This is a copy of a reply I put on Whispers blog:

No one could ever be bored with you Whisper. Thank you Whisper for all your help, support and conrtibutions. The food etc that your and your company organised was great, thank you to all the people everywhere that donated food, water and other resourses, with out this type of support we would never be able to function as we do. I showed my crews some of the comments that had been posted through Whisper's blogs and they were overwhelmed at the gratitude and well wishes that everyone had sent, from my crews and my self, thank you everyone, you are all amazing. But there is always one inthe crowed, I was udating information, and was just short of being abused by someone that wasn't happy and to this minute I still cannot work out what they were complaining about. current area in lithgow burnt 56,500 Ha, 143,000 acres, or 566 sq km.

Further too:
After the tiring days and nights, sleep deprived from being out so long, chewing soot and ash, breathing smoke that makes you cough for days after, coughing up black crap for days, being horse and loosing your voice on and off, being sore, exhausted, aching and wondering why you do this time and time again for so many years, saying I am getting to old for this shit, and then a young boy about 7 and hs youger sister about 6, walk up to you in the shopping centre, so small he looks up and says, "I just want to thank you for saving our horses and house, do you know who it was"? I said where abouts do you live", He said "I live.......", and showed me on a map which I had pinned up on a board for everyone to see, I said "I was in that area, what day was it"? he told the day. I had been in that area for about 14 hours with my crew and a few other trucks trying to contain the fire by back burning, which was susccessful.
This little guy said, "I really want to thank you" he reached up for my hand, and shook it, then he huged my leg, his sister grabbed me around the other leg and hugged me as well, all I could do was look at them and say "I am glad we could help".
I found it difficult to hold the emotions and tears, as I thought thats why I do this, thats what makes it all worth it, something so little from someone so small who's words made it all worth while, thank you.