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Protecting the Community - SEQ Deployment to Rockhampton October 2009

On Saturday 17th October, a second deployment of Rural Firefighters from SEQ along with Auxiliary crews from around the central and northern parts of the state were responded to Rockhampton as the fire started to impact on parts of the city. This page summarises the deployment of the 15 SEQ firies who came from various Brigades from Hellidon at the base of the Toowoomba ranges right down through to the Gold Coast hinterland. Three members from Ripley Valley RFB; Matt, Tony and George were part of the deployment which left Brisbane at 3.00PM. The deployment lasted 5 days and consisted of no less than three days of direct property protection, working closely with local Rural, Auxiliary and Urban crews. The deployment also worked with the NSW Firefighter contingent who arrived on the Monday night, 19th October. The success of the QFRS efforts at Rockhampton can be attributed to the great team work and mutual respect that existed between the different emergency services teams as well as the great support behind the scenes and over our heads with the aerial water bombing teams. This is the story through the eyes of the Ripley Valley RFB members who attended. There is also a mini movie about the deployment which can be accessed by Clicking Here.

It was actually a half an hour prior to landing on that first day that the deployment anxiety kicked in. We were approached by plane's flight attendant with a warning that due to the huge amount of smoke over the city, we may not be allowed to land.

Luckily visibility stayed sufficient for the plane to land and at 4.20PM the SEQ crew were greeted by an eerie sky over Rockhampton. Embers were even falling around the plane.

We were told in Brisbane prior to our departure that Day One would be a transit day and that Day Two would be operational. It was actually a case of straight to Rockhampton control, into your yellows in the carpark and immediate response for property protection at the south eastern suburbs that were adjacent to bushland at the base of Mt Archer.

The deployment crews were assigned to various Rural Appliances and given a local Rural firie as a guide. The fire was pulled up in suburban streets amongst scenes of panic and stress. The local guys had done a great job and luckily damage had been minimised. However the main body of the fire remained in the hills working its way north.

Matt at Rockonia Control on that first night with the hills glowing from burning timber.

Many suburbs in the hills at the base of the mountain were impacted by the fire as the night wore on such as Archers View. Narrow driveways into battle axe type blocks were common and the smaller Rural Medium Appliances were needed frequently to gain access.

At around 10.00PM, residents of the area around Forbes Avenue looked on at the fire creeping down a distant slope knowing that the next day it would reach their properties. All crews were retired by 1.00AM on Sunday 22nd October.

The front page of the Sunday Mail the next day was quite dramatic. Photo by Chris Ison.

At 8.00AM, crews were assembled again for deployment in Rural Appliances and generally paired up with a local. Matt and Tony were assigned to one medium and George was paired up with Chris from Kalbar RFB in another. They were turned out straight away to Forbes Avenue with houses already under threat from the fire. At that time of the morning, it was a fast moving grass fire that flared up occasionally with wind gusts.

 

We experienced true professionalism as fixed wind aircraft dropped fire retardant foams from what seemed like the top of roofs and trees to slow the fire and keep it of a low intensity. Matt and Chris experienced it up close and personal on more than one occasion.

George, Chris and Matt overlooking bushland at the back of Forbes Avenue in a brief break.

The fire was halted at the base of Forbes Avenue for several hours through the combined efforts of the water bombers and crews on the ground. With an auxiliary pumper and two rural appliances, over 300 metres of hose was utilised in an attempt at preventing the fire spreading around the slope.

Strangely there were no enthusiastic volunteers to make up.

At lunchtime, Chris and George in the mighty old Belmont 51 Canter were turned out to property under threat 20 minutes away along Yepoon Road on the north eastern outskirts of the city.

Away from the mountains, the fire had spread quickly in the predominantly open country spurned on by strong winds.

It was along Yepoon Road that many of the SEQ Deployment hoped from house to house in property protection mode. It was critical to keep the fire on the south eastern side of the road as well because the next fall back may well have been Mackay.

The fuel load at several creeks and swamps caused the fire to kick up considerable smoke.

A track that runs off Access Road 9, the Eastern track, was chosen to halt to fires northerly spread at ~4.00PM.

Chris topping up from a 60,000 litre tanker. Everything is big in the north!

Helicopters with bambi buckets were kept busy with property protection.

It became a race to get the back burn in before the fire reached yet another rural property.

Multiple Rural and Auxiliary Appliances managed to pull up the fire by 6.00PM.

Unfortunately, the fire had jumped containment lines due to strong winds back at Forbes Avenue with another 30-40 houses impacted by flame heights between 3 and 5 metres. Whilst crews were able to protect all houses, the full extent of the damage became evident at first light the next morning.

Day three, Monday 19th saw us monitoring the fire edge for flare ups and blacking out. The ICC at Rockhampton was now in full swing and included another visitor from the south east. Corey is a staff member at Ipswich Area Office and did a great job as one of the Logistics crew.

The Crew from SEQ.

The slope of the land around the dwellings on Forbes Avenue as well as the build up of fuel at some properties had been a recipe for disaster. This single lane drive way led to a beautiful house on a ridge line. Once again, the rural crew on scene were luckily able save the property but must have had a wild time.

The SEQ Crew were split up as support crews with Auxiliary units that had been brought in from around the region. Matt and george teamed up with Russell, a Auxiliary Lieutenant from Gladstone and Dean from Cairns in 244Z.

With just a few flare-ups reported, it was an easier day to help unwind.

We did come across some strange sites in the ashes. The remnants of a chainsaw still in a tree.

It was a great way to learn new skills and share experiences which typified the great team work that was enjoyed by all.

 

As per usual, there were many people behind the scenes that helped the success of the whole team.

Thank God for the Salvos.

Day Four saw the team reunite at the staging area at Norman Road Control. During the night, a contingent of about 30 firefighters from New South Wales had flown into Rocky and there was talk of an early return for the SEQ crew. The progress of the fire around the back of the mountain and encroach onto the northern suburbs of Rockhampton meant that all hands were required. Generally the same crews were combined as the day before with the NSW team being paired off with locals in Rural appliances. Property protection was required at first light and the new teams were phased in as vehicles became available.

The suburbs being impacted by the fire were generally newer and had less garden growth which assisted in the fire fighting. Winds were light also enabling some back burning.

 

Once again; foam from the sky minimised the fire and helped save the day. Thanks for the photo Chris.

Once again; the combined efforts of all teams worked well and protected all property. Thanks for the photo Ray.

It was back to Norman Road Control to swap stories and have a break. After lunch it was back to blacking out, oh joy.

A property high in the hills surrounded by a sea of black.

Luckily it appeared much of the wildlife were able to seek refuge in pockets of unburnt ground and neighboring back yards.

On Day Five, we were stood down and flown home. The deployment was a great experience for the team and we took away many fond memories, new skills and new friendships.

The following aerial photos were donated by Chris Ison from The Bulletin in Rockhampton.

The Bulletin also summarised the timeline of the fire over the days of the deployment.

 

 

 

...and last but not least; our resident model firefighter Tony featured on the front page of the paper the day we departed.

 

 

 

 

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