Bush fires in Aus

[milky]

You might have heard about the "bush fires" in Australia. As an agnostic, it is hard for me to ask you to pray to whatever God you believe in make this disaster go away. I am involved in counselling the people who have lost everything. How do you deal with a farmer who has lost the best crop he has seen in 10 years?
How do you settle the mind of a veterinarian who normally would only euthanise an animal which is suffering from a minor disease, but is suddenly confronted with hundreds of helpless, burned, blinded stock?
How do you look into the eyes of a woman, a farmers wife, and tell her, he died trying to save his property? That is what I do. Awful, challenging, drags the utmost empathy I have to give, but, at times like this, I feel so empowered. And I know I have done good (sob).

[Jumpin' Jeff]

milky, My thoughts are with you and all of you in Australia affected by this tragedy.
If there is anything I can do. You've always been there for me.

[Jigger]

Once again Milky you are called to help, My thoughts are with you and all the victims you are helping. It always comes to my mind who cares for the carers?
Take care my friend I know you are doing all you can.

[JAylmer]

I watched the images on TV of the sheep, pigs, cattle etc walking around in agony with their coats burnt off, just before they were destroyed.
Many stories of people who only just made it out and had to drive through the flames in some cases.

As a volunteer fireman myself I sometimes wonder why it happens, why people can't be better prepared but many prefer to stay and protect their properties which gives them the best chance of not losing everything.  If you want to feel real terror then be on the wrong side of a fire front when the wind changes and you notice the smoke coming towards you through the trees. You know it can go much faster than you and roads don't always take you away from a fire or let you go fast enough.  Often you have only 60 to 90 seconds then to live unless you can find shelter.

The US has also had some nasty fires a few months back and I assume had many losses also.  In Australia it's such a large country for fires and only a few people to control them.

Best of luck with the counselling Milky.

[milky]

Thanks, guys. This was written by a friend of mine who runs an animal sanctuary, and was forced to euthanise dozens of the animals he had helped to save and repatriate on his property. With thanks to Mark Aldridge.

What is a tear?
I remember growing up where a tear was a sign of weakness.
Things have changed so much since then, I shed a tear these days not as a weakness but more so I suppose a sign or respect, or is it just me growing up?
Today I was on an international flight, people were sleeping, others listening to music, me I had tears running down my face, no one noticed, I was crying by myself, I really wanted a shoulder, but the only person I knew was my daughter, and I still felt it was a weakness to show I was scared.
I had recently endured the most awakened moment of my life; I had turned up to an active fire, to check on injured animals, never expecting what I would find. Animal's rifling in Pain, Burns worse than I could imagine, no sight left, their lungs scorched they were in pain.
I waivered for a moment, phoning professionals to help me, but I knew they were busy, I had to wait 20 minutes, so I went to look at the animals, and I knew 20 minutes was a huge ask for some of them.
So I made a decision, and I said good bye to the ones on fire, others came, they laid down their heads, it was if they knew why I was there, they could not see me, some could hardly breathe and I took their lives.
I cry every time I think of it, not because I thought I did wrong, simply because I did not want to be there, but I was.
I wonder why I am crying now, what does shedding a tear mean?
I checked every face, to ensure I did not make a mistake, and all I saw was horror.
Maybe I cry because I wished there was a stronger person there to do it, but those I have always seen as the strong ones, also had tears in their eyes.
I sometime see debate on the taking of a life, but I doubt many know how that feels or what it means, until the debate leads to tears.
Tears I suppose are the soul trying to communicate with the outside world, letting the world know how a person feels beyond the spin of social acceptance, the part of one's self that is clear and precise.
I sit here alone in a foreign country, shedding even more tears, because this week I had to stand up in a place I didn't knew existed, a place where doing what was right, exceeded my comfort zone and I am not sure what I was meant to learn from that, but I do know tears are part of the healing.
To those that understand this, I am so sorry you do.
I thought I had reached a place where the right thing overrode the pain I am feeling now, but I don't think it ever will, to have no choice but to do the right thing, when that action brings so many tears is a had earned lesson, one I never wanted to learn and one I sincerely hope very few of you have to endure.
Mark

[clover-leaf-productions]

Good friend Milky!

You do so much for these people after their loss.  You may feel it is something that is just a small part of their ordeal, but your few words might just be the stuff that gives them reason to hold on for another day.  You will never know for sure what a difference that you truly have made for so many.

I know you were so concerned about events like this, and your inability to do more, on the scene that you actually studied for your full medical degree.  Did any of your new physician skills help you in this tragedy?

[milky]

Did any of your new physician skills help you in this tragedy?

Thank you, Brian.

Yes, they did. I was able to pitch in alongside the "ambos" (ambulance teams) and help bandage cuts and burns, sluice out ash-filled eyes and dispense asthma relieve for those with smoke distress.
Unfortunately, there were two deaths and I was the closest when one body was brought in, so, for the first time, I had to officially pronounce someone dead, and sign the document which will ultimately raise their death certificate - not my favourite part of taking the Hippocratic Oath.

However, on a lighter note, the fires are out, or under control and the weather is temporarily cooler, but, summer officially starts tomorrow, so we have probably five months ahead of us of temperatures in the thirties (C), and very little rain.