European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 10, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the tars and stripes monday january 10,1994 winds feed Australia s firestorm hundreds More forced to evacuate a police officer carries an elderly Man during the evacuation saturday of a nursing Home near Sydney Australia As Bush fires continued to ravage the area. Sydney Australia a. Summer Forest fires raging outside Sydney flared dramatically sunday when the winds shifted and became stronger. Hundreds More people had to flee their Homes be fore the winds died Down. Four people including two firefighters have been killed and More than 60 hospitalized since last monday. Thousands have been evacuated or left stranded after major highways and railroads were Cut by smoke and flames. Some 150 houses and other buildings have been destroyed. Police say Many fires were started by arsonists. They have arrested 11 people for lighting fires and have been run dated with alleged sightings of arsonists by the Public. On saturday the huge fires came to within five Miles of downtown Sydney Australia s largest City with 3.6 million people. Erratic winds of up to 30 Mph sunday whipped up huge blazes in National Parks on opposite sides of Sydney. The residents of seven Northern suburbs were told to evacuate or prepare for the worst by Nightfall after one fire jumped a Road. Several Small communities on Sydney s Southern outskirts were evacuated. Witnesses said flames reached 30 feet High in some spots. Towering smoke plumes darkened the sky. At one Point flames came perilously close to Sydney s main International satellite communication facility. Helicopters scooped water from near by lakes and reservoirs and dumped water on the flames. Fire Crews burned Forest litter and vegetation to slow Treadvance of the blazes. Both the winds and the flames ease soon after Sundown sunday. The department of Bushfire services warned that without rain 135 separate fires burning across 1.2 million acres of Forest and Grassland in new South Wales state might rage on for Many Days. What we need is a Good heavy Down pour to put them out said department spokesman Kevin o Donoghue. Huge fires also burned in tinder dry Forest in the Blue mountains 50 mile West of Sydney. Thousands of people who spent sat urday night in makeshift evacuation Shel ters returned sunday to undamaged houses but some came Back to ashes arid rubble. The blazes also were taking their toll on the More than 7,000 firefighters and400 military personnel who Nave been working 18-hour shifts for six Days. It is beyond comprehension fire fighter Larry Cook said. Families from Page 1 assistant Secretary of defense for health affairs was held to research How the military draw Down has affected health care for americans in european medical facilities. Martin s staff various members of Congress and the National military family association have been deluge recently with More than 500 letters from people in Europe eligible for military health care who claim the Quality and Access have declined with fewer medical person Nel and facilities. More than 500 service member aft family Mem Bers military retirees and defense depart ment civilians packed the Chapel to hear Martin answers to thorny health care questions. Your problems Are not being met Martin told the audience. We have to find a  whatever solution comes will not include More doctors and nurses he said because of the budget cutting mood of the Congress and the military draw Down i Europe. But Martin said an Swers Are available and the senior leadership in Europe is committed to finding solutions to these  Widugiris said her horror Story unfolded when she was admitted for 10 Days Early last year to a German Hospital in Wiesbaden. There i c k ? & translator to visit american a treated sooner at the 97th, the doctors there might be tents and Helip them when they Are admitted to local been Able to Stop the labor and Ashley could be been hospitals. Such a program would have helped wid Ugi born later and in no a y wu1u pc a Conns Martin said. We recognize we Are responsible for people being treated on the econ my Martin said. Generally German health care is excellent. Sometimes it is Superb. But some people have experienced problems Ingerman hospitals Merva complained that the Lack of compassion an care at the army s former 97th general Hospital in Frankfurt May have contributed to the death of her army maj. Marc Dumas raises language problems and dug Iris said she was subjected to sexual harassment poor care discrimination. When 1 arrived i was put in a hallway at the end of the floor she said. I was told since i was an american that s All i deserved. A German patient would come up to me at night and try to pull my clothes off and when complained to the nurses they told me to ignore it. Everywhere i went i heard foreigner jokes and was called an austins or Widugiris added. They eve started painting  Many military communities have started an advocacy a question saturday during a meeting on health care in Wiesbaden daughter Ashley Nichole. The 97th is now designated Aeed is the 51st combat support Hospital. I went into labor three months premature " Merva said. My husband took me to the 97th, but they made me wait in the car for More than two hours. The contractions were coming three minutes apart after two hours they finally Jet me come in. They called an ambulance and took me to a German Hospital. My daughter was born the next Day she continued Twenty two Days later she died from kidney failure the German doctors told me that if i d been born later and lived Merva said. Details about Merva s allegations were not imme Deatley available from the military although a spokeswoman for the army s 7th medical come con firmed that an official investigation is being conducted. At the time of Merva s delivery there was a shortage of obstetrical staff at the 97th general and family members were being referred to a Host nation facility said Barbara Slifer of the 7th medical come. Accord ing to Hospital policy in an emergency the patient is stabilized and transported to a facility on the Economy. Many at the meeting especially teachers with the department of defense dependents schools other civilians and family members also complained about Access to medical care. In response to complaints about Access Martin said Mil itary facilities Are mandated to treat Active duty people and their family members be fore defense department civilians and military retirees and their family members. However an american insurance program honoured by German medical facilities could help defense depart ment civilians who Are unable to be treated in a military facility he said. Despite Martin s suggestions some in the audience were sceptical. Seemed like the same old hot potato was being tossed around said one military member. We re not getting any  Joanna Stockton a Dodds teacher and the Wiesbaden representative of the National military Fame i Iel association Felt enc our problems she Saiof he c3me to hasten to our Martin said he was t surprised at the Anser and frustration shown by Many in the audience no Ith Are issues Are la Honing rods he said. We needed to have these meetings. These Are our people these Are our problems and we need to fix them other scheduled town meetings Are at the Central Chape in Vicenza Italy at 7 . Today and at thl offi cers club at Pitburg a Germany at 7  wednes a is is v 1i