SAVEM operations at the Deep Creek fireground are ongoing. Staging has shut down & most other emergency services have dispersed. At this point in the response – as expected – we are seeing animals with the most serious injuries beginning to emerge, seeking food & water, but in so much pain. This follows the pattern we have identified over our 17 years of operation. The saddest case yesterday was a just out of pouch kangaroo joey, blinded and burned by the fire, waiting next to his dead mother. He is now at peace. This is challenging stuff, for SAVEM vets, and for residents who find injured animals, with that trauma superimposed on their own loss. We are very grateful to the Deep Creek community for their trust and assistance. And already we are seeing glimpses of green plant material starting to appear through the ash. SAVEM volunteers are trained to a very strong culture of safety, and work to best-practice veterinary emergency management principles. We understand and recognise the One Health concept – that human, animal and environmental health and wellbeing are intricately related. It can be tough going, but it is a privilege to work in this space.
