Erin Gruis has lived in Morwell her entire life. She is a full-time teacher, and her partner is a student. They have four children aged between three and nine years. At a community meeting on 2 March, she spoke of her family’s experience dealing with the effects of the fire that has been burning since 9 February in the coal mine next to the town.
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On 15 February, I and many other Morwell South residents received the following text from the CFA: “Residents, shelter indoors immediately. Close windows, doors, vents; seek further info.”
That further info told me the carbon monoxide levels in the area were considered dangerous. My partner and I decided no house was air tight and no risk was worth our children’s health.
We left our home that day and spent time with my mum … The following morning the streets were full of smoke, ash covered our porch, the children weren’t allowed outside, and we decided to stay with my partner’s parents for a couple of nights …
Our eldest child continued attending school in Morwell, and his breathing became difficult. He was coughing constantly. Anyone who heard was concerned. He was taking ventolin every four hours to assist and alleviate his cough.
At night he wouldn’t just cough, but he would heave. Our son is asthmatic, but he has never been considered a severe asthmatic. And I can’t even imagine what severe asthmatics are going through …
The school was moved to Moe, and our son could continue with his education … We returned to Morwell on Thursday, but left that weekend. The smoke again settled in our street.
Our most recent attempt to be at home was on my partner’s birthday, 20 February. We stayed in our own beds, we had showers, the kids had their toys. On 21 February, I went on the EPA website and saw [Air Quality Index] levels had reached 1800.
At this stage I was incredibly homesick, and when we made the decision to leave again, I could do nothing but cry. Thank God for my partner, who packed everything we needed while I just sat and grieved for the life that has been taken away. We have not tried to stay at home again.
We are fortunate, we are lucky. Although we have lodged in on our partner’s parents and their 100-year-old grandmother; although all six of us are sharing one room; although we have been broke due to running two cars to Churchill and Morwell daily … we are lucky, because we have our health and a roof over our head.
We receive no support from the government or anyone else to assist in our current situation. We have spent everything we have to protect our children’s health. We made the choice to leave, but I continue to work so that we can continue to pay our mortgage and the bills of a home that we aren’t living in.
I consider myself lucky because I know there are people out there that don’t have that room we are sharing, that don’t have the family support that we are so thankful for.
