The Perth Thread

[bradrowe#32]

The lack of information is the frustrating thing. The last DFES update was at 8:16pm and it doesn't give us the location of the fire. Obviously we could see it, but now it's dark and we have no idea if the wind has moved it anywhere near town.

At the town meeting the other day, the incident controller said it takes an hour for the information to get through to head office for them to update the website. So basically it's old and useless information if the weather is bad.

At that meeting, they said to keep an eye on social media. I deleted my Facebook and I'm sure a lot of older people around here don't have it. I don't trust Twitter because the other day some girl said that several houses were lost in Waroona and that there was looting going on (cops denied it).

I like the idea of an official Twitter feed because you don't have to sign up for it to see the tweets. It surely wouldn't be that difficult for someone at the control centre to tweet something like "Fire now at Smith St, Waroona, going north" and then update it if something comes through on the radio.

 

[Perth gal]

Bloody hell. Safe safe guys xx

 

[bradrowe#32]

Power has gone off.

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

bradrowe#32 by a CB radio scanner to listen to DFES radio

 

[Off The Couch]

bradrowe#32 by a CB radio scanner to listen to DFES radio

What is the situation ATM

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

What is the situation ATM

95% of it is under control with 120 NSW fire-fighters on the ground.

Could be burning for weeks given the size

 

[bradrowe#32]

What is the situation ATM

The massive plume of smoke has disappeared, but it's still a bit smoky in Waroona. South West Hwy is open from Pinjarra down to Waroona, but I'm not sure you can get any further. There's a wooden bridge that burnt down, but I think Main Roads were putting in a temporary one. Yarloop is still closed. There were heaps of fire trucks, ambos and other emergency vehicles leaving Waroona but I went passed the footy oval and there's still heaps of people there.

 

[bradrowe#32]

bradrowe#32 by a CB radio scanner to listen to DFES radio

I actually found that on the web and was listening when we got the power back on Friday night. I also did that for last year's fire.

I guess I'm talking more broadly about how the people in the affected areas can get the information. I knew about this service, but I'm sure a lot of people don't. I doubt they'd have a CB radio or even know they could listen to it on the web (when the power is actually working).

They really did a fantastic job. I cannot say a bad word about the incident controllers, they came to the town meetings and copped shit (most from old farmers) and they didn't shy away from any questions. DFES, DPAW, the police, ambulance, the local council, Main Roads, Western Power, Water Corp, the list goes on. They all did a brilliant job.

I feel sorry and sad for the people of Yarloop, but they really should have known about the fire. It was hot and windy and they should have taken personal responsibility. There was a story of the fire being close to town and someone called 000 about their smoke alarm going off and there were people drinking at the Yarloop Pub in deckchairs while the fireys were running about putting out fires.

I just think with the technology we have available, we could implement some sort of system with live updates. Hopefully a system like this can be implemented from this mess.

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

People who were bagging the volunteers need to join & man a truck & see if they could have done a better job.

Most brigades find it hard to get a crew to man a truck need 4 people min to leave and fight a fire more people need to volunteer

 

[Drumroe]

People who were bagging the volunteers need to join & man a truck & see if they could have done a better job.

Most brigades find it hard to get a crew to man a truck need 4 people min to leave and fight a fire more people need to volunteer

There's people bagging the volunteers? Thats stuffed

 

[ioppolo]

There's people bagging the volunteers? Thats stuffed

Probably Perth now.

 

[Matele]

The people who are complaining that they didn't have enough time to get out of Yarloop are the same people who more than likely wouldn't have left anyway if given the doorknock.

I'm sorry, but DFES texted everyone multiple times, and if you're too thick to not notice the massive plume of smoke and all the news reports about the fire and where it was heading, then you're just an idiot.

It's nothing more than kicking up shit for news coverage and potentially a grab at some money. The people kicking up a fuss need to get over it, they had heaps of warning, the signs were there!

Heard reports that people in Yarloop had no water. Crock of shit, I have mates who volunteer and they told me their trucks were full. Nothing could save Yarloop. It was a fireball!!

As for that idiot who claims he saved 5 houses with an ice cream tub of water. GAGF.

 

[gaskin]

There's people bagging the volunteers? Thats stuffed

IIRC it was the authorities they were bagging out because they felt they were given little or no warning.

 

[AAACockburn]

IIRC it was the authorities they were bagging out because they felt they were given little or no warning.

