By Friday, February 25, the residents of SE Queensland and particularly the suburbs of Brisbane knew they were in a flood emergency.
Of course, it had been raining for days and other areas of Queensland further to the north had already experienced major flooding.
On that day (February 25) and following a request by Queensland Police, the ADF commenced support for rescue efforts of civilians and Australian Army MRH-90 Taipan helicopters assisted the rescue of community members trapped in flood-affected areas.
As a major weather system moved toward the coast from the Coral Sea, it had also become clear to the emergency services that Northern NSW would be next in the storms firing line.
Brigadier Robert Lording, Commander of ‘ADF Operation Flood Assist 22’ for the NSW Northern Rivers Region said the first request for assistance came from the NSW State Emergency Services.
“By Saturday February 26, the SES were aware there was going to be a flood emergency develop and they were quickly onto it, requesting ADF assistance to doorknock residents and provide other logistical aid”, said the Brigadier.
That initial aid came the following day via Reserve troops from the 41st Battalion based at Tweed Heads, Lismore, Grafton and Coffs Harbour.
Under emergency situations, local ADF commanders have authority to mobilise assistance to other government agencies at a very local level and without the requirement for higher approval.
“In fact, in the Northern Rivers region of NSW we have a 200 strong contingent of Reservists who can mobilise within 72 hours once a situation is realised”, said Brigadier Lording.
This initial response is known as a DACC 1 or ‘Defence Aid to Civil Command’. At the level of DAC 2 a formal request for full ADF assistance would have been received.
Remembering that whilst weather conditions were beginning to deteriorate in the Northern Rivers region, Brisbane and SE Queensland were experiencing a battering, and the ADF were in the midst of a very major rescue event, with Navy and Air Force working alongside Army personnel.
Air Force P-8A Poseidon aircraft from South Australia were called upon to provide aerial surveillance support to the Queensland Government about flood and damage assessments. And since the flood water has subsided Navy ships HMAS Shepparton, HMAS Yarra and Clearance Diving Team Four have conducted hydrographic survey and clearance of sub-surface obstructions in the Brisbane River and Moreton Bay.
By Tuesday March 1, the ADF had assembled a force of several hundred under the code named ‘Operation Flood Assist 22’ it covered SE Queensland, Northern NSW and down to the Sydney metropolitan area (which was also soon to be impacted by the east coast low which had developed).
That force (which included 100 soldiers based in SA) moved to the Northern Rivers from Sydney but were unable to proceed past Grafton due to road closures.
Brigadier Lording said there was some criticism of the speed at which the ADF moved but mobilising several hundred soldiers and the coordination involved does take time.
The strike force now found itself in the situation that they were unable to move north of Grafton via road but had to rely on airlifting crews into flood areas.
Prior to the arrival of troops from Sydney, ADF helicopter crews were kept busy on Monday February 28 and Tuesday March 1 with a number of rescue missions, resulting in 17 people rescued across a variety of locations including Woodburn, Dunoon, Bungawalbin, Upper Wilsons Creek, Kyogle, Swan River and Upper Main Arm.
Air Force P-8A Poseidon aircraft also provided aerial surveillance and imagery support into flood-affected regions.
Once in the region, ADF bases were established at Tweed Heads, Byron Bay, Lismore, Evans Head, Casino, Grafton and Coffs Harbour. There were also numerous isolated locations into which soldiers were airlifted, to help smaller communities and in several instances, residents in single isolated dwellings.
“One situation that comes to mind, said Brigadier Lording, was Broadwater which was totally isolated, and we managed to get in 30 soldiers who spent eight or nine days in the community, assisting in any way called upon.”
“They lived on combat rations provided and camped in whatever accommodation was available.”
Once established, the ADF is self-sustained.
“We are conscious of not placing a drain on local communities and come into an area with little or no impact on the local infrastructure,” said Brigadier Lording.
The bases set up at Lismore, Evans Head and Casino included field kitchens and there were ‘tent cities’ to house soldiers.
Ablution blocks with full shower and washing facilities are moved onto site and even laundry does not present a problem.
“The ADF has a long logistic tail, and we are very self-sufficient,” said Brigadier Lording.
With infrastructure in place and the initial search and rescue winding down, the real work had started…. the massive clean-up.
“We are able to bring a vast range of equipment into any emergency situation and this was no exception.”
By now, ‘Operation Flood Assist 22’ was in full swing and whilst the initial onus was on search and rescue, the ADF would be called upon with their range of equipment to assist in the eventual clean up.
The ADF have heavy equipment like the 8-wheel HX77 truck with a lowering platform, ideal for collecting debris, through to loaders and bulldozers, dump trucks and small skidders.
“But it is not only the heavy-duty jobs we are called on to tackle, but we also bring a range of hand tools, shovels, rakes, chain saws, wheelbarrows, and even hammer and nails.”
All contingencies are considered, if the ADF do not have a particular item, they call on their suppliers to provide it; additional gumboots for example, were procured once on site.
The flood emergency was not the only time in the recent past that ADF has visited the Clarence Valley; they assisted in the bushfires of a couple of years ago.
“The ADF has an important role in assisting other agencies and the community during times of natural disasters,” said Brigadier Lording.
The community have been very positive about our involvement, as have the media. It is very reassuring to see the locals acknowledge our presence, they wave to us or give a toot on their car horns, and I know our troops are very appreciative of the goodwill toward them.”
Of cause, