Thankful for saving hands

By Kath Gannaway
“WHEN good neighbours become good friends” is more than just a soapy jingle to residents of Hodges Road in Chum Creek.
Lorraine and Steve O’Dell recently started rebuilding after losing their house on 7 February. First stage is a barn – somewhere to call home while their new house is being built.
Even a barn is a big job at the moment so when neighbours Linda and Steve Shambrook lobbed in to lend a hand, Lorraine said it was not just an extra pair of hands but another indication of what fantastic neighbours they were.
“If it wasn’t for them there would have been so many more houses lost up here,” she said.
The O’Dells and many of their neighbours left on the Saturday either before or as the fire swept through.
The Shambrooks and their neighbours Tom and Sharon Hood stayed to defend, fighting with adrenalin-fuelled fervour to not only save their own homes but several other neighbouring homes.
Linda said even as the fire approached they weighed up whether to stay or go.
“We believed our place was defendable and had a fire plan in place, but one of the things which sealed it for us was when we saw all the traffic tearing down Chum Creek Road and then a caravan blocking the road.
“That’s when we said ‘we’re staying’.”
Steve said all hell broke loose as the fire front came through.
“Then adrenalin kicks and you just do it,” he said of an ordeal which continued through the night and well into Sunday.
The Hoods saved their house too and then the couples joined forces working in two-hour shifts to keep neighbouring houses safe, putting out spot fires and wetting down where they could.
Lorraine says their efforts deserve to be recognised.
“They stayed there all night keeping in contact and between them managed to save all those houses,” she said.
“That is an amazing thing to do, but for them to then turn up to help us out with the barn is tremendous.”
For the Shambrooks it’s just about being good neighbours.
“We feel blessed that we saved our house and now just want to help out,” Linda said.