Two firefighters have returned to Griffith unburnt after a six-week trip to North America, where they helped battle towering infernos with crews on the ground.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
State mitigation officer Deanne Bailey flew over to the United States to help battle the Mendocino Complex Fire, which was the biggest, most destructive fire in California’s recorded history.
The wildfire ravaged 18,000 hectares in the space of one month, and firefighters from all over NSW Rural Fire Service were chosen to help fight the blaze.
Mrs Bailey worked as an online safety officer for a motley crew of army personnel, firefighters and water tenders, and she was pleased to report that nobody was hurt on her watch.
“My job was to make sure everyone was safe so that everyone could go home at the end of the day,” she said.
Meanwhile MIA district officer Stephen Kada went into the Canadian wilderness, where he had close encounters with moose and bears.
“I’m just glad I didn’t have any encounters with any mountain lions - they’re big horrible cats,” Mr Kada said.
One of his more memorable encounters involved a run-in with a bear who was stealing fruit from an orchard while the firefighters were distracted during a backburning operation.
We’re all about helping people and making sure that everybody is safe
- RFS district officer Stephen Kada
“It was good to see a bear relatively close up, but I wouldn’t want to get any closer,” he said.
Mr Kada worked on the incident management team and helped escort and protect media personnel, none of whom perished in the flames.
He said it was a memorable experience working with the Americans, and that he hoped to work alongside them again one day.
Both Mr Kada and Mrs Bailey said they thoroughly enjoyed their first international deployment, and that they were both keen to help more people overseas in future deployments.
“We’re all about helping people and making sure that everybody is safe,” Mr Kada said.
The two firies have spent a few days cooling off back home in Griffith, but they are already back on call at the Griffith RFS control centre.
They say their RFS colleagues are looking forward to going on their own overseas missions, which are organised by the Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council.
Kenji Sato
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
