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Protecting the Community - Support following Severe Storms Over Brisbane

On Monday 17th November 2008, the Brigade sent RV51 and RV52 to Brisbane to support an SES effort in assisting the communities in the immediate aftermath of the terrible storms of the day before. The shear size of the devastation meant that the Ripley Valley crews were actually sent door to door in effected areas of The Gap, a leafy suburb to the west of Brisbane, to perform initial emergency assessments only with subsequent clean-up and repair activities to occur over the days that followed. No time for chain saw clearing. As well as crews from various Urban stations, volunteers from the Rural Fire Service as far away as Maleny joined the efforts to support the SES. Soldiers from the nearby Enoggera Barracks also started to arrive on scene to assist.

What this actually meant for us is that we were for many residents, the first formal contact with any emergency services personnel. We found people still in a state of shock and needing to know that someone cared. We found elderly people at home, some alone looking out of holes in their roofs standing in water inside their own lounge rooms. We did what we could but it was obviously a very big event. In the beginning, there were no direct communications with Incident Control (IC). No phones, no power, no VHF radio reception. The only radios that worked were the UHF radios and as a sector leader, we had to communicate all of the most serious cases back to IC via Firecom Brisbane.

On the Tuesday we started to plan for a two day strike-force being put together for Wednesday & Thursday. Obviously organization was better at that stage with many crews coming in from all over the state. However; on the field on Wednesday morning, it was quickly evident that there remained a great many people in immediate need of the bare essentials such as securing of their houses etc. Our task was to go in ahead of the SES tarp crews and clear their paths, identify any residents who needed extra help etc. We still came across many people who just needed to talk about their experiences to try and get control of their feelings and so our roles entered many new areas of support.

Just getting to the main damage areas was a challenge due to storm damage and the lack of traffic lights.

That was the Monday and it was clear that this event would need a considerable effort to stabilize the situation and a much greater time frame to repair the damage. Estimates were already coming in that compared this storm damage with that of Cyclone Larry in 2006. A two day strike team was then planned for Wednesday and Thursday with Rural Crews called in from as far away as Stanthorpe and Pratton west of Warwick to assist. The goal of the Rural crews was to clear any debris that was in the way of the SES teams deploying tarps to house-holds. The following photos illustrate the utter devastation encountered across a wide area covering several suburbs ranging from Redbank Plains in the west through to the Sunshine Coast with The Gap as the 'Epicenter.'

Assembling the Strike Teams at SES Headquarters in Newmarket.

Briefings being given by Sector Commanders.

On location, planning the work ahead.

Even after three days, getting around The Gap was a challenge.

Some streets were lined with roofs and everything else caught in the wind sheer. In one street, an entire house was completely demolished.

Hollywood George meets Channel 10

Wind damaged property in many frightening ways.

 

Brendan at the rear of a house which was unfortunately now no longer liveable in.

Jungle Jim trying to gain access to a house covered in debris.

 

It is when you enter someone’s home with their belonging ruined around them, you help them in simple ways where ever you can and you realize exactly what it is about being a volunteer Rural Fighter that can make a difference to others as well as within our own lives. The sounds of many distant chainsaws and people starting to talk and laugh, the whole hearted thanks from strangers, the roaming squads of concerned citizens with food and drinks all reflected the best of human nature in the aftermath. We were glad to have been able to help.

A truly frightening situation occurred where a roof of one particular house was blown off and sliced through a power pole and demolished a string of vehicles in a street.

The Ripley Valley units (RV51, RV52 and RV91) were assigned to Bravo Sector along with crews from Brookfield and Gatton. Our primary task was to check for residents who needed tarps and clear the way for the SES crews.

Many houses had trees still leaning on them, some could be handled by the Rural Fire Service. Some could not.

Some trees were just too big.

Damage to property was as random as it was severe.

 

Liaising with the Army who were also out in force.

Bravo Sector joined up with the Dept of Natural Resources.

Squirt and Bowlsie bringing a tree down in the right direction.

Absolutely buggered at the end of the day.

....and along came the SES; another tired crew who had been at it for quite a while.

 

The crews were put up for the night at a nearby motel which was first class.

The Ripley Crew out for some dinner - from left: Danny, Techno Matt, Tony, Bowlsie, Hollywood George, Jungle Jim, Brendan, Squirt, Matt M and Steve. Confucius says: Beware of Thai food guys!

On the second day, we were awoken early by another night of storms which had flooded the Ipswich, Rosewood and Gatton areas. With additional crews arriving to help the residents of The Gap, the Ripley Crew was turned back home to help. Once again, the Brigade supported the local SES where ever possible.

Whilst sand bagging isn't our best skill set; it was just the start of another long day.

But that is another story; just Click Here.

To see what the storm was like for the residents, Click Here for a You Tube submission worth a look.

We have also added a Short Movie about our experiences in the Rural fire service including our time in the aftermath of the storms and this can be accessed by Clicking Here.

Thanks to Matt Carter for sending in some of his photos.