Copy of a letter to federal Member for Calare Andrew Gee
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Recently I had cause to contact 000 as a lightning strike had started a grass fire on our neighbour’s property about one kilometre from our house, and the wind was gusting at about 25 to 45 kilometres from that direction.
The operator quickly connected me to the fire service.
I gave the information about the location of the fire and within two minutes a helicopter was assessing the fire. The fire was blacked out within the hour.
The temperature was below 32 degrees Celsius at that time and, miraculously, the Mount David telephone exchange was working, and I was able to call 000.
Had the temperature been higher and the usual exchange malfunction occurred, it would have been quite a different story.
You have kindly passed my concern onto the Honorable Fiona Nash. The question about a monitored emergency email contact has yet to be answered. This is very urgent.
On Saturday, February 11, the weather conditions prompted all the people living in this council area to be contacted by telephone to warn of catastrophic fire conditions.
But those connected to the Mount David exchange could not be contacted. The exchange did not work because of the high temperatures.
There is no mobile telephone service in much of the area. Email is the only way outside contact can be made, provided mains electricity is still functioning, or when a generator is connected to the house supply.
What do you advise we should do when the phones are out and a fire starts?
What has happened to the service obligations Telstra is supposed to be operating under? Maintenance of the exchange is Telstra’s responsibility.
The same conditions have continued with elevated temperatures, no rain, high winds, long, dry grasses and bushland. Our dams are drying out.
Alexandra Tuson, Mount David
Fire help thanks
THE Fitzpatrick brothers would like to thank everyone who attended the fire on the Edith Road on February 17.
These include Oberon Council's works manager Scott Rowlandson, grader operator Tony Curry and Steve Wilson in the water tanker (who saved the day).
We also want to thank Oberon and Bathurst fire brigades, Rural Fire Service brigades from Oberon and Bathurst and Fire and Rescue, who protected the house. We thank all the people who gave assistance to contain the fire. Thank you.
Ray, John, Peter and Bryce
The best of luck
THANK you to the [people of Oberon for supporting the "Farmers’ Markets" over the years in the St Barnabas Anglican Church grounds.
Thank you to all the volunteers who cleaned the church hall and toilets, put signs out, and organised the advertising, etc.
To the volunteers over the years who mowed and tidied up the grounds, a great big, big thank you. To the Hospital Auxiliary who provided breakfast and morning tea at a minimal cost, thank you. And finally, to all the stallholders who provided a service to the town and some fun at the same time, without you people the markets would not have existed.
St Barnabas Anglican Church would like to take this opportunity to wish you all well in your new position at the showground. We do hope you will go on to bigger and better things.