Weary crews need socks, sunscreen
Volunteers supporting emergency workers and victims of the Nelson wildfires say they have been overwhelmed by donations but have a few, very specific, requests.
Frontline workers were pleading for sunscreen and thick socks, coordinator Marg Goff said. ‘‘Some of the guys haven’t changed their socks for four days, and they’re desperate.’’
Now in its sixth day, the blaze has seen up to 3000 people evacuated from their homes in Wakefield and Pigeon Valley, and emergency workers flown in from around the country.
Yesterday morning, Goff was sorting donations at the Nelson Suburbs Football Club at Saxton Field, where she usually works as a caretaker.
‘‘We’ve been inundated with ChapSticks after we put the call out – now it’s sunscreen we’re desperate for,’’ she said.
The clubrooms are a hive of organised chaos. Visitors are greeted at the door, boxes of toothpaste, soap and toys wait to be dispatched, and a line of sandwich makers works with uncommon haste.
It had been like that for five days, Goff said, since she threw open the doors to people who wanted to help. ‘‘We started off with about four people and some bread and muesli bars.’’
Truckloads of vegetables and watermelons had been donated, and local restaurants and cafes had sent meals. Volunteers were cooking ‘‘comfort meals’’ of cottage pie, lasagne and pasta bake for families and workers.
‘‘Even the family who lost their own house donated bottles of water because they wanted to help.’’
Fresh food, meat packs, bird food and items for children’s school lunches were needed as the volunteers braced for more evacuees, Goff said.
‘‘We also need Poise pads for some of the elderly people who are coming here.’’
Nelson’s Tim Gaskell said he had discovered a talent for wrapping sandwiches. ‘‘I came along today to see what I could do.’’
Despite being on holiday from Colorado with husband Mike Jahraus, Jill Tipton was in charge of cutting a mountain of tomatoes.
‘‘We’ve seen the wildfires at home, so we just knew we had to help,’’ she said.
Nik Moke said it was a privilege helping the people affected by the fire. ‘‘They feel the love from everywhere.’’