Army’s role ‘a lifesaver’
A SENIOR police officer believes there would have been more deaths during the Townsville flooding crisis had it not been for the availability of the army.
Inspector Damian Irvine said on the night of February 3 when the spill gates were opened 100 per cent, about 1300 triple-0 calls were made in two hours, and at one point there were 700 calls for service.
Police were unable to use patrol cars at the height of the floods, instead using army vehicles and Townsville City Council tip trucks to access properties cut by rising water.
The use of the Defence and council vehicles no doubt saved lives, he said.
Two men died in the flood disaster, while a woman in her 50s has since died from bacteria infection melioidosis.
Hughie Morton and Troy Mathieson drowned in floodwaters in the early hours of Sunday February 3. Their bodies were found in a stormwater drain at Aitkenvale.
It is believed the pair jumped into floodwaters to avoid police after fleeing an alleged break-in at a bottle shop.
There are also grave fears for Home Hill man Justin Scott, who remains missing in floodwaters at Groper Creek after vanishing a week ago yesterday.
“We’re very, very lucky that we are a garrison town because the effort and assistance given to us by the military; I’ve never seen anything like it,” Insp Irvine said.
“If the military hadn’t mobilised as quick as they did, and thrown the assets … the machinery, equipment and staff, thrown that at us as quick as they did, (more) people would have died.
“I have no doubt, if this happened in a same-sized town somewhere else, without the military support we have here it would have been a whole different outcome.”
The Australian Defence Force used a variety of capabilities including heavy and medium transport vehicles, armoured vehicles, inflatable and small boats, helicopters and strategic air.
Insp Irvine also praised young duty officers who were on the ground when it was all hands on deck.
“The decision making and the efforts and things that young police officers with very little service did over the last couple of weeks is unbelievable,” Insp Irvine said. “We had junior officers making decisions that saved people’s lives.”