Rolled but not Defeated!

At rest after a flip and a half

On Tuesday 17 March, Lana was driving back from Albury with Sebastian and we were expecting their return around 6 or so. Then I received a phone call from Sebastian at 4pm telling me they had been in an accident and Lana was bleeding but there were emergency people in attendance.
I immediately left and met them at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital around 7pm.
What had happened was Lana had a micro sleep and started swerving. Overreacting when trying to correct the drift, the van lost control and spun around 180 degrees now facing South. However, the momentum of the van moving a 110kph (70 mph) meant the van went sliding sideways through the median strip until it came to the upwards slope on the inner side of the South bound lanes. The van then flipped in the air, slamming down on the drivers side. Lana hit her head against the collapsing driver door, smashing her glasses and getting an impact cut on her head. The van then flipped another 180 degrees to land on the passenger side and slid across the road to end up on the far side of the South bound road.
Once the van had stopped Lana was hanging in the air kept secure by her seatbelt. She looked down at Sebastian and saw blood was dripping on him from her head. She put a hand up to stop the bleeding but the blood didn't stop. Sebastian passed up some serviettes which didn't do much to stop the blood. Head wounds are notorious for profuse bleeding.
On the busy Hume Highway no other cars or trucks were involved.

My first view of Lana

However within moments a truck driver, nurse, doctor and fire brigade fellow who all happened to be passing by, stopped and gave assistance.
The truckie was first and helped pull out the smashed front windscreen, letting Sebastian escape.
Once he was out, Lana undid her seat belt and fell to the passenger seat and crawled out the broken front window.
By now the nurse was on hand and quickly lay Lana down and examined her. The nurse kept telling Lana not to go to sleep and asked her all the standard concussion questions. The doctor checked Lana's progress and the Truckie and Fire Brigade guy checked the car for any potential fire damage.
Police and Ambulance arrived shortly thereafter. Lana heard one of the Ambulance fellows comment hat Sebastian was really cool reporting what had happened on the phone to me. He did very well remaining calm in an emergency.
The paramedics offered for Sebastian to go in a separate ambulance, but he diplomatically requested to go in the same ambulance as Lana. Sebastian looked pretty horrid covered in blood that wasn't his. His main injury was a cut in his finger which ended up requiring 3 stitches and a number of minor bruises and cuts.

The van at the wreckers

I arrived at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital and tracked down Lana. My first view was seeing her lying on the emergency bed with head bandaged, blood everywhere and a neck brace that stopped her moving her head. But she smiled when she saw me which was a great sign.
After much poking and prodding and tests the doctors discovered no bones broken, no sprains or spinal injuries. She had a small cut near her eye and eye brow caused by her glasses disintegrating when the van smashed into the ground the first time.
The cut on her head was pretty ugly, but after a lot of cleaning away of dried blood and a good shower, they checked and there were no foreign bodies in the cut and were able to glue all the edges back together.

Crushed but still roughly in shape

Lana has lots of bruises and a sore head, but is otherwise OK.
So what have we learned?

The remains of Lana's glasses

• When you feel tired, pull over!
• Modern vehicles are really quite safe. Even though the Ford Transit Van is 13 years old, it was still designed well enough to retain basic body shape despite a roll or two.
• Seat Belts save lives!
• The generosity of strangers is once again refreshing to see. All the immediate passers-by stopped and rendered assistance.
• First responders are once again excellent. Ambulance and Police were on the scene very quickly.
• Wagga Wagga Base Hospital is amazing. Everyone we dealt with was friendly and supportive. They let me wander from bed to bed as I first saw Lana and then went to make sure Sebastian was doing OK and then back again. Many times!
• It is really good having supportive family. Once the "Go" button was pressed we all went into action. I drove down, Peter covered for me wth clients, the others moved around shifts and organised dinner and all the normal things Lana or I would have done. Then when James had to come down the second day to help collect all the stuff that was in the van, we moved all the work shifts at the shop. 

So now, we have to plan for a new family van with 12 seats in a few months or so once the insurance money comes in and we save the difference. All in all, a rather good ending to what could have been much much worse.
2020 - so far so good.

Wingello and the Coronavirus

We will clean everything!

The Coronavirus (officially called COVID-19) is increasing its spread through Sydney and other areas of Australia, with 134 confirmed cases in NSW alone. (Up 22 today - 15 March)
Australia has 249 cases and 3 deaths.

