WHILE being evacuated from Penshurst Hospital residents burst into song during the St Patrick’s Day bushfires.
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The residents were moved to Hamilton, to ensure their safety as the Gazette fire burnt close to the town.
The Penshurst CFA alerted Western District Health Service staff to the potential risk to the township and due to the unpredictable nature of the strong winds, the rapid spread of the fire and the uncertainty of its path, a decision was made to evacuate all 25 residents.
WDHS chief executive Rohan Fitzgerald said residents started singing on the three buses evacuating them.
They sung renditions of You are My Sunshine and Three Blind Mice.
“One of the very excited residents was even heard saying ‘this is a great adventure and can we do this every night?’,” Mr Fitzgerald said.
Residents were cared for at the Birches and in the Hamilton Base Hospital surgical unit.
Mr Fitzgerald said the entire evacuation took a little over two hours to complete, with most residents tucked up in bed and off to sleep by 2.30am.
“The Penshurst staff were absolutely amazing and worked above and beyond to ensure residents were out of harm’s way,” he said.
“Off duty staff came in from home, our afternoon shift stayed on and resident and staff members’ families pitched in too.”
Mr Fitzgerald thanked the bus drivers and the after-hours co-ordinator, whose efforts ensured a smooth transition for residents into their new temporary home.
“I couldn’t be prouder of each and every one involved for the way in which they supported the evacuation and made the entire exercise seem effortless,” he said.
“This substantial effort would not have been possible without the absolute commitment of our team to ensuring our residents were safe, comfortable and well cared for.”