DVA staff stepping up

Several DVA staff around the country stepped up to help during the bushfire crisis and recovery.

Mark, a Red Cross volunteer, provided psychological first aid in some of the hardest hit communities, such as the devastated towns of Cobargo, Bega and Bermagui in southern NSW.

Bill commanded a platoon of Reservists from 4/3 University of NSW Regiment working in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney with the Rural Fire Service and the Australian Federal Police. Over nearly a month of continuous service, his platoon felled trees, cleared roads, managed traffic and more.

Jayson’s Army Reserve platoon from 1/19 Royal NSW Regiment was part of the Nerriga fire clean-up in southern NSW, but was also one of the first units on the scene when the C-130 Hercules firefighting aircraft crashed near Cooma in NSW, killing all three crew on board. Len, an Army Reservist with the 4/19 Prince of Wales’s Light Horse Regiment, worked across east Victoria to transport personnel, carry out evacuations, conduct fire hazard reductions and door-knock threatened communities.

Alex was serving with Headquarters 2nd Division and was supporting inter-agency liaison with the State Emergency Coordination Centre.

Each of these staff members spoke of a sense of personal satisfaction from a job well done and of the appreciation of the communities they helped.

Challenged by long hours and arduous conditions, these staff members all displayed selflessness, resilience, resourcefulness and a spirit of mateship — qualities that they also bring to their roles in DVA every day.

Several DVA staff who are Army Reservists took part in Operation Bushfire Assist.