January 4th, 2024Vic emergency services supporting Qld storm response
More than 110 Victorian emergency management personnel have travelled to Queensland to support local emergency services with flood and storm response efforts over recent days.
Ten SES storm trucks and one support vehicle departed from Wodonga on Friday December 29 and were joined by remaining personnel flying from Melbourne Airport on Saturday, 30 December.
Devastating and dangerous flood and storms impacted parts of south-east Queensland during the peak of the event, from 25-26 December 2023.
The flood and storms have impacted essential services including power, with more than 900 power lines down, resulting in power cuts to more than 91,000 homes on the Gold Coast. Approximately 40 per cent of homes impacted in south-east Queensland are still without power.
Earlier this week, Victorian personnel were travelling to Pimpama near the Gold Coast to undertake tree removal and temporary roof repairs with specialised skills in chainsaw operations and safe working at heights.
The Victorian team includes 67 from Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES), 41 from Country Fire Authority, two from Forest Fire Management and one person from Emergency Management Victoria.
An Incident Management Team consisting of an Incident Controller and planning, logistics and operations officers will work closely with local crews.
Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent: “My sincere thanks to our volunteers who have made the commitment to support Queensland emergency services and their local communities impacted by the recent devastating and destructive storms, particularly during the holiday period.”
“It is a representation of the kind of unwavering support that our wonderful emergency management personnel provide and we have within Victoria.”
VICSES Chief Officer Operations, Tim Wiebusch: “We would like to thank everyone involved in the deployments to support our colleagues and communities up north, as well as those who remain behind to continue to prepare and protect our communities in Victoria.
“Our emergency responders work as one, in Victoria and across the nation and we will continue to provide support wherever we can.”