This is NOT just another flu. It is spreading fast and based on the experience in other countries can have serious repercussions for up to 20% of those getting infected, including death (1% to 4%) and permanent loss of lung capacity. Australia has excellent medical facilities but we want to ensure we do not overload them. To do that we need to limit the infection rate and spread of the virus.
That is why we are getting increasing levels of containment and mitigation attempts. No static events for 500+ people, self isolation of all people returning from overseas and more.

What are we doing in Wingello?

We want to make sure the people of Wingello are able to continue life and minimise the chances of getting the coronavirus.
The store is well designed with plenty of space and area in which to move. We are continuing the cleaning of all benches and handles and areas people would touch throughout the day.
If you are sick or in self isolation, stay home. Call us and we will deliver your mail and any supplies you may need.
As a full Post Office we have banking facilities for most banks - deposits, withdrawals and so on. No need to go to Moss Vale or Bowral.
If you need something and can't get out, let us know. We can add some things to our shopping list as we replenish each week. Woolworths Online delivers to Wingello too. (https://www.woolworths.com.au)
We are working with our local suppliers to ensure deliveries and supplies continue through whatever occurs. We have also minimised our contact with others - also known as Social Distancing - to minimise the chance of spreading the virus. No hand shaking. Just the classic Wingello Nod and "G'day".
Popping in to the shop for something to eat is also easy as we have lots of places all separated so you can maintain the recommended distance of 1 metre between groups. So this means Social Distancing does not mean isolation.
We have learned from the fires in January that Wingello has a great community and we can work together to get through anything. We are still rebuilding from the fires and being in self isolation does not mean staying indoors. Going for a walk in the lovely fresh Wingello air and working in the garden are both great ways to get the most out of this forced holiday.

Some important reading matter:
Australian Health
NSW Health
Coronavirus: Why you must act now

Wingello Village News - March 2020

The Wingello Village News is here for March 2020.
See this month's  Wingello Village News.
This is the 133rd monthly newsletter.

Highlights:

What's happening this month:

• Lots of help, both financial and volunteers, for us to access
• The fire brigade is getting lots of new members. Come on down.

We have also published lots of articles this month regarding the fires:
Councils encourages Fiery fingers of death through the village
Wingello Fire 4 Weeks on (with high altitude drone footage of the village)
In case of fire - put your gear in a good place

Enjoy!

In Case of Fire

Not to be put too far away in the Bushfire Season

Now that we have had such lovely rain and all the fires near us are out, it is timely to remember we are still in the Bushfire Season until end of March. So with all the practical experience we have had this year, we have created our special "In Case Of Fire" box which we will put somewhere safe in case of need.
We have learned that these items are very important if we intend to stay and defend, but also the fire may come without much warning.
In addition to this box we will also need:

• a non flammable hat or helmet
• Woollen or Cotton clothing covering all areas of skin
• Good non-flammable/non-melting closed shoes or boots
• Batteries for torches and lights
• First Aid kit that is appropriately stocked

What's in the box?

• Smoke Masks - P2 rated or higher. These are disposable and you should have more than one per person. Enclose them in a plastic bag to make sure they remain fresh and ready for use.
• Safety Goggles - enclosed so that smoke won't get in your eyes. When the fires are nearby, the smoke is very thick and your eyes are instantly irritated. Keep some eye drops in your medical/first aid cabinet.
• High Visibility Vests - these are important so others can see you better. This is because you should not fight fires alone!
• Gloves - leather or otherwise flame proof. Embers and branches will be hot and you want to protect yourself.
• Glow Sticks - We used these to place around the ends of hoses and other important fire fighting gear. When the flames are close and embers are thick it is almost like daylight at times, but when it is dark and you need to find the hose or bucket, glow sticks work well. Don't use red or orange as these are confusing!
• Lights - Headlights were very useful so wherever you looked you had better light. A good torch also helped for longer ranges.

Bushfire Survival Plan

The other really important thing to have is a Fire Plan. Discuss your plan with the whole household and review it together. We did this a number of times before the fire and it meant when the call was made to retreat, we all knew where to go and what to do. In times of danger and uncertainty, a well understood plan can make all the difference between safety and tragedy.

Council Encourages Fiery Fingers of Death

As we review the damage caused by the fires that swept into Wingello on Saturday 4th January, we can see the impact of decisions taken over the preceding years.

