From fighting the fires to collecting donations, Lilydale CFA has turned its attention to recovery for the farmers and families impacted by the recent Longwood fires.
As people get back on their feet and come to terms with the extent of the fires and the damage, brigade captain Warren Davis said the last thing they should have to worry about is spending money on pet food.
That’s why an initiative the brigade undertook in 2020 to support Buchan farmers experiencing drought has been reignited.
Through the coordination of firefighters Tanya Brock and Ron Haines, Mr Davis said pet food and supplies can be donated to the station, which will be delivered to areas in need.
“At the moment (Tuesday 20 January), we’ve got just on 450 kilograms of pet food, which has already been donated to the fire station,” Mr Davis said.
“There are dog blankets, there are toys, there’s cat food, cat litter. Everything that these people would need to get themselves up and going again after the devastating Longwood fires.”
The initial plan was to deliver to a single district, but Mr Davis said that with the amount of pet food already donated, it may be possible to deliver to another district as well.
Liaising with the Alexandra CFA, Lilydale Fire Brigade will transport the donations up the highway, to then be distributed where needed.
Mr Davis said now that the worst of the fire has dissipated and damage is being assessed, the question of “Where do they go from here?” would be ringing true, as people look to rebuild.
Taking away the simple burden of having to feed pets for a duration of time was a small but easy way to support people.
“A lot of these people have lost their houses. Now that the fire is gone, the adrenaline has now stopped, and the grieving, it’s all setting in, and they’re just realising exactly what they have lost as a result of these fires and they’re all walking around in shock at the moment.
“They’ve got to find accommodation. If they’ve got kids, they’ve got to find clothes for their kids. They’ve got to make sure that their kids’ mental health is right. And once again, the poor old pet gets shoved aside and they find it hard to get around and buy stuff, especially if they’ve lost everything.”
With donations of clothing, food and hay already making their way up to relief centres, Mr Davis said it was all making such a difference.
“There are farmers up there who have lost not only their houses, but they’ve lost their sheds. They’ve lost all the food for their cows. A lot of them have just finished their hay season, just baled all the hay up already to be brought in for this winter, and now they’ve lost it all.
“So there’s been semi-trailers and B-double trucks going up there with loads and loads of donated hay from around Victoria. That’s been fantastic. So we thought we’d do one for the dogs and the cats and even the birds.”
The brigade plans to accept donations of pet food and products for at least four weeks to ensure the fire-affected communities don’t feel forgotten.
Donations can be dropped at the Lilydale Fire Brigade front door at any time. The station is located at 300 Main Street, Lilydale.
Please keep the driveway clear and park on the street so the trucks and volunteers can get past if needed.
