British Expats
Page 8 of 19
« First
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
18
Last »
Show 40 post(s) from this thread on one page

British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)
-   The Barbie (https://britishexpats.com/forum/barbie-92/)
-   -   FIRES! Is everyone ok? (https://britishexpats.com/forum/barbie-92/fires-everyone-ok-589877/)

emelems Feb 8th 2009 9:05 pm
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
 
I keep trying to post but getting nowhere.. this whole thing is horrendous, devasting... not sure how else to say it.. it is heartbreaking to see.. to hear..

My thoughts are with all the families.. and the firefighters and all the people who are doing their damnest to assist and help..

Keep safe everyone... my little girl's friend lives in Melbourne, she is safe thank god

Em x

Possums Feb 8th 2009 9:32 pm
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
 
Originally Posted by the pursers (Post 7265137)
It is all a bit difficult to take in. Many friends have lost everything and have lost parents, brothers, sisters, other family members. Some are injured and in hospital, but thankfully alive.
Been putting up friends who had to do a runner, and friends are still getting news about who has been killed and who is still missing. Every so often we get a call to say another friend has lost their home.
Two friends were relaxing in the garden and the kids were in the pool when they had to just go - the kids have nothing but the swimsuits they were wearing.

Its been an exhausting and emotional weekend. There are some horrific stories coming from our friends who escaped.
It all happened so quickly at Kinglake and St Andrews.

Pretty much all of our friends and family have been directly affected.
It is shocking and so sad.

Death toll now at 126. 33 of these from Kinglake so far. 6 from St Andrews.

And there are still lots of fires burning.
it must be so horrendous being front line, hope you all get some form of councelling for this.

Andromada Feb 8th 2009 10:08 pm
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
 
Originally Posted by Andromada (Post 7264486)
MY sister lives in Beaconsfield in Victoria, havent heard from her since yesterday evening, feeling a bit worried now, I am sure she is fine but you can't help worrying. I know her hubby has been out fighting fires at Packenham and my niece lives in Berwick. Just hope their all fine.
keep listening to the news and its just so upsetting to think of all those lives lost and the wildlife, very frightening and worrying.
Andix
Well my sister seems to be ok which is good. I am feeling very sad for all those people who are still worrying about family and friends and for those that have lost lives. I think this is going to take people along time to recover from and hope that these communities can be rebuilt.
Axx

corgi Feb 8th 2009 10:17 pm
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
 
Originally Posted by Andromada (Post 7266040)
Well my sister seems to be ok which is good. I am feeling very sad for all those people who are still worrying about family and friends and for those that have lost lives. I think this is going to take people along time to recover from and hope that these communities can be rebuilt.
Axx
So stunned and horrified at this devastating news.
Feel so sick inside.
This is terrible. I cant find words to say.
Thoughts and prayers to everyone.
Juliex

teza Feb 8th 2009 10:26 pm
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
 
Originally Posted by the pursers (Post 7265137)
It is all a bit difficult to take in. Many friends have lost everything and have lost parents, brothers, sisters, other family members. Some are injured and in hospital, but thankfully alive.
Been putting up friends who had to do a runner, and friends are still getting news about who has been killed and who is still missing. Every so often we get a call to say another friend has lost their home.
Two friends were relaxing in the garden and the kids were in the pool when they had to just go - the kids have nothing but the swimsuits they were wearing.

Its been an exhausting and emotional weekend. There are some horrific stories coming from our friends who escaped.
It all happened so quickly at Kinglake and St Andrews.

Pretty much all of our friends and family have been directly affected.
It is shocking and so sad.

Death toll now at 126. 33 of these from Kinglake so far. 6 from St Andrews.

And there are still lots of fires burning.
Thinking of you and yours

moneypenny20 Feb 8th 2009 10:47 pm
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
 
I rarely cry at news reports, there is always that feeling of disassociation but watching Today Tonight (also a rare event) I sobbed. And listening to that woman who does the programme who normally I want to slap, whilst she actually spoke from the heart about the news guy who died, finished me off.

It's beyond belief how fast it happened.

formula Feb 8th 2009 11:17 pm
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
 
This is a link of a map of Victoria and an updated version of the fires.
http://mapvisage.appspot.com/fires/FireMap.html

Stitch Feb 9th 2009 12:08 am
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
 
This is so awful. Words just cannot describe what these poor people are going through.

Ginny

sunbather Feb 9th 2009 1:09 am
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
 
I've got friends who live in Yea. On the evening news they were talking about the fire heading that way :(

Dorothy Feb 9th 2009 1:42 am
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
 
Originally Posted by moneypen20 (Post 7266142)
I rarely cry at news reports, there is always that feeling of disassociation but watching Today Tonight (also a rare event) I sobbed. And listening to that woman who does the programme who normally I want to slap, whilst she actually spoke from the heart about the news guy who died, finished me off.

It's beyond belief how fast it happened.
I can't watch the news right now. It just doesn't bear thinking about what those poor people went through.

Fleaflyfloflum Feb 9th 2009 1:44 am
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
 
I have been deeply affected by this. I have shed a tear listening to those poor people who lost their children and families.
I have been thinking about it all day and the more I watch the horror on TV and hear different stories and accounts of events, I started started to get slightly angry inside. Maybe it is just my sense of hopelessness coming out, but why oh why was the area not evacuated? :confused: Why does Australia have this policy that people can make their own choices to stay and defend their homes? I feel the entire area should have been evacuated immediately and people told to leave NOW!

I heard one person on the news saying they saw the flames on a hill near their house one and a half hours before it reached their property. I'm sorry, but i find it incredibly hard to understand why you would leave it that late to leave after having that much warning that it was heading your way.

I am not wanting to lay blame or detract from the heartache and devastion these poor people are enduring, I think I am more leaning towards the question, why have Australian authorities not made laws stating that immediate evacuation ensues under certain circumstnaces. Surely a childs life is more important that saving the house.

Pollyana Feb 9th 2009 3:32 am
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
 
Originally Posted by Fleaflyfloflum (Post 7266667)
I have been deeply affected by this. I have shed a tear listening to those poor people who lost their children and families.
I have been thinking about it all day and the more I watch the horror on TV and hear different stories and accounts of events, I started started to get slightly angry inside. Maybe it is just my sense of hopelessness coming out, but why oh why was the area not evacuated? :confused: Why does Australia have this policy that people can make their own choices to stay and defend their homes? I feel the entire area should have been evacuated immediately and people told to leave NOW!

I heard one person on the news saying they saw the flames on a hill near their house one and a half hours before it reached their property. I'm sorry, but i find it incredibly hard to understand why you would leave it that late to leave after having that much warning that it was heading your way.

I am not wanting to lay blame or detract from the heartache and devastion these poor people are enduring, I think I am more leaning towards the question, why have Australian authorities not made laws stating that immediate evacuation ensues under certain circumstnaces. Surely a childs life is more important that saving the house.
Part of the problem though is the same as during a cyclone. How do you FORCE a family to leave the home. Short of dragging the people away its very hard not to allow them the choice to evacuate or stay to protect their home and property. And even if there was a law telling people that they MUST leave, and giving the emergency services the powers to drag people out, they simply wouldn't have the resoucrces to do it.

ExKiwilass Feb 9th 2009 7:16 am
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
 
I saw Kevin Rudd on tv last night and was moved by how emotional he was.

I lived in Melbourne for 4 years and still have family and friends there. I really wish I was there. Not that I can do anything. But there are so few deets on the news in Canada, it's driving me :curse:

ExKiwilass Feb 9th 2009 7:19 am
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
 
The thing is, bush fires are so unpredictable. The wind changes and all of a sudden it's coming at you when before it was going in another direction. Also agree that unlike, say, the Uk or NZ Australia is so vast and many homes so isolated, who has the resources to get everyone out?

I can't believe if people had known, they wuoldn't have left. They were taken by surprise imo. Ugh.

My thoughts are with everyone in Vic. right now.

ozzieeagle Feb 9th 2009 7:58 am
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
 
Originally Posted by Pollyana (Post 7267032)
Part of the problem though is the same as during a cyclone. How do you FORCE a family to leave the home. Short of dragging the people away its very hard not to allow them the choice to evacuate or stay to protect their home and property. And even if there was a law telling people that they MUST leave, and giving the emergency services the powers to drag people out, they simply wouldn't have the resoucrces to do it.
It's becoming clear that the stay and defend policy was wrong in this situation.

Time for legislation re Fire bunkers.

The grief will turn to real anger soon, when people realise the government probably gave them the wrong advice.


All times are GMT -12. The time now is 3:26 am.
Page 8 of 19
« First
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
18
Last »
Show 40 post(s) from this thread on one page

Powered by vBulletin: ©2000 - 2026, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.