The fiery fingers of death raged along the
Council's unmaintained roadsides

The RFS Information Is Excellent

The Rural Fire Service has provided a wealth of information to the community including:

• Annual Open Days - everyone is encouraged to pop into the fire shed for a free BBQ, jumping castle for the children and plenty of information about how fire can affect the village. Our local Firies are on hand to provide any assistance and information.
• Annual Information Day in the Wingello Village Hall. There is a presentation showing the history of fires and the specific impact fire has had on the village, especially the 1965 and 1998 fires. There are plenty of maps and photos letting everyone know how fire has hit Wingello hard in the past.
• Fire Plan kits - these are available from the fire station and at the Wingello Village Store. It contains lots of essential information about preparing your home and property, appropriate protective gear and equipment and plenty of information so everyone in Wingello can make an informed plan about how they will act when a fire approaches and hits.

This has been of immense help and the availability of the Wingello Rural Fire Brigade when anyone had a question has been superb. There is really no excuse for a Wingello resident to not know what to do in case of fire.

This was a prelude on New Year's Eve

Local Preparedness was OK

You can see the effectiveness by the number of houses that were prepared in accordance with the RFS information bulletins. This ramped up after the preview we had on New Year's eve when the town filled with heavy smoke and the threat of fire was just on the other side of the Shoalhaven Gorge.
When the threat warning for the 4th January arrived, a much greater proportion of the village activated their fire plan and relocated for the night. Those left were better prepared to face the expected ember attack with appropriate masks, goggles and protective gear.
We did not know that the fire had a new attack plan.
These posts describe some glimpses of the defence of Wingello that night:
Our Slice of the Fight for Wingello
Not on my Watch!
Dogged Defence
The village's defences could have been better in a number of instances, but for all we could do we had one limiting factor.

Wingecarribee Shire Council is Culpably Negligent

At this point we can see what we as a village did on the night and beforehand.
However, as we look at the drone footage and get a better look at what the fire actually did on the night, we can see the impact of many decisions that were out of our control.
The Wingecarribee Shire Council knows we are in a high fire risk Shire. We know because they put lots of conditions and charges on anyone building here.

Do you have a plan?

Yet, while they are very quick to put restrictions and conditions on residents, they have done very little on their side to prepare. When the fires struck, they had NO plan as to what they should do once fires struck. The Shire has had fires many times over the years and we are firmly encouraged to have a fire plan, yet the council had NONE.
To use an analogy, consider what a responsible person does that needs a car for work. You ensure that you maintain the car, you put aside an emergency fund in case something serious happens to the car and you have a plan in case the car breaks down. That is what a responsible person does.
Yet, our council, whilst knowing we are in a high fire risk area and we have had bushfires hit in the past had NO plan, NO reserves and NO idea what to do.
Our first exposure to the Council's poor response was when we started receiving lots of donations of food and clothing for those in the village that had lost so much. The Council made us fight to be able to use the hall. Once we gained access to the hall, we were able to distribute the donations - and even more importantly - use the opportunity to connect with fellow villagers and discuss each other's experiences on the night and subsequent days. The added stress of fighting for access did not help.
Then as we looked at the drone footage of the village taken four weeks after the fire (Wingello Fire - 4 Weeks On) we realised the second part of the problem.
The Council's policies had made the village extremely vulnerable to fire, despite our best efforts at preparation. When you look at the overhead footage, you can see the fire rushing into the village like fingers of fiery death straight into the heart of the village. The fire embraced the unmaintained roadside verge greedily spreading the fire onwards and then attacked the neighbouring homes.
In the last few years the council has put in specific policies that contribute to their culpable negligence and effectively attempted to make Wingello a fiery death trap.

Is this really an accidental policy decision?

1. In the past, Wingello residents cleaned up the roadside verges, using the continual dropped branches and so on for firewood for our wood heaters. This is now forbidden unless a permit is given. Yet the Council will not do the required maintenance themselves. The amount of fuel that is in front of each resident's home is fearful.
2. Back yard burning of excess plant matter has been a traditional method of keeping our properties clean. This was banned unless the property was over 1 acre, which meant the majority of the village was not allowed to do back yard burns. The fortnightly green bins are insufficient for the plant matter that is generated by the amount of trees in the village. Otherwise we are recommended to take the waste to the recycling centre - for a fee - 50 km away.
3. Fighting to clear away trees on our property is expensive. $100 for the first tree and $50 for each additional tree just for the application. Then the council arborist visits and while taking no personal or corporate responsibility for the impact if a tree falls or causes damage, dictates whether the tree can be removed, or trimmed or must stay. If you wish to complain, land owners must take the council to court. Although this council always complains about lack of money, there always seems to be enough money for legal actions.

This is our exit route.

