Have you had a bad day cupcake?
- Thread starter valve bouncer
- Start date
Wonder how they're feeling about this right now?
News report here just said that around half of the people who died are now thought to have been killed by deliberately lit fires. There is a lynch mob mentality around that's for sure.
Tough on the police though, one of the areas hit hard has had an arsonist lighting fires for several years and despite a lot of effort the police haven't been able to catch anyone but now there is massive publicity and pressure for them to make an arrest. Good luck to them.
Otherwise here are a couple of photos I took in the last few days. I am a volunteer firefighter in a brigade in Sydney and have just spent 5 days assisting in Victoria.
One of the guys on our truck waiting for the fire to come out of bushland towards a small town and some farms
My officer using foam to extinguish a smouldering rubbish tip
More waiting
Didn't get any more spectacular fire pic's sorry, I was busy.
Tough on the police though, one of the areas hit hard has had an arsonist lighting fires for several years and despite a lot of effort the police haven't been able to catch anyone but now there is massive publicity and pressure for them to make an arrest. Good luck to them.
Otherwise here are a couple of photos I took in the last few days. I am a volunteer firefighter in a brigade in Sydney and have just spent 5 days assisting in Victoria.
One of the guys on our truck waiting for the fire to come out of bushland towards a small town and some farms
My officer using foam to extinguish a smouldering rubbish tip
More waiting
Didn't get any more spectacular fire pic's sorry, I was busy.
Wow, good on you. Stay safe and good luck with the effort.
Straya, thanks for what you're doing mate. Hope you and your crew stay safe and well.
As a related aside, it'd be interesting to hear your take on something I've heard. In the past some fires have been lit by volunteer fireys seeking glory. Had any experience with that, how do you spot and weed out those kinds of blokes?
As a related aside, it'd be interesting to hear your take on something I've heard. In the past some fires have been lit by volunteer fireys seeking glory. Had any experience with that, how do you spot and weed out those kinds of blokes?
A few mates of mine from the NZ fire service are heading over as part of the kiwi contingent, wish we could send more than a 100 to help you out Straya. 
*edit* Damn looks like the government changed it's mind..... It was going to 100, but now are only sending 51.
*edit* Damn looks like the government changed it's mind..... It was going to 100, but now are only sending 51.
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No worries mate,
Yeah Volunteers light fires. Always has been a higher than normal proportion of arsonists have some link to one of the various fire services around the country.
Some do it because they have been trained and are super keen to get out and put it all into practice so they go and light something. Others like the praise and attention that they recieve when they attend and fight fires so they light more so that they cantinue to get the praise and admiration that they might not get in normal life. Others are the more classic pyro's most of whom I guess have some form of mental illness.
My brigade had a member who lit fires. I made a few jokes about lighting fires when I first joined and got some dirty looks until I was filled in on the history. The guy was discovered because he would always be at the station with his gear ready to go before the alarm was raised. It still rankles pretty heavily in some of the senior members as it is seen as a stain on our brigade. Story goes that a few of the guys saw him a few years later and gave him a bit of a hiding.
Having said that there is something like 70 000 members of the NSW RFS so its really not that surprising that some are arsonists- excuse the pun but its a moth to the flame situation.
It used to be that pretty much anyone could join up. Nowdays we have a police background check, an interview with members of the brigade and probation periods to try and weed out those people with pyro tendencies from joining up.
Don't worry about me mate, I'm safe and well back in Sydney, but the people of Victoria will be extremely grateful that the Kiwis are helping out-its good to see.wish we could send more than a 100 to help you out Straya.
No, they're normally cranky little buggers and have nasty sharp claws. Anyway I'm a traditionalist- I prefer sheep.
Well I'm hardly an expert but no I don't think its common.
Does that mean they can hang him twice?
Buggery hell. What do you do?
http://www.theage.com.au/national/cfa-firefighter-major-suspect-in-marysville-inferno-20090416-a8el.html