More than 170 Logan-based volunteers in the State Emergency Service (SES) spent four months this year preparing for the upcoming storm season.
If the next few months are anything like last year’s, the SES will be overworked helping to repair homes, remove debris from properties, and serve those in need.
As part of their preparations, the SES is asking residents to do their own part to help protect their homes and families.
“We ask residents to try and prepare their place by keeping gutters and downpipes clean of leaves and other blockages – get up on a ladder, or get someone from a maintenance company to do that,” SES director for south eastern region Scott Revell said.
“Remove debris and garden waste and secure loose items that are outdoors – we often see trampolines and things like that that are not secured.”
Mr Revell said leaking roofs were one of the most common callouts for the SES during storm season.
“Potentially a branch has hit a tile on the roof and will require a tarp to be put up, sometimes we get fallen trees on roofs as well,” he said.
“That’s why garden maintenance is really important – if there’s debris or loose branches or or even dead branches on trees, try and clear those.
“I understand that these things take time and money, but, where it’s possible, we ask residents to do as much preparation as they possibly can.”
He also urged residents to make an emergency plan and emergency kit including first aid, water bottles and a radio, and to avoid driving during and post a storm surge.
“If you don’t have to be out on the road, then don’t,” Mr Revell said.
From June to September this year, Logan’s SES volunteers ensured they were fully prepared to respond to “any jobs that occur”.
This included auditing equipment, training staff, completing the necessary qualifications, and ensuring everything was ready.
Across the south-east region, there are more than 800 volunteers.
But if a severe storm hits Logan again, as it did almost 12 months ago, there are more hands to help.
“It was a significant workload for us,” Mr Revell said.
“The great thing about being a state emergency service, is that we had we had all sorts of volunteers from right across the state come and assist us.
“We had volunteers from Logan go up to assist with the response to Tropical Cyclone Jasper, which happened late last year, and volunteers from the north come down to the Gold Coast, Logan, Ipswich areas to respond to the big storm.”
Mr Revell said the SES was there to help make your property liveable and safe during times of emergency.
While the SES is not a landscaping service, Mr Revell said the organisation was often flexible with how it helped residents during times of need.
“We had a tree branch fall across a driveway of an elderly resident,” he said.
“We made the decision that we would assist her because it was extremely difficult, her family was interstate, she was elderly, needed some assistance, and we had the capacity and the capability to do the job.
“It’s not something that we go around and advertise, but where we need to assist the public, we will.”
For non-life threatening flood and storm emergency assistance during severe weather events, call 132500, visit 132500.qld.gov.au or use the SES Assistance QLD App.