We are extremely fortunate to have such effective local Rural Fire Brigades in Wingello and Penrose. When trees fall, the brigades are very quick to clean up the trees so access can be maintained. Unfortunately, the council insists fallen branches be placed in a fuel pile next to the road. They have banned us from using the downed trees and branches yet will not step in and do the necessary maintenance themselves.
All this information has been provided to the Wingecarribee Shire Council councillors and General Manager weeks ago. Other than talk, we are still in the same situation, but with the added burden of over 250 trees that are fire damaged inside the village.
But, they tell us, It's OK. The Council is on it.

Wingello Fire - 4 weeks on

That's a lot of burnt trees

You can see how the fire raced into Wingello

In order to reflect on Wingello four weeks after the fire raced through on 4 January, I was able to get some drone footage of the village from a good friend. This was taken on Wednesday 29th January and nothing has changed since then. I have loaded the higher quality photos here so you can click them to see the larger versions.
Looking at the extent of burned trees and their pincer like thrusts in to the village I am more convinced than ever that naming this "The Miracle of Wingello" is pretty accurate.
The people of Wingello are doing their best to recover from the night of fire. Those who have lost houses are understandably keeping to themselves as they work through all their options and plans for the coming months and years. Many in the village have been doing their best to give them all the help they can.
Those who lost almost everything except for their houses are also finding things difficult.
A lot of assistance is either means tested or depends on you losing the house. Others have quite a few hoops or conditions.
Thankfully, St Vincent De Paul Society and The Lions Club have been very helpful with great person to person financial assistance, and other local people based charities are also stepping in to help with practical support.
In the coming months, especially once the rains return, we have offers of help from many people to provide the labour we need to rebuild and replant and revitalise Wingello.
Have a good look at these photos to see what a close call we had on 4 January.

Wingello Village News - February 2020

The Wingello Village News is here for February 2020.
See this month's  Wingello Village News.
This is the 132nd monthly newsletter.

Highlights:

What's happening this month:

• The bushfires hit Wingello hard from the South - a historically new direction. We survived and will rebuild.
• The Fire Brigade have been VERY busy and the fire season isn't over yet.
• A Wingello Community Meeting on Saturday 22 February

We have also published lots of articles this month regarding the fires:
A preview of the risk we faced from 2 January
A summary of our slice of the fight for Wingello
Our Firies defence of Wingello - Not on my watch!
Our neighbours dramatic defence of homes
Wingello's own Fire Relief Fund
Remembering that the fire has not just a physical toll
A tribute to the incredible community spirit of Wingello

Enjoy!

Wingello - It's What We Do

On the night of the fire and over the ten days since, so many people in Wingello have gone above and beyond in helping their fellow villager. I have pointed out a few on the store's Facebook page, but the trend is clear. We have a great group of people that call Wingello home.
But there is one thing in common. None of them like being thanked, especially in public.
When we approached our neighbours and thanked them, they shrugged and said, "That's just what we do." (More about their efforts here)

The Firies in action (Stylised)

The Firies who did a heroic effort holding the fire at the Railway Line and then saving more houses in the almost continuous mopping up operation, also get embarrassed at the praise and say, "It's just what we do." (A snippet of their massive efforts are here)
The villagers with heavy equipment that instantly went to work helping the Fire Brigade clear up dangerous trees and areas to make it safe for us to return wouldn't accept thanks, saying "We didn't do anything special, it's just what we do."

Someone needs to be there with all these gifts

The various ladies who stepped right into the middle and assisted with distribution of all the donated goods, fought with council to use the hall and stayed around to provide a shared conversation with fellow villagers who have all been impacted by the fire argued, "What did we do? It wasn't much. It's just what we do."
To the ladies who instantly went into action and helped co-ordinate emergency and long term accomodation for those who had lost their homes, they also answered that what they did wasn't worth thanking, "It's just what we do."
To Snax On Trax (I'm mentioning them!) - whose livelihood has been hit hard as so many events to which they provide great coffee and catering have been cancelled - didn't worry about that. They leaped into action and began feeding the host of RFS and other volunteers who were cleaning up the town. They didn't get to see their home much until after they had fed everyone and provided the very important coffee! But when we try and thank them we get the same answer, "Don't be silly, it's what we do."

Back in business!

I was getting pretty upset at all this humble service to the community but I realised that when so many people thanked us for the live posting and information we provided and the help we organised, we also brushed the thanks aside and replied, "It wasn't anything important. It's just what we do."
I can certainly confirm that the traditional notion of the quiet achiever and the can-do attitude that Australia is famous for has not been lost. It looks like it is instilled in us. In times of danger and tragedy, all of our past differences get placed into perspective.
Residents of Wingello, and neighbouring villages of Penrose and Tallong who have had the borderline fires and continual threats of worse, are really brothers in arms, facing and having faced a common enemy, Fire.
And helping each other get through this? It's just what we do.

