A team of Scientology Volunteer Ministers have been assisting firefighters and emergency response personnel who are contending with the worst bushfires to affect New South Wales, Australia, in the past half century.
The bushfires began October 13. By the 18th, 100 fires were raging. Two days later, New South Wales Premier Barry O’Farrell declared a state of emergency. Nearly 250 houses and other structures have been destroyed.
Volunteer Ministers assisted Rural Fire Service personnel and firefighting volunteers with whatever tasks was needed—serving food, cleaning the base camp and providing Scientology assists to firefighters.
Assists are techniques developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that help relieve the spiritual component in stress, trauma, illness and injuries. Under tremendous strain from the urgency of the work they are doing and the arduous physical conditions, the firefighters found the assists helped them relax and feel revitalized, ready to carry on with their work.
Scientologists also went door-to-door in the “war zone”—areas decimated by the fire—where they helped those whose homes were lost or damaged connect with various agencies and relief organizations and access the assistance they need.
