SmartAID's response to Australia's 2020 fires

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During the bushfire disasters in Australia, Alethea Gold, SmartAID’s Goodwill Ambassador, led a team of 10 young volunteers to Kangaroo Island, the worst affected area in Australia, to help the local affected farmers. SmartAID worked alongside the Australian Fire Service, the Australian Army and BlazeAID.

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A large part of the island was still burning when the SmartAID team arrived, so the relief effort required an enormous amount of effort and logistics. One of the main concerns was protecting the team from smoke and danger to ensure a safe working environment.

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The team had to negotiate access with local councils and liaised with the Army for them to bulldoze the charred remains of houses and, in some cases, the removal of asbestos.

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Drones were used extensively by SmartAID to help farmers quantify the extent of damage to their properties and locate animals both alive and dead on their properties. This helped minimise the outbreak of disease and speed recovery.

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The appreciation from the local community was truly heartwarming. Our efforts made a tangible difference in the lives of farmers whose livelihoods had been affected by the fires. In gratitude, one farmer gifted us homemade honeycomb, while others shared a meal or invited us to enjoy a local beer. These moments of connection were a powerful reminder of the impact we had together and the reason why SmartAID exists.

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