District 20 sent strike team 2094 to Nar Nar Goon staging area on March 3. Rochester tanker two joined with appliances from Bamawm Extension, Rushworth, Echuca, Echuca Village, Tongala, Toolleen and Northern Campaspe Group.
Rochester driver Vaughn Thomas, Lieutenant Brett Kyne and firefighter Peter Matthes were among them.
At Nar Nar Goon crews received a briefing in relation to the ongoing fires and potential for spot fires.
Lieutenant Kyne said the strike team members covered the night shift to allow the day crews to rest after the “horrendous” conditions they had experienced.
“We were deployed to the town of Maryknoll for asset protection throughout the night from an ember attack if the winds picked up,” he said.
“The staging area was at the fire station where the generator was supplying lights inside and out as the power was down across the area.
“Surrounded by vacant houses, trees, little winding dirt tracks and the local wildlife of wombats, deer and kangaroos we waited and fortunately, the winds didn’t swing around.
“Maryknoll had been spared from the raging inferno that was on the horizon.”
When the strike team had been fed and rested at the staging area, they were released and made the journey home.
Just four hours later a call came in requesting volunteers to be deployed again to Nar Nar Goon to cover another night shift.
Rochester Brigade’s Lieutenant Kyne and firefighters Hayley Ettershank and Ray Liddicoat joined other members from Wyuna, Rushworth, Kyabram, Stanhope, Tongala, Girgarre and Echuca.
“When we arrived at the Nar Nar Goon staging area, we were once again well catered for before being briefed on the task,” Lieutenant Kyne said.
“Our task on nightshift was to continue blackening out around the Gumbuya Park in hopes the roads and park could be reopened without any chance of flare-ups.
“After a long night we were exhausted and returned to the staging area and received a welcoming breakfast.
“We then had to travel another hour to the Lyrebird Park Camp where our eyes closed as soon as our heads hit the pillows.”
After a rest the crew returned to Nar Nar Goon for another night shift the next day.
“We returned to the centre of it all, travelling the roads inspecting houses and recording the lucky ones that remained and the unfortunate ones that had not,” Lieutenant Kyne said. “We also responded to four flare-ups called in by the police patrolling the area.
“The devastation of the inferno was around us and it was another long night on the fire ground.
‘‘The returning bus trip home was a very quiet one. Many thanks to all those who answered the call to help.”
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