Therapists & Practitioners unite to volunteer for the Victorian Bush Fire Appeal.

Therapists Unite coordinated by Hands on Health Australia

This blog Therapists Unite coordinated by Hands on Health Australia has been set up as the main information site for all tactile therapists wanting to volunteer for the Victorian Bush Fire Appeal.

Are you a therapist wanting to volunteer at a relief site?

If you are able to offer immediate assistance, then please telephone our registration hotline on 0402 733 443.

Otherwise, please email us at unitedtherapists@gmail.com with ALL of the following information, please include all info as we have streamlined our database to coordinate a streamlined effort:

• Your Name
• Your Modality
• Your Mobile or Best Contact Number
• Your Email Address
• What equipment you have, whether that is a massage table, a seated massage chair or both.
• What region are you able to travel to - Whittlesea, Yea, Alexandra, Gippsland, Healesville, Wesburn, other, or any.
• What days/times over the next 10 days are you available?

This relief effort is going to last months, please be patient as we process our database and co-ordinate teams so that the effort is widespread and even across the board. We will be setting up long-term clinics.

If you add your name to the volunteer list now this means that you will be on a Hands on Helath Australia Database indefinitly. In the much longer term we will coordinate a Hands on Health Australia "Emergency Response Committee" Placing your name on the volunteer list not only means that you are eager to help out in the short term, but that you will actively support the co-ordination of likewise events in years to come in whatever capacity you can.

Are you a Practitioner/College/Company running your own Bushfire Appeal Fundraiser?

If you are you a practitioner running your own fundraising event please email the details to unitedtherapists@gmail.com so that we can put them on this blog. If you are a volunteer we urge you to contact these fundraisers and support them if we can't utilise you at relief sites on days you have forwarded to us.

Thankyou everyone for your support and expertise, please be patient as we are doing our best to coordinate this in a professional and active, yet deliberate way.

Yours Sincerely,

Hands on Health Australia

Therapist Story

Like many I found myself sitting and watching the fires ravage this beautiful state of ours.

I cried as I saw houses burn to the ground and as the death toll rose. 

Never in my 33 years of life had I been so touched by the images I saw appearing around me. I saw men and women selflessly put their life in danger to save the lives and properties of others and I felt helpless. I saw people walking circles shocked by the experiences that had stolen a part of their life so suddenly and I felt useless. Helpless and useless I sat wanting to play my part in helping those who had lost so much or to thank those who had done so much.

For many their hands were tired. They had the will, but not a skill and were left feeling frustrated that donating money was just not enough.

One year ago I finished my training as a remedial massage therapist. Today I am ever so grateful for that. I am able to offer a skill to people in need. To people whose bodies were crumbling under them from sheer exhaustion.

Sunday I was placed at the Healesville Staging Area. Most of the people attending that area are CFA, DSE and Melbourne Water staff who have been battling to keep their beautiful town safe for days on end. Supported by CFA from Victoria at large and  NSW, the good people of Healesville have sat on guard since shortly after the fires began. Exhausted and weary; one by one emergency service workers began to appear at the door of our make shift 'massage clinic'. Smelling of smoke and covered in ash and dirt they were more than happy to find a table to lay on and have their over worked muscles massaged. Seven of us that day manned massage tables and chairs and still we had to turn worthy people away. I only wish we'd had more hands on deck to offer more massages to more people. They deserved every bit of sweat we shed in that hot converted football change room.

As a bright red sun amidst a smoke filled sky set over the hills of the Yarra Valley and even until this moment the thing that overwhelms me most about my experience in Healesville was the gratitude from those people whom we were massaging to thank for what they were doing. Offering us gifts of chocolates and wanting to donate or pay for our services, they didn't even realise that we were there to pay them a debt of gratitude for the hard work they were doing. It's a shame that it's times like this that it shows most, but it's amazing and humbling to see the Australian spirit that pays not a second thought to helping out a mate.

Reflection by Leo - Remedial Massage Therapist

Hands on Health and APERN

Hands on Health Australia &

APERN: Australian Practitioners Emergency Response Network.

Stop Press.

Sunday 15th Feb 2009


Currently there are 8 practitioner emergency response centers set up in the bushfire affected areas that are providing stress management massage therapy, chiropractic and osteopathic care to the states emergency workers and support crews and volunteers that are still fighting fires and assisting communities to manage the disasters.

Therapists and practitioners have united from all different industry groups and associations to come under the banner of Hands on Health and provide a structured and timely response to the devastating fires. And lend a hand.

If you have a spare few hours or days and would like to assist the teams contact Kallika Bruce on 0402 733 443. We need help urgently.

The immediate needs change from day to day and from relief centre to relief centre with short term needs being addressed as required. The longer term needs will be the challenge and we are in the beginnings of moving from crisis management at the emergency relief centers to establishing survivor centers within the affected towns’ communities.



Media enquiries call Emma Gierschick on 0411030835

Fundraiser

Fundraising BBQ in South Melbourne

When: Sunday February 22 - 1pm
Where: The Water Rat Hotel - 256 Moray St, South Melbourne

Entry is by gold coin donation.

There will be a BBQ and loads to do throughout the day - bring your family along and have some fun!

For BOOKINGS ONLY - (03) 9686 1980
Other enquiries EMAIL - vicfiresupport@live.com.au

UPDATE: Hi Everyone.
Just a quick update - as much as it is deeply appreciated, I don't need anymore offers of time. :) The venue is suitably staffed, and setting up etc wont be a problem. The only things I am still in need of are stall HOLDERS, raffle items, and perhaps people who can run activities - I have a facepainter on board, but thats it. Maybe someone with access to a carnival style game? Nothing too large though. And if anybody can get me some celebrity endorsement, or can perhaps send a public figure down for the day to join in the fun, that would be fantastic!

Thanks
Tris

February 7th - The Blackest Day in Australia's history.

In response to the devastating fires which have ravaged Victoria, destroying homes and taking far too many lives; Therapists Unite in conjunction with Hands on Health Australia have come to the aid of tired emergency service workers and those people who have lost so much in this tragedy. Offering massage amongst other therapies to help revitalise weary bodies and tired minds. It's the least we (therapists and practitioners) can do to say thanks to those people who are selflessly defending the state of Victoria and to let those who feel like they have lost so much know that we are here for them.