Wingello Fire Recovery - It's more than physical

Everyone in Wingello has been affected by the fires that swept through on Saturday, 4 January 2020 and the tense standoff with the fires on Friday/Saturday 10/11 January.

Our Firies are still processing the intense firefights they fought in Balmoral and Buxton and then had to fight for the life of Wingello when we were struck with an almost instant firefront right at the edge of the village. In the following week we have had spot fires flaring up all over the place and been threatened by fires behind us and in neighbouring Penrose and Tallong. One can just imagine the stress this places on them facing life and death struggles in such a short time.

Then there are the Firies' families, knowing their loved one is putting himself or herself in danger to protect other people's lives, homes and property and then suddenly having to defend their own home. All with the possibility they may be injured or killed in the line of self selected duty.
The villagers who are only experienced with fire in varying degrees from none to theoretical and some with more, are all having to cope with the sudden attack on their homes. Whether they stood and defended their homes or left with the stress of wondering if their house would be standing when they returned, they all have varying degrees of unprocessed events to sort through.
Over the coming weeks we will experience a time of coming to terms with what we have gone through combined with the reminder that it is not over as the fires remain burning on our doorstep. We know they are being fought back while the weather is favourable, but it is still a tough time considering the underlying fuel loads and drought conditions.

As a community this means we need to share our experiences in person, shed tears almost at random as thoughts strike us of what happened and what could have happened. In our discussions, tears come to eyes as we see so much help being provided for little old Wingello from complete strangers. Sometimes the shock of a helping hands brings back memories and fears. The helping hand then helps more.
With all this stress and fears, often buried under very brave exteriors and smiles of relief, we are all prone to occasional flare ups of anger. In more reasonable times, the anger would be avoided because we realise we have known the person we are angry with for many years and that deserves a bit of understanding. When you have a relationship with someone for a long time, you are often able to realise that what seems to be a bad action may not have the reasons you instantly assume. On a normal day, the reaction would be a phonecall or word asking what they are doing. In these stressful time, the instant anger reaction can cause a cascade of returning emotions. Suddenly everyone is yelling over some thing which could have been solved more amicably.

I am asking everyone in Wingello to recognise the stresses that everyone is under at the moment and in coming weeks and months. If you feel the rise of an outburst or anger, take a deep breath. Consider the stress on the person you may be angry with and the stress you are under which tends to magnify issues.
Take the time to chat about what happened with fellow villagers who have shared our common battle. This can be over a coffee or a chance encounter in the park or while shopping. Pause and have a chat. It helps both parties process the losses, fears of potential loss and appreciate the fact that you and everyone else in Wingello is alive and the majority of the homes in the village remain standing.
Now is the time for us to come together, share our stories and provide understanding.

Wingello Fire Relief Fund

Flowering after the fires

Wingello was hit hard on Saturday Night, 4 January 2020. Fire raced through the forest behind us after being ignited from the huge Currowan Fire that had been threatening for weeks. The suddenness of the onslaught of fire took everyone by surprise. The combination of incredibly brave fire fighters and preparations by locals and good dose of fortune meant we were able to contain the loss to around 12 homes, but almost everyone suffered destroyed shed, gardens, cars and many personal property.
We are very grateful that we didn't lose all the houses on the Eastern side of the village.
As fellow villagers we have already taken care of everyone who have lost their houses finding accommodation, clothing, food and care to show them they are not alone.
The harder part is to come from the financial burden of recovery hits, handling the gap between what was insured and the actual costs.
The Wingello Village Association has established a special account to co-ordinate the financial relief efforts. The purpose of the fund is to cover the gap between insurance and actual costs. There are no administration costs as we will be doing the work ourselves with a committee of locals to oversee the account and expenditure. The Wingello Village Store is part of the oversight committee.
Donations can be by direct EFT transfer, or through the shop by credit card or cash.
The fund is to last for 12 months and at the end any remaining funds will be used for repairing the village, replanting appropriate trees and public amenities.
Any money donated will go directly to the benefit of Wingello and those affected by these fires. No commissions, costs or administration expenses will be deducted.
Wingello takes care of their own.

To donate EFT to:
BDCU
BSB: 802-101
Acc: 100077285
Name: Wingello Fire Relief Fund

Donations are NOT tax deductible. We are not waiting for that paperwork and bureaucracy. We want to help people now. There are NO admin costs.

If you wish to use credit card or are from overseas, you can contribute via our GoFundMe page


Let us know who you are in the comments.