NSW Rural Fire Service group captain, Eddy Merzlikoff knows only too well the importance of unity, experience, leadership and mateship in times of crisis.
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A member of the Diamond Beach/Red Head Rural Fire Brigade, Eddy believes these qualities went a long way to assisting teams under his command pull through last year's spate of devastating bushfires.
Eddy led the brigade for more than a decade before stepping up to oversee five Mid Coast district brigades - Lansdowne, Kundle/Moto, Taree, Taree communications and Manning aviation - as group captain.
He also is the local duty officer, a job which requires regular visits to Taree, Wauchope, Gloucester and Tuncurry fire control centres.
One of the most disheartening events is to see a house burn down and you cannot do anything about it; there is a certain amount of sadness.
- Eddy Merzlikoff
At the same time Eddy continues to work his paying jobs with MidCoast Assist and within the automotive industry.
"You just do it," Eddy said.
However, he did accept last year's bushfires had taken a lot of time away from his workplace.
But most people are understanding, he said.
Eddy's time on the firefront began just after the official bushfire season kicked off back in August with the Big Island fire in Wallis Lake, then the fires in Forster before the weekend of October 25-26 bushfires swept through the northern part of the Great Lakes.
A short reprieve and the area was again engulfed in flames when the Hillville fire stormed into the area, destroying structures and houses.
On his watch, Eddy's approach is to prioritise lives before assets, an approach which obviously worked well during the devastation around Rainbow Flat; no lives were lost.
"It was the most intense bushfire I have ever been involved in.
"We had more than 100 houses and only 20 trucks, and we managed to save most of them.
"But, we couldn't save the Rainbow Flat brigade.
"It was an incident I will never forget."
Every fire is different; but these bushfires were extraordinarily different, according to Eddy.
Fuelled by lack of rain, low humidity and powerful winds teams were confronted with an unpredictable beast.
"One of the most disheartening events is to see a house burn down and you cannot do anything about it; there is a certain amount of sadness.
But, there also was a sense of satisfaction knowing hundreds of houses were saved and no lives were lost, Eddy said.
"I cannot thank the crews enough; they put in 100 per cent effort."
He said he and the hundreds of volunteers did come away with some positive insights.
"It was such a unifying experience; it was a great bonding experience and I saw them rise well above the occasion under such adverse conditions.
"You see the very best in people."
On behalf of brigades throughout the district, Eddy extended their heartfelt thanks to members of the public for their generosity.
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Jeanene Duncan
Jeanene has more than 40 years experience as a regional and rural journalist starting at The Land Newspaper. She also worked for Stock Journal Newspaper (SA), McPherson, Fairfax newspapers and Rural Press, and contributed to various magazines.
Jeanene has more than 40 years experience as a regional and rural journalist starting at The Land Newspaper. She also worked for Stock Journal Newspaper (SA), McPherson, Fairfax newspapers and Rural Press, and contributed to various magazines.
