Melbourne’s raging bush fires, an inferno of unprecedented proportions. A death toll that as I write has just exceeded 200. This brings fear to me. My mind flashes to what happened to these poor folk. Their pain and suffering. Was it quick? God I hope so.

I’ve never had to attend to a burns patient before, but I’ve heard stories.

I’ve been to hangings. To stabbings. To beatings. But nothing compares to the fury of nature at her angriest.

I run through in my head what I would do if I was called out to help a bushfire survivor.

The dangers. Are they responding? Breathing? Talking…screaming. F*ck.

Just take their pain and suffering away, for Gods sake. Find a vein, shaking hands. The heat.

Scoop and go. Fast. They need fluids. Where are their burns, goddammit. Airway? Backup?

Thank god for the CFA. Thank god for the volunteers. Thank god for the locals. Thank god for the ambos that attended to the survivors.

Sleep well if you can. You deserve your rest.