‘Like something from a volcano’: Tatura firefighter recounts being on ground at Longwood
For Tatura CFA’s Sam Rennie, Friday, January 9 is a day she’ll never forget.
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“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that ... I would be on the ground at a fire as catastrophic as Longwood,” she said.
“No amount of training can prepare you for the sights, sounds, heat, or the emotional weight of seeing entire landscapes and properties being consumed.
“It was heartbreaking.”
The Tatura brigade left for Longwood at 5.50am and didn’t return until after 1am.
They spent hours chasing fire from the back of a truck, with moments where retreat was the only option.
“The smoke was like something from a volcano, the wind knocked us off our feet,” Sam said.
While on-the-ground conditions deteriorated rapidly, the crew got caught in an entrapment. Surrounded with no way out.
The experience of the sky turning black was “confronting, terrifying, and sobering” for Sam.
“The smoke was so thick that visibility was almost zero ... lungs were gasping for air,” she said.
“It reinforced just how quickly a situation can become life-threatening.
“It’s something we train for, but it’s every firefighter’s worst nightmare.”
Sam said she had high praise for the close-knit Tatura brigade, made up of Captain Peter Bevan, Steve Burrows, Aaron Andrus, Jack Morgan and Peter Fiddes.
The teamwork, calm decision-making, willingness to speak up and checking in on one another is the reason they all came home.
“On the way out (to the fire) they were keeping spirits up. Talking through past fires, sharing experiences and supporting one another,” Sam said.
“There was a sense of readiness and professionalism, but also an underlying awareness that this was going to be a big job.
“We knew the fire front was going to be a challenge and dangerous, but when the conditions began to change and the fire behaviour turned violent and unpredictable, fear set in.
“We went out there knowing the risks ... but people needed us to try, and that’s exactly what we did.”
The Tatura brigade was also supported by a full strike team, including Northwest Mooroopna, Tallygaroopna, Merrigum and Mooroopna.
Being a nurse, helping people has always been part of who Sam is, and becoming a firefighter is another way for her to give back, and protect others.
The CFA has been part of Sam’s life as long as she can remember.
She’s been part of the Tatura brigade since she was 11, but an operational member for just one month.
“My father is an active firefighter, my grandfather is a life member, and my late grandmother was also a life member,” she said.
“I wanted to make my family proud, but more importantly, I wanted to step up for the community in the same way they all have.”
Sam said she was still quite shaken, and she’ll continue to process the fire over time.
The incredible support from her crew — even firefighters and their families from the station who weren’t deployed — has helped.
“That speaks volumes about the culture within Tatura Fire Brigade ... it truly is a family,” she said.
Her experience at Longwood reinforced how much there is to learn.
“Being a firefighter isn’t about completing a course and suddenly knowing everything,” she said.
Her biggest lesson was understanding how unpredictable fires are, and how quickly everything can change, but it hasn’t discouraged her.
“This hasn’t stopped me from wanting to be a firefighter, in fact it’s made me want to get out and do more,” she said.
“The community needs us right now, and every single firefighter across the state is going above and beyond to keep their communities safe.
“Our hearts go out to everyone who has been affected by the fires.
“We wish there was more we could have done.”
If you’ve been directly affected, are worried for loved ones, or are feeling distressed by the recent fires, Beyond Blue offers free 24/7 mental health and wellbeing support on 1300 22 4636 or via web chat at beyondblue.org.au/get-support