A sigh that said thank goodness we've made it without serious incident. Though deaths were not unknown in the NPWS, where risk was part of the job, no service officer had died as a direct result of bushfire. But, like other professions where people put their lives on the line, everyone knew it was only a matter of time. Yes, staff are highly trained, well equipped and fully briefed. But bushfires don't respect skill or experience.
Nature calls the shots.
No-one knows that better than the families of the volunteer firefighters who have died over the years while protecting the lives and property of others. Or the families who sit at home each fire season, anxiously waiting for news of loved ones at the firefront. I didn't get much sleep that first night, thinking of the families. Names had not been released. Perhaps I knew them.