Nurse swaps scrubs for high-vis to support fire-affected communities

As bushfires tore through regional Victoria this summer, many people lost homes, livelihoods and a sense of security overnight. For one aged care nurse, the response was instinctive: help where help was needed.

Between shifts as a registered nurse and clinical care coordinator at Mercy Health, Talwinder Singh traded his scrubs for a high-vis vest, volunteering with Australian Sikh Support to deliver food, water and essential supplies to communities impacted by fire.

“When bushfires swept through regional Victoria this summer, leaving farming towns and wildlife habitats scorched, nurse Talwinder Singh traded his scrubs for a high-vis vest,” the organisation said.

On the first day alone, the group mobilised quickly.

“On the first day of the fires, we managed to get 30 boxes of family-sized pizzas and crates of water to families and firefighters at local community halls,” Talwinder said.

As fires and grassfires flared across the state, the volunteering effort expanded.

“Since then, we’ve travelled through places like Yea, Highlands, Ruffy, Seymour and even to Cowes on Phillip Island after the grassfire there. I also drove to Geelong to check whether support was needed for people affected by the Otways fires.”

Faith, care and community

For Talwinder, volunteering is not separate from his professional life. It is an extension of it.

“Volunteering isn’t just about helping others, it’s how I live my faith,” he said. “Sikhism teaches that selfless service is a duty, and nursing is another form of that service. Both come from the same place: compassion and care for others.”

Since moving to Australia in 2018, Talwinder has volunteered with Australian Sikh Support, a not-for-profit organisation guided by Sikh principles of community service. The group regularly mobilises during bushfires, floods and droughts, delivering supplies, raising funds and helping communities begin recovery.

“Our volunteers take whatever vehicles we have, load them with supplies and head straight into affected towns,” Talwinder said. “It’s physical work, but it’s also emotional, listening to people and letting them know they’re not alone.”

Support at work, impact beyond it

Talwinder said it has been important to work in an environment that understands and supports those values.

“At Mercy, compassion, teamwork and stewardship aren’t just words; they really matter,” he said. “It’s important that my faith and work align. Nursing is about care every day, and volunteering extends that care into the community.”

His commitment has not gone unnoticed. Colleagues at Mercy Place Keon Park organised a donation drive, contributing more than $1,000 worth of essential goods for families affected by bushfires.

“We’re incredibly proud of Talwinder,” said Robert Gvojic, Precinct Manager at Mercy Place Keon Park. “His dedication inspired the team to donate blankets, doonas, clothes, toiletries and kitchen supplies. Knowing that around 900 people have received help from the group in January alone is something the whole Mercy team feels proud to support.”

The donated items continue to be distributed to affected households as recovery efforts go on.

‘Ordinary people doing extraordinary things’

For Talwinder, the experience has reinforced the strength of communities in crisis.

“Every trip out there reminds me how strongly communities pull together in times of crisis,” he said. “You see ordinary people doing extraordinary things and that makes all the travel, the late nights, and the heavy lifting worth it.”

In aged care, compassion is often talked about in the context of daily work. In moments like these, it shows up far beyond the workplace, carrying food, water and reassurance to people who need it most.