Prime Minister presents CFA turn-out gear in Washington

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd presents the turnout gear

Report by Helen Goddard, CFA Manager Government Relations

The Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable Kevin Rudd MP, recently visited the USA.

During his visit he met with US firefighters, together with the Secretary of State for Agriculutre (Tom Vilsack), the Secretary of State for the Interior (Ken Salazar) and Brigadier General Blake Crowe from the US Defense Department.

Mr Rudd expressed his thanks to those who helped in the recent fires, noting that President Obama was among the first leaders to call him, expressing sympathy and offering practical assistance.

In particular, Mr Rudd expressed Australia’s (and Victoria’s) thanks to Eric Bush, Tony Johnson and Bodie Shaw from the National Interagency Fire Centre in Boise, Idaho – as representatives of the 73 Americans who assisted.

“I say a very deep personal thank you mate”, he said.

“I spent a lot of time in these fire affected communities. These are tough people, they are good people. But they themselves, and I know I speak on behalf of them, feel so much by way of gratitude to you our friends in America for what you did”, he added.