[Ailist] Off Topic - Victorian bushfire update [long post]

[yishai shalif]

Dear all Australian friends, 
It is so terrible to hear about so many people hurt and dead and loosing
their homes and possessions. Even though I live in part of the world where
civilian casualties is not uncommon, hearing of what you are going through
is giving me pain and it is so hard to comprehend. To think of the driver of
the truck, having to pass desperate people, I can't fathom his pain.
Lets hope for better news
Yishai Shalif
Jerusalem  

-----Original Message-----
From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu
[mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Lionel Boxer
Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2009 4:42 AM
To: mail at bjseminars.com.au; cheri.torres at gmail.com
Cc: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu
Subject: Re: [Ailist] Off Topic - Victorian bushfire update [long post]

I was speaking with a doctor last night and some ploice and volunteer fire
fighters yesterday.  About 400 local army reservists are also on duty - I
have heard that some young chaps have found multiple dead bodies.

There was a truck load of people being driven away from danger by volunteer
fire fighters passing people and horses on fire.  Because the truck was full
the volunteer fire fighters could not help those on the side of the road.
Even if they had room, if they were to have stopped the people in the back
of the truck would have caught fire.  The fireball was chasing them down the
road.  As it was, those in the back of the truck were singed.

My doctor friend told me that the heat of the fire was hotter than a
crematorium.  So, there is some cases there are parts of bodies that are not
easily identified for several reasons: (1) dental records have been
destroyed in the fires (2) the people were holding animals or other people -
so DNA is difficult to identify.

I am fortunate, as the fire did not come close to me at all.  However, the
smoke is thick in the centre of Melbourne today and I know people who have
been displaced or lost everything.  So, we all are doing a lot of sharing.
Those in Australia should consider if you have extra clothes, soap, shampoo,
sanitary products, etc (many shops are gone and resupply is not happening
very well in some communities.)  

What is good? There is a lot of very positive sharing and support going on
in the local, state and national community.

The body count is not being reported anymore, because it is quite difficult
to know how many are dead (and the community is not prepared for the
numbers).  I was told that it could be well over 500 (many missing people
are not being found).

Australians are not normally exposed to this sort of thing.  So, there is a
lot of trauma to deal with.

The situation was not sustainable - ironically, the environmentalists
stopped people from clearing excessive "fuel" (trees, bushes, undergrowth).
Eucalyptus trees are full of oil that, when gaseous ignites like gasoline.
The leaves burn and the evaporating oil explodes into fire - even dry leaves
on the ground.  So, sustainability is about acheiving a balance.

Lionel Boxer CD PhD MBA BTech(IndEng) - 0411267256
Associate of RMIT University - lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au
Graduate School of Business
my "Assessment of Quality Systems with Positioning Theory" 
now in a googe book - see link at http://intergon.net
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