A dramatically early start to bushfire season has kept Australian Red Cross volunteers busy in Victoria since early December. They have served more than 40,000 meals and registered more than 600 people in bushfire-affected communities. Luckily, the weather momentarily eased over Christmas, giving hundreds of Red Cross volunteers the chance to take a well-earned breather to spend time with family and friends before reporting for duty again after New Year's Day. Red Cross emergency services coordinator for south-east Victoria Glen Trevaskis said it's a heartening sight to see so many people helping others.

Red Cross registration volunteer John Patterson of Upper Beaconsfield (left) says it 'feels good to be able to help people'.

'Once again our volunteers are putting in an extraordinary effort in meeting the needs of the community and assisting other agencies in the fire fighting effort,' he said.

Volunteers come from far and wide -- throughout Gippsland and down to Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula -- to administer first aid, or feed fire fighters and evacuees at relief centres, or register evacuees who have decided to leave their properties.

'It makes you feel enormously proud to be working alongside people who have such feeling for their communities and the needs of others.'

Red Cross registration volunteer John Patterson of Upper Beaconsfield said it 'felt good to be able to help people'. He is registering evacuees at the Bairnsdale Relief Centre.

He thanked his employer, CSIRO, for being so understanding in giving him time off to help in the bushfire effort.

'I've clocked up quite a few days off work to be here -- 14 to be exact -- and I'm very grateful to my boss,' he said.


View images and read more about the Australian Red Cross bushfire response via the links below.