Operation VIC FIRE ASSIST
14 February 2009
Chief of the Defence Force calls by bushfire affected region
Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, AC, AFC, has visited his soldiers in the field, deployed on the Joint Task supporting the Victorian Government bushfire relief effort.
Air Chief Marshal Houston began his tour at Maygar Barracks in Broadmeadows, Melbourne, to witness the departure of the first convoy of trucks carrying 120 pallets of emergency equipment to be used to set up Community Service Hubs in bushfire ravaged areas.
The visit also included a stop in Kinglake, where Air Chief Marshal Houston met with Health Support Team personnel and local residents, before moving on to Whittlesea to speak with members of the Search Task Group (STG), who have been supporting the Victoria Police Risk Impact Assessment task.
In the first five days of operation, STG teams have searched approximately 120 square kilometres of fire damaged areas, including Kinglake, Flowerdale, Marysville, Hazeldene, St Andrews, Yarra Glen and Traralgon.
So far, the Engineer Support Group has established more than 75 kilometres of containment lines in the Broadford, Whittlesea and Yan Yean Reservoir areas. Teams of chainsaw operators, supported by heavy plant machinery, have also cleared 35 kilometres of roads of damaged and fallen trees.
| 20090214adf8185016_0033 Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston (left), and Joint Task Force 662 Commander Brigadier Michael Arnold (right), update the media on the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to the continuing bushfire crisis in Victoria. (Date taken: 14 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090214adf8185016_0103 Joint Task Force 662 Search Task Group, Major Steve Whitehead (centre), updates the Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, on the progress of the search effort as part of the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to the continuing bushfire crisis in Victoria. (Date taken: 14 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090214adf8185016_0105 Joint Task Force 662 Search Task Group, Major Steve Whitehead (centre right), updates the Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston (centre left), on the progress of the search effort as part of the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to the continuing bushfire crisis in Victoria. (Date taken: 14 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090214adf8185016_0118 Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston (right), receives a warm welcome from Anthony McMahon (left), during a visit to meet the troops and the local Kinglake residents. (Date taken: 14 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090214adf8185016_0121 Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston (right), chats with Anthony McMahon (left), during a visit to meet the troops and the local Kinglake residents. (Date taken: 14 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090214adf8185016_0128 Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston (right), thanks Lieutenant Colonel Craig Madden (left), for his great work during the bushfire crisis in Victoria. (Date taken: 14 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090214adf8185016_0132 Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, AC, AFC thanks the troops for their great work during the bushfire crisis in Victoria. Air Chief Marshal Houston is in the bushfire affected region to meet the troops and update the media on the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to the continuing bushfire crisis. (Date taken: 14 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090214adf8185016_0142 Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston (left), and Joint Task Force 662 Commander Brigadier Michael Arnold (right), update the media on the Australian Defence Force's contribution to the continuing bushfire crisis in Victoria. (Date taken: 14 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090214adf8185016_0148 Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, updates the media on the Australian Defence Force's contribution to the continuing bushfire crisis in Victoria. (Date taken: 14 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090214adf8185016_0159 Task Force 662 Commander, Brigadier Michael Arnold, updates the media on the Australian Defence Force's contribution to the continuing bushfire crisis in Victoria. (Date taken: 14 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090214adf8185016_0164 Task Force 662 Commander, Brigadier Michael Arnold, updates the media on the Australian Defence Force's contribution to the continuing bushfire crisis in Victoria. (Date taken: 14 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090214adf8185016_0168 Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston (left), and Joint Task Force 662 Commander, Brigadier Michael Arnold (right) update the media on the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to the continuing bushfire crisis in Victoria. (Date taken: 14 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090214adf8185016_0176 Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston (left), and Joint Task Force 662 Commander, Brigadier Michael Arnold (right) update the media on the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to the continuing bushfire crisis in Victoria. (Date taken: 14 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090214adf8185016_0198 Joint Task Force 662, Captain Brooke Haxell (right), updates the Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston (left), on progress of the medical support effort as part of the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to the continuing bushfire crisis in Victoria. (Date taken: 14 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090214adf8185016_0207 Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, AC, AFC thanks the troops for their great work during the bushfire crisis in Victoria. Air Chief Marshal Houston is in the bushfire affected region to meet the troops and update the media on the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to the continuing bushfire crisis. (Date taken: 14 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090214adf8185016_0210 Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, AC, AFC thanks the troops for their great work during the bushfire crisis in Victoria. Air Chief Marshal Houston is in the bushfire affected region to meet the troops and update the media on the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to the continuing bushfire crisis. (Date taken: 14 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090214adf8185016_0211 Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, AC, AFC thanks the troops for their great work during the bushfire crisis in Victoria. Air Chief Marshal Houston is in the bushfire affected region to meet the troops and update the media on the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to the continuing bushfire crisis. (Date taken: 14 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090214adf8185016_0223 Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, AC, AFC thanks the troops for their great work during the bushfire crisis in Victoria. Air Chief Marshal Houston is in the bushfire affected region to meet the troops and update the media on the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to the continuing bushfire crisis. (Date taken: 14 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090214adf8185016_0228 Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, AC, AFC thanks the troops for their great work during the bushfire crisis in Victoria. Air Chief Marshal Houston is in the bushfire affected region to meet the troops and update the media on the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to the continuing bushfire crisis. (Date taken: 14 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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