Hailing our firefighter
AMONG the throng of brave men and women putting their lives on the line during the worst of last week’s bushfire crisis was Jewish volunteer firefighter Robert Kohari.
Kohari worked on two shifts in the Blue Mountains, a night shift helping to fight the Bilpin fire and a day shift at the Springwood blaze.
“We were quite confident that we’d get control of the fire, it was just a case of how long it would take,” he told The AJN.
“Having said that, a lot of the work that we did was with our interstate colleagues and I don’t think we could have done it without their help.”
He said for some in his group, last Wednesday’s “perfect storm” of fire conditions reminded them of 2009’s Black Saturday fires in Victoria. “Some were just really sceptical as to what was going to happen.”
“But I’m not aware of any [houses] lost then and as far as I know most of our ‘firies’ and the other services that were with us were quite pleased that it was a positive result.”
When asked what it was like on the front line fighting the fires, he quipped “very hot”.
“You’ve just got to keep an eye on everybody’s backs and make sure that everyone’s doing what they’re told, how they’re told, in the right way,” he said. “The group officer we had with us made it very clear, if we didn’t think we could get out of the spot we were in in a hurry, we weren’t to put ourselves in danger and go into that spot.”
He said the support the firefighters received from the community “has been great”.
“There’s been so much public recognition and with the mountains being such a small community so to speak, there’s been a lot of support from them,” he said.
“We’ve had people putting up signs that say ‘we love the RFS’ and ‘thank you firefighters’, there’s people walking up in the street shaking our hands [and] donations have been made left, right and centre.”
A father of four, Kohari said his grandparents, who were active in the Jewish community, inspired him to give his time for others. “It’s a great feeling when you’re out there knowing that you’re doing something for the community.”
AJN readers can also give back by donating to Jewish Aid Australia’s appeal to raise money to support families and individuals affected by the NSW bushfires.
To donate, visit www.jewishaid.org.au/bushfires, call (03) 9500 2206 or send a cheque made out to Jewish Aid Australia to PO Box 2, Malvern, Victoria, 3144, indicating it’s for the NSW bushfires appeal.
GARETH NARUNSKY
RFS volunteer Robert Kohari.