Ready in any disaster
When Debbie dumped her devastation, it wasn’t long until our region felt her wrath
THE Toowoomba region is poised for a summer of extremes – fires in some parts where dry earth has baked hard, heavy rains in others and with rolling thunderstorms the risk of hail and destructive winds.
In some respects the city has endured its share of Tropical Cyclone Debbie’s fury though minor in contrast to the utter destruction seen the length of Queensland’s east coast.
The monster storm’s impact was felt in the winter when dry arid conditions increased the bushfire risk to such an extent, permits were cancelled and campfires banned in all national parks.
Back-burning operations were frequent; smoke haze a common sight and residents with respiratory conditions warned to keep medications on standby.
But in the days and weeks after Debbie made landfall on the coast, the outlying Toowoomba regions felt her flooded fury with high rainfalls triggering responses from the State Emergency Service.
“Warwick got a reasonable bit of rain from it,” SES Area Controller Ian Phipps said.
“The Warwick groups were out doing door knocks and checking on people’s welfare and responding to jobs in that period.
“The Lockyer Valley got rain and a bit of damage, but it wasn’t as bad as predicted which was quite a blessing.”
Toowoomba, for the most part, was spared but the city’s SES volunteers and those in groups which make up the sprawling southwest contingents rallied and were readied.
Ten SES groups are spread across the region in Clifton, Cambooya, Cecil Plains, Crows Nest, Goombungee, Millmerran, Oakey, Pittsworth, Quinalow, Yarraman and one in Toowoomba. They’re manned by more than 40 volunteers. Across the southwest, the number climbs to 40 groups.
“Not all can respond at any one time,” Mr Phipps said.
“These people are volunteers who give up their time and their bed at night to help where it is needed. The groups are prepared and have done their pre-season training.
“We’ve got the equipment stocked and a number (of members) have just done their updated training for the storm season.”
Safety remains the priority of the SES for its members and residents are implored to take steps as they can to make their homes ready to reduce the reliance on crews.
“We have seen a significant number of the community take steps to get ready, but there are still pockets who leave it to the last minute,” Mr Phipps said.