Page 67 - Print21 Jan-Feb 2020

Fires Special Report
Major printer saved as staff battle ember attack from raging mountain fire
Staff at Industrial Printing Co in Lithgow faced a harrowing battle
to protect the premises, with red hot embers flying in every direction as a mountainside fire raged just 200m away.
The Lithgow fire on 21 December saw eight employees fight to keep the property safe as the hills burned 200 metres away from the building. According to Steve Scott, general manager, the whole site could have been destroyed if nobody had stayed to protect it. The only bright news was that the fire happened over the Christmas break and didn’t cost the company any business.
“We had one spot fire on our premises that we had to stop. You always think it couldn’t happen to you, but we’ve realised the potential for catastrophic outcomes. Our biggest threat was ember attack.
We had all the sprinklers going
flat out on the roofs, with four
fire hoses and one hydrant going. “The scariest point in all of it
was when our spot fire started
and everyone in the area was using the water, so we didn’t have much pressure. That probably took around 20 minutes to get under control, but nothing serious was damaged – just some grass and a bit of fence, though it definitely could have escalated out of control if we hadn’t seen it,” he said.
Main
Delivery trials: A van from Excell Printing in Merimbula on the NSW South Coast, which was shrouded in smoke during the fires
Left
Smoke rising: The view at Bairnsdale, East Gippsland
Scott told Print21 that Industrial Printing is now open and trading again. One worker who lived in nearby Clarence now rents a home after their property was damaged.
“Business-wise we’re fine. Our biggest thing now is getting some more fire protection equipment and plans in place for the future. It’s so burnt-out right now that we’ll be safe for a while, though.
“Ours is a good news story – there’s probably other businesses that have been impacted more than us. We feel for everybody who’s hurting at the moment,” he said.
PVCA provides
contact info
The Print & Visual Communication Association has provided a detailed list of contacts for printers in all the affected regions of the country to seek assistance in various forms from various government departments.
Printers impacted by the bushfires may be eligible for the small business assistance, which can be up to $50,000.
For all workplace issues, IR, HR, or Health & Safety, please call the Print & Visual Communication Association hotline on 1800 227 425.
The association says all assistance measures are aimed at providing for immediate and short term needs, to support recovery from the bushfire.
Go to the Print21.com.au website for all the PVCA contact lists,
and scroll down for your state or situation. 21
them. They’re based in Canberra, but they’ve sent us work, and we appreciate that, it is considerate of them,” he said.
James Yeates also produces
a number of local newspapers including the Bairnsdale Advertiser and East Gippsland News, and these papers are experiencing their own difficulties, according to Bob.
“January’s normally pretty slow anyway, but there’s been no activity in the streets, so our advertisers have had to cut back on their ad spend. People have been staying indoors and not going out shopping due to the smoke.”
Despite the fires, however, all three businesses are determined not to give up or back down.
“There’s so much concern coming in from everywhere for people who have lost homes, lives, properties, stock,” said Yeates. “The most important thing now is to get the aid quickly to those in need.
Alan Mogridge told Print21 that
all staff are fine and still at work, production is continuing, and tourism will return to the South Coast.
“We’ll get through it – it’s a lovely part of the world and people will want to come here, but it’s still early days. We’ll be working to turn it around,” he said.
Big Quince has been wholesaling paper to firefighters for photocopying plans and maps, is selling books through the “Book Nook” bookshop arm of its business, and is also looking to expand its signmaking arm, said Dawes.
“We’re going to stick to it, we’re not giving up. We have no intention of leaving this beautiful island,” he said.
Visual Connections ready to assist with jobs
Industry suppliers association Visual Connections says it stands ready to assist print businesses impacted by the fires, and will help organise and cover the cost of bridging production to enable jobs to get out.
Peter Harper, CEO of Visual Connections, said, “Working with our members, trade printers and trade sign suppliers, Visual Connections will help to organise – and,
if necessary, cover the cost of – bridging production, to ensure all affected businesses can produce their current contracted orders,” he announced.
It has also released a comprehensive listing of how to donate to the bushfire recovery effort, and how to seek help for printers and their families in the bushfire zones.
Harper said, “Our sector, like Australians more broadly, is known for the way it responds in times of crisis and, since reaching out earlier in the week to our members, many
companies have already been able to advise us of the initiatives they are introducing to help businesses affected by this unfolding disaster, while many more have advised us that they are finalising their plans.
“We will coordinate a list of offers from our members, the industry’s suppliers, and will host that information on our website, updating it regularly as new information comes to hand,” he said.
Further, Harper says the association itself has swung into action to assist. We stand ready to help printers and sign shops navigate through this difficult time.”
Industry suppliers and Visual Connections members are already stepping forward
with both specific assistance offers – with the likes of Roland DG, Mutoh, Jetmark
and Mimaki offering support – and with generous donations to the appeal from Fuji Xerox, Konica Minolta, and Ricoh.
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