firies {fire men and women} are DOUBLY AWESOME.
7. You realize that
people do really care. Neighbours help the elderly clear leaves off their
rooves. For the Firies and those affected by the fires, businesses offer
freebies like food, hairwashes, accommodation. Friends and family offer places
to stay, churches are stocked by their communities with food, clothes and money
to give to anyone in need. The government does all it can to get people on
their feet. Even Princess Mary of Denmark visits –why? Because people matter
and she is an Aussie after all.
8. You will be
shocked by the devastation and destruction of the fires as you pass daily the
charred, mangled messes of what once were lovely homes. You are thankful to God that everyone
survived. But your heart and the heart of your mountains community is broken for those
who have lost everything. As a community you want to shout out to them that “We
care, we want to stand with you on the long difficult journey ahead, we won’t forget
you in the weeks and months and years to come.”
9. You will be hit
again with the realization that family and friends are everything. You will
also think of your own mortality, you can die at any moment, is your eternity
secured? Yes, as a believer you know Jesus has paid the ultimate price for your
salvation but have you cared enough to tell others? Do they know God really loves them? You also believe
the Bible in Romans 8: 28 that God in his mercy can bring good out of terrible things
for those who follow Him. So you and the Christian community will work and pray and look eagerly for God to fulfil His promise.
10.
BUSH FIRES are BAD but they are NEVER the END of the STORY.
Hey, Jennifer Ann, don’t forget to take the DOG!!!!!!
Hey, Jennifer Ann, don’t forget to take the DOG!!!!!!