The Profile Of A Local Hero

It’s not until you see a hero out of their super hero outfit and in their everyday clothes that you realize just how remarkable they are.

Take my friend John Cole (left) for instance.

We’ve known each other since Adam was a boy, both growing up in the same country town, both working in the health system, and both rescuing each other from different situations at different times (usually with some nurse in his case – he had a mustache like Sonny Bono, and they just loved him for some reason!).

John has done everything from trekking Nepal, to working with rescue teams in places like Mexico city after the earthquake back in the eighties.

Way back before then, when we both had lots of hair, we’d shared many an adventure hitch hiking around the country side, running out of beer in the middle of a cyclone and riding donkeys through the bush at midnight!

Today John works with the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, as well as the local division of the State Emergency Service as a volunteer.

He came and saw me today to tell me that he’s off to Victoria tomorrow to help fight the fires down there.

We didn’t have much time to talk as I was in the process of taking my wife to work, so it was a matter of a quick photo, a hug, and telling him to take care.

The men and women of the fire services involved in this operation are all heroes in my book.

Most of them, and many of the State Emergency personnel involved are volunteers, and give up their time freely to help others.

This time they have been joined by fire fighters from the US and New Zealand, as well as other states of Australia!

All I can say is good luck John, we’re thinking of you and your mates!

I’ve got a couple on ice for when you get back!

Support the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal

Update 8.45pm February 17 2009 (AEST)

The death toll in the bush fires has now reached 200, with a fire fighter being killed when a tree fell on him at about 7.00pm. …More here.