First line of the fence: ADF and BlazeAid Army unite

The volunteer armies assisting those affected by the recent floods have now been bolstered by the real thing.

A volunteer army has been bolstered by the real thing in the hardest hit flood zone of northern NSW with soldiers from the Australian Defence Force deployed to help BlazeAid this week.

BlazeAid basecamp leaders at Casino, NSW, have described the additional 31 troops as “a massive lifeline” and the two groups working together as “the holy grail of natural disaster recovery”.

“May this continue for many months for the sake of those flood survivors who are in desperate, desperate circumstances in pockets everywhere for hundreds of kilometres wide and deep,” BlazeAid’s Kevin Butler said.

Army Lieutenant Brett Trevorrow was deployed on Operation Flood Assist to help run the donation centre at Casino and happened to share facilities with the BlazeAid crew, which is how the two support networks teamed up.

“We’ve been deploying our personnel in their fencing teams for some extra muscle and assets where required,” Lt Trevorrow said.

“It feels amazing to be able to help. We are really proud of the effects we are having within the community and are proud of BlazeAid as well. They are bringing in a lot of community knowledge which is helping how we interact with the civilians.

“It is a very sombre setting. There are people that have lost their livelihoods. To see that we can make a difference even if it is erecting some fences and clearing someone’s shed out, it’s a good feeling.”

BlazeAid co-ordinator at Casino, NSW, Christine Male, said it was wonderful to have the help and support of the ADF to get to more farms in less time.

“When the scale of the disaster becomes overwhelming, they are a very welcome site,” she said.

“I really believe this disaster, particularly in the Casino/Lismore area where we are based, has to be seen to be understood. The scale is off the charts.”

Christine said the emotional toll was intense.

“For a lot of people this is the second or third time they’ve lost their fences and their homes,” she said.

“There are no words when someone is sitting across from you and tells you their house was burnt during the fires and it was half rebuilt and now it’s been washed away in the flood. Some of them can’t even get a word out before the tears start. You can’t even imagine the emotional toll that takes. It’s hard.

“Sometimes you’ll have three farmers in a row that come in and have lost everything and simply don’t have the resources to go again. There was one family who are only have vegetables for dinner because they don’t have the money to buy meat. You help them where you can but it breaks your heart.”

So far 69km of fencing has been cleared and 61km has been rebuilt. There are 220 properties registered for assistance with many more expected to be added as paddocks dry out.

BlazeAid is seeking donations via its website for posts and materials.