That is what I read.
Some volunteers were disgruntled with all the red tape, as they have been fighting fires down there for years.
Way before water bombers and mobile phones.

I read some guy was willing to offer a few dozers to protect Yarloop, but was knocked back because he had not done an induction.

The thing is, this is still raw.

For me, to think that Yarloop has been wiped from the map, is hard to believe.

Imagine if you lived there.

 

[Off The Couch]

It was red tape that got people offside when the three fisherman went missing up north. A lot of guys offered to assist in the search but they were knocked back and a crucial section of the search area was missed and it turned to be the area where the boat was found. There are a lot of what ifs about that.

I understand the need for policies and procedures but sometimes thinking outside the box is required and that has become lost amongst it all

 

[bradrowe#32]

Alcoa is in an interesting position at the moment. They owned 80 homes in Yarloop which they rented out to employees and other people. For years and years they had each home insured for fire. The rumour is that they lost all of those homes, but they made a decision a few years back to stop insuring them. So assuming that, each home was probably 200k, times that by 80 and they've just lost 16 million dollars.

I like Alcoa and they actually do quite a lot for the local community. They sponsor the local footy team and various other community groups around town. They also donated $100k to the victim fund.

 

[bradrowe#32]

Anyway, you're probably sick of me talking about the fires so I'll stop now.

 

[Off The Couch]

I'm torn in relation to Alcoa - they employ a lot of people in the area and have worked closely with the community for a long time but it's also had its fair share of issues that have impacted on the community.

$100,000 is a drop in the ocean - yes they don't have to give anything but on the other hand it's also the least they can do.

 

[TheLoris]

Alcoa is in an interesting position at the moment. They owned 80 homes in Yarloop which they rented out to employees and other people. For years and years they had each home insured for fire. The rumour is that they lost all of those homes, but they made a decision a few years back to stop insuring them. So assuming that, each home was probably 200k, times that by 80 and they've just lost 16 million dollars.

I like Alcoa and they actually do quite a lot for the local community. They sponsor the local footy team and various other community groups around town. They also donated $100k to the victim fund.

You could be right, but I would be very surprised if they gave up insurance on the properties that they owned. Big corporates don't work that way and insuring assets is usually mandatory from a corporate perspective. No-one wants to be the guy telling their boss we have no insurance when we've lost X amount of $$ worth of assets.

$100k for local is light on though, they'd want to stump up more than that.

 

[bradrowe#32]

The local Alcoa also has a history of inducting a heap of apprentices every year and then once their three or four year term is up, they don't employ them.

 

[Borry]

People who were bagging the volunteers need to join & man a truck & see if they could have done a better job.

Most brigades find it hard to get a crew to man a truck need 4 people min to leave and fight a fire more people need to volunteer

So not working fuqen 24 hours flat out than a few hours of sleep on the dirt is not good enough for them.

Typical Today Tonight watching gronks.

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

So not working fuqen 24 hours flat out than a few hours of sleep on the dirt is not good enough for them.

.

The local crews were doing 30 to 48 hours before been rested

 

[TheLoris]

Totally respect the fireys, but for them it is about spreading their thin assets across a large amount of bad situations. A bloke I know shared photos/personal accounts where the fireys wouldn't unfurl their hose until the house was on fire. Him and his mates were left to do as much as they could to protect the property(which they successfully did). Totally understand the fireys position as they have limited resources and have to prioritise to the most important jobs. Tough situation and they do their best.

 

[bradrowe#32]

Totally respect the fireys, but for them it is about spreading their thin assets across a large amount of bad situations. A bloke I know shared photos/personal accounts where the fireys wouldn't unfurl their hose until the house was on fire. Him and his mates were left to do as much as they could to protect the property(which they successfully did). Totally understand the fireys position as they have limited resources and have to prioritise to the most important jobs. Tough situation and they do their best.

It was incredibly hard for the fireys. The fire spread out west toward Preston Beach and they were trying to save the Forrest Hwy, they also had to concentrate on the south around Harvey and keep the Waroona fire in check. It was a terribly hard situation to be in.

 

[TheLoris]

It was incredibly hard for the fireys. The fire spread out west toward Preston Beach and they were trying to save the Forrest Hwy, they also had to concentrate on the south around Harvey and keep the Waroona fire in check. It was a terribly hard situation to be in.

Exactly, it changes and moves so fast. I can understand people criticizing the authorities for not informing people, but the crews/vollys on the ground are doing everything they can do to save as many properties that they can.