Australian Red Cross volunteers assessing the damage caused by the bushfires (p7278).
Hayley Reeves in Sydney
It has taken 20,000 firefighters and a break in the weather to bring Australia's raging bushfires under control. Many voluntary organisations like the Australian Red Cross played a crucial support role in meeting the material and psychological needs of the affected population in New South Wales and the fire-besieged city of Sydney.
"It has been years since we've witnessed the amount of devastation caused over the last few weeks," says Secretary General of the Australian Red Cross, Ms Martine Letts.
During the coming days and weeks, 200 volunteers will continue to provide emotional support, relief assistance and advice to thousands of victims returning to their homes. Red Cross volunteers will be responsible for distributing information regarding services available to those affected and handing out post-trauma pamphlets to assist communities in dealing with their emotional reactions to events of the last few weeks.
It was Christmas Eve when news came through that bushfires were raging out of control and spreading towards townships leaving behind black trails of destruction. While some 20,000 firefighters fought the flames from the ground as well as the air with water bombing, Australian Red Cross volunteers were immediately deployed to work with other relief organisations and the State government in co-ordinating evacuation procedures for thousands of people in danger.
The anxious hours that followed turned into days as the fury of the fires intensified destroying 1.2 million acres of land and more than 170 houses. While more residents were evacuated, Australian Red Cross worked with the government's Department of Community Services in providing welfare and community support to the victims. To date, hundreds of Australian Red Cross Personal Support workers have been deployed across the State to identify and meet the needs of those affected.
Over 70 Australian Red Cross volunteers have been staffing the State Enquiry Centre, a service which handles telephone enquiries from family and friends of victims of disasters. Since the crisis began, some 2,000 formal enquiries from people around Australia and overseas have been attended to.