Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Strike Teams have hit the streets to help residents struggling to deal with flood damage to their homes as floodwaters recede.
The firefighters have been helping neighbourhoods around Tuggerah lakes and other areas of the Central Coast as well as the Hawkesbury region to mop up water, hose out silt and move ruined furniture from flood-damaged homes.
Three teams have been following up damage reports, offering a hand and at Chittaway Bay fire crews were even cleaning up weed and wrack washed up into their backyards.
Fire and Rescue NSW Strike Team Leader, Inspector Bob Mey, said the teams were following up flood assessments and investigating silt and mud damage, with about a metre of flood water inundating some properties.
“I’ve got my crews doorknocking and cleaning out, hosing driveways and inside houses and helping wherever they can,” he said.
“The damage is quite excessive we’ve had floodwaters come up to a metre high in some of the houses so that’s caused quite a bit of damage.
“We’ve had seaweed and all sorts of debris throughout the houses.
“Our crews are mainly helping with removing rubbish and any of the damaged goods from inside the houses and putting them on the kerb for Council pick-up.
“They’re also assisting to wash out all the mud and any other debris from inside,” Inspector Mey said.
Resident Rachael Stanton said the help was “pretty special”.
“We’ve actually been out of home since the first flood in February/March because we didn’t have any help after that flood,” she said.
“To have the help now and to have it so quickly, within a matter of days from the flood, and to have everything taken out in one afternoon, well, it’s obviously devastating but just a sigh of relief to have people help us and then we can move on with our lives now.
“We’ve had an army of firefighters and even members of the local football clubs to help out all around our community.
“It’s a really special community that’s come out to help us and no-one blinked an eye when I asked for help, yeah, really amazing.
“When it comes to the firies, many hands make light work, and they’ve done it in about two hours.
“The flood went pretty high, above my hips, so we lost everything but they’ve cleared it all out and everyone’s been here to help.
“Now we can just clean up and keep going,” Rachael said.
Sue Murray