Council staff, emergency workers earn mayor’s praise

Mayor Tom Tate has paid tribute to the hard work and sacrifice of council staff and emergency services workers who have toiled around he clock to help the city recover from the deadly Christmas storm.

Thousands of Gold Coasters remain without power a week after the storms and a tornado ripped through the city.

Council, Energex and State Emergency Service (SES) staff were mobilised rapidly to bring relief to residents without power and with damaged or destroyed houses.

Mr Tate said they had gone “above and beyond” to help their neighbours during the festive season.

“Whether they have been cleaning up debris, delivering bins, keeping our water running, providing relief or co-ordinating our response, I thank them all for their efforts,” he said.

“They have shelved their holiday plans to help our community and it has been exceptional.”

Mayor Tate said the crews will continue to be out in the community every day until the work was done.

“It has been a very tough week and we know that for many people, it has felt like the response hasn’t been fast enough, but it will take time and we thank you for your patience and support.

“We also need to manage fatigue for our teams so that they can continue to work safely.”

Mr Tate said council was finalising plans for a giant kerbside clean-up program to help remove the debris.

“We have had to prioritise public spaces to ensure our roads, parks and facilities are safe and operating,” he said. “Until we have that plan finalised, residents may place these items neatly on the kerb. Please separate the storm debris and green waste and ensure safe pedestrian access is maintained.”

Council CEO Tim Baker said he was “incredibly proud of the hundreds of staff who did not hesitate to roll up their sleeves from day one” despite many being on holidays.