Help – any way you slice it — Domino's Newsroom

It has been a summer few Australians are ever likely to forget.

Bushfires have cast a dark, often terrifying, shadow across large parts of the country and with some 700 Australian Domino’s stores – many in regional areas – and more than 20,000 staff, we have not been immune to the danger or the devastation.

Behind-the-scenes, there are Domino’s team members who are also serving as volunteer firefighters, countless stores working round-the-clock to ensure evacuees and emergency crews receive a hot meal, and many more who are holding fundraisers to support the recovery effort.

Below are just a few examples of ‘Dominoids’ determined to do their bit for their local communities during the bushfire crisis.

From the makeline to the frontline

The residents of Wauchope in country NSW are no strangers to bushfire risk.

But things got a bit too personal for Domino’s Wauchope Store Manager and volunteer firefighter Natthan Bruce this season.

“I knew I had to help when my Nan's place was in the path of the fire,” he says.

“We had to close the store for a day because so many staff were living in fire-threatened areas. It's important to put business aside and look after staff welfare. Luckily, all staff are doing well, but fire got within 100 meters of some properties.”

The extreme conditions, which sadly resulted in loss of life, were confronting for even experienced emergency personnel.

“I have never seen fire move so quickly – ever,” Natthan says. “I went down to Johns River as part of a strike team to battle the fire and became stuck in a fire overrun with our crew – that's when fire is impacting the fire truck and the crew is trapped inside.

“You know it's bad when trucks are out of water and you have to park the one truck with water in the middle to protect the other trucks.”

Meanwhile, Natthan’s fellow Manager – and wife – Kara was expertly co-ordinating another type of support effort at the store.

“Without her none of this would be possible. She takes on the full responsibility of the store and our three kids and nails it,” Natthan says.

“I try to always stay in contact with her while I'm out, but reception is a massive issue. So, sometimes she might not hear from me for 12 hours.

“She will be running the store again this week as I head south to help with the fires for five days.”

Natthan says while it can be tricky juggling the demands of volunteer firefighting and managing a store (“the pager can go off at any time, day or night”) he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“The proudest moment is definitely being able to tell people that their home has been saved.”

Comfort food (or how to feed 850 surprise guests)

A quiet New Year. Staff away enjoying holidays. Stock order done. And now hundreds of people fleeing bushfires headed to your town.

That was the surreal situation facing Domino’s Franchisee Owen Satchell recently when Wagga Wagga, in NSW, became an official evacuation centre for people affected by fires on the coast.

“It’s usually one of the quietest weeks of the year,” Owen says. “But we knew we needed to do something to contribute.

“We put up a Facebook post offering free pizza to anyone that had been evacuated.”

Once officially registered, evacuees were given an ID card that they could use to show staff to receive the free pizza (supported by Domino’s registered charity Give for Good).

“It’s been pretty hectic,” Owen says. “There’s been a lot of 50+ pizza orders for various different Rural Fire Service groups and the evacuation centres, but the majority have just been walk-ins. We have given away well over 850 pizzas.

“It’s been a lot of long hours, but I’ve never been prouder to wear my Domino’s uniform.”

More than just pizza

They say a crisis reveals your true colours – even when you’re Australia’s largest pizza chain.

“I think people were a bit surprised that a big national brand is actually community-focused,” says Wangaratta Franchisee Daniel Kovincic of the assistance Domino’s provided to those affected by fires in North East Victoria.

Daniel and his team, with the support of Give for Good, have been delivering hot meals to evacuees and fire crews, along with slabs of water for nearby small towns.

They also recently raised $904 for local fire fighters through a fundraiser at the store.

“I had been watching the devastation that was unfolding elsewhere in Australia and feeling helpless, so when the fires started affecting our community and evacuations were called, I knew I had an obligation to give back,” Daniel says.

“I'm so proud of my team. They did all this not because they were told to, but because they wanted to help.”

LET OUR KITCHEN BE YOUR KITCHEN

If you’ve been affected by bushfires, let us give you one less thing to worry about – a hot meal. We are offering free pizza to anyone affected by the bushfire crisis, including evacuees, fire fighters and volunteers. Simply speak to the team at your nearest Domino’s and we’ll help in whatever way we can.

JANUARY BUSHFIRE APPEAL

For the month of January, all funds received via our Round Up For Charity initiative will be donated directly to the Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund, assisting thousands of Australians impacted by the Bushfire Crisis.

You can Round Up For Charity by simply ticking the ‘Round Up’ box at the payment page of your next Domino’s order.