Each of us will deal with the memory in our own way, and we hope no one is doing this alone. This is a time for quiet reflection and a time to remember each single life impacted, each family impacted, and each community impacted. The quantum of loss was devastating and the impact on communities profound.
Our thoughts and prayers are with every person who suffered loss, every firefighter or emergency worker who did what they could to help, and every person feeling pain any time and particularly now as the events of 2009 and Black Saturday will raise in profile as this years 10-year commemorations take place.
We reflect on the incredible contribution of CFA volunteers and the CFA paid staff who work alongside them; the huge number of volunteers and paid staff from a whole range of agencies; and people across all parts of the community and business world who came together to combat the fires, deal with the impacts, recover and learn so that we could be better placed to deal with future emergencies.
A lot was learned both during and following these dreadful fires. Many of our lives did change forever after February 2009 and everyone put in an amazing effort to prevent what could well have been an even more catastrophic loss.
To everyone who remembers the fires referred to now as the Black Saturday fires and the other fires of the 2009 summer - take care and lean on someone if you need to talk or need support.
The Member Assistance Program is available through the support line, 24 hours a day on 1800-959-232.
Trained and experienced psychologists, counsellors, peers and chaplains are available to all members and their immediate families through this free and confidential service.
Take care of yourselves, and look after one another.
