Bush fire volunteer David Tricca is determined to make a contribution even though right now he’s more than 20,000 kilometres from home.
A long time Camden resident, Mr Tricca is a member of the Mount Hunter Rural Fire Brigade.
“I would like nothing more than to be on the fire ground with my brothers and sisters in the RFS but unfortunately I’m not in Australia at the moment,’’ he says in an email to local news outlets, including the South West Voice in Macarthur.
While he may not be able to lend a hand to fight the devastating fires, he’s decided to do the next best thing: raise money for his comrades back home.
At the end of this month or early February, Mr Tricca will put on his RFS uniform and walk hundreds of kilometres across Europe to raise funds for his and other bush fire brigades.
“I’ve decide to challenge myself and attempt to hike the Camino de Santiago, an 800km ancient trek from France, crossing the French Pyrenees and across all of Northern Spain,’’ he explains.
He estimates that it will take him about 36 days to complete the trek in the current northern hemisphere winter conditions.
“I’ll be wearing the RFS gear to raise some awareness along the route,’’ he said.
“I’m asking people to donate to the Mount Hunter brigade via the official RFS donation page https://quickweb.westpac.com.au/OnlinePaymentServlet?cd_community=NSWRFS&cd_currency=AUD&cd_supplier_business=DONATIONS&action=EnterDetails where they can donate directly to Mount Hunter Rural Fire Brigade or alternatively their local brigade.’’
“Our firies are doing an outstanding job at the moment, but any support they can get to keep going means the world, that’s why I’m asking people to chip in – it doesn’t have to be a lot but every cent counts,’’ he says
“Obviously I’m gutted that I can’t be there on the fire ground with my brigade but every step of the 800kms they will be on my thoughts.”
