Personal Stories
10 February 2009Jack Barber's story http://www.redcross.org.au/vic/images/Jack-Barber http://www.redcross.org.au/vic/images 'I live on Pine Ridge Road -- or used to live there. Yesterday about 3pm the wind was blowing the fire away, and then within half-an-hour the wind changed and came up Sugar Loaf Mountain. We saw the clouds of smoke above us and decided to leave our house. We left and went down to West King Lake fire brigade but was told it wasn't safe there.' In the end Jack and his family spent the night on the football oval in King Lake. Phyllis Reid's story 'It took us ages to get here because it was a total zigzag dodging carcasses and debris on the road, but when we got here it was brilliant. There was something to eat, something to drink and there were toilets!' 'I've lost my house but we got everything out that breathes so that's the main thing.' Phyllis Reid describes the scene she saw around her as a holocaust. The support of the recovery centre has been absolutely wonderful.'