7 January 2020
The bushfire catastrophe underway across Australia has had a devastating and profound impact on the communities hardest hit as well as across Australian society.
The courage and dedication of the volunteer fire-fighters including the RFS in NSW and the CFA in Victoria, and their counterparts in other states, with the support of emergency services, rescue agencies and other volunteers has been exemplary and we humbly thank them and recognise their life saving work.
What we have witnessed so far is unprecedented in this country and sadly far from over.
At Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers, we care for our people and our community.
We will ensure that staff affected in anyway by the fires receive the support they need. We are also thinking about the types of support that we can provide to the residents and communities that have been most affected. The firm will be contributing a cash donation to a range of charities as one way of showing our support.
There are many ways that individuals can assist to support those who have lost everything and a valuable summary of the charities and what they support – as well as their website links – can be found here. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-01/bushfire-relief:-how-you-can-help-frontline-services/11835156
We have volunteered our assistance to the NSW Law Society to provide pro bono legal services to those impacted by the bushfires. Legal Aid NSW is currently providing free, practical legal assistance to help these people recover and rebuild. The LawAccess NSW Disaster Response Hotline is 1800 801 529 or go to www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au.
There is a very long way to go before the current bushfire crisis is over and we urge all people to take care of themselves during this time and to make sure to ask for help.