Longwood and its surrounding areas have been at the centre of much of the media’s coverage of the fires. But all that attention does not mean their battle is even close to over. As it currently stands, road access and supplies are still heavily restricted, with Longwood’s Football and Netball Club – The Redlegs – and the Community Centre becoming the HQ for distributing all kinds of donations and resources.
On top of this, many Longwood residents are volunteering their time to the CFA, with Redlegs’ President Rick Shiner saying, “There would barely be a person in town who’s capable of helping who isn’t.”
Having faced life threatening hurdles such as water being cut off for two days, and the continued risk of fire and falling trees, Mr Shiner emphasised that the road to recovery for this community will be a long road.
Issues like the damage the football oval and community grounds sustained present a big challenge, with Rick adding that the fires highlighted that “infrastructure needs to improve” in the town to handle disasters. “You’re not talking 6-12 months – you’re talking about two years.” he said, emphasising that continued support and coverage for the region is crucial to their survival.
