I was very happy to be chosen to go to the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) for a digital storytelling workshop earlier this year.
Story by John Draffin
I wrote and recorded my Ash Wednesday story for two reasons. Firstly, even after 30 years I needed to get the experience out of my system. From time to time the story comes out over a beer or cup of coffee, but ACMI gave me a great opportunity to get it down in a much more formal way. It was good therapy for me.
Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, it gave me the chance to spread the word about an event that could have been avoided had we taken the weather warnings more seriously and been more aware of the fire behaviour consequences. The impact on Cockatoo wouldn’t have changed, but my crew and I and the other fire crews nearby were in serious danger from the fire storm.
Up-to-date training and truck protection help to save firefighters’ lives but I believe other firefighters can benefit from our past experiences.
Author: Leith Hillard