By JOLENE OGLE
THE local community is rallying around a Cooroy family who lost everything in a house fire on Friday (14 August).
Local paramedic Suzette Dakin had just dropped her son, Cole, at school on Friday morning when she returned to find her Black Mountain home on fire.
Suzette’s daughter, Stephanie, said her family had lost everything, with her mother left only with the clothes she was wearing that day.
“Mum lost everything she owned except for her car and the clothes she had on that day,” she said.
“My little brother and Pop also lived there and also lost all they had.”
Stephanie was at work in Currimundi when she got the call to say her family home, where she had lived all her life, was on fire.
“I got the call that Mum’s house was on fire,” she said. “I couldn’t believe it.”
By the time Stephanie had returned to her home, there was nothing left.
“Mum was outside sitting in an ambulance and the house was completely burned,” she said.
“Mum had taken my brother to school. She had only been gone 15 minutes.”
Bad mobile phone reception meant Suzette’s first call to the fire brigade was cut off, adding to the nightmare unfolding before her.
“You would never think this would happen to you. Everyone’s a bit broken,” Stephanie said.
“But the main thing is there was no-one in the house at the time.”
Since the house fire on Friday, community support has been flowing in for the local family.
Stephanie says her mum Suzette is well-known in the community as a paramedic and she’s overwhelmed at the support.
“Mum has done a lot of lovely work for the community over the years and now she needs a hand back,” she said.
“Luke’s IGA in Cooroy has donated $1000 in food vouchers to help Mum and a local man offered six months’ accommodation, but we already have somewhere to stay so he donated $5000 instead. It’s just been amazing.”
Luckily the home was insured and the family plan to rebuild in the future.
If anyone would like to donate to the Dakin family to help them buy the essential items they need, a fund has been set up at the Bendigo Bank. The BSB is 633 000 and account number is 1554 4408 6.
