For more than a month now, we have been hearing evidence at a Royal Commission into the summer's bushfires, with stories of what went right and plenty of what went wrong.
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Border residents, firefighters and local government officials have been among those to share their experiences.
What is very clear after listening to them speak, is that we are very lucky to have people like them on the Border who care so much about their communities.
The Royal Commission has exposed many holes in the preparation and response of federal and state governments when it comes to bushfires.
But each time, there were community members and volunteer firefighters ready to step in and help.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Jingellic opened an emergency welfare centre when the fires broke out because it was what the community required, but community safety officer Mary Hoodless was forced to go a step further and look after a firefighter with burns injuries because the paramedics had to attend another call.
She is not a medical expert, she just did was was needed.
In Towong Shire, where some of the worst fire damage in the North East occurred, some council staff still had to attend to their council work despite being directly affected by the fires themselves.
Colleagues had to step up and help because no other government assistance was there - they just did what was needed.
As the Royal Commission continues this week we will no doubt continue to hear stories of community members stepping up where official government protocol could not.
The Border, and the country, should be thankful for their willingness to put others first.
But if this long process of having a Royal Commission is going to be of any value, the federal and state governments then actually have to step up themselves and fill the gaps in the system.
They know if and when these fires happen again, our community will continue to rise to the occasion and do what is needed - but they really should not have to do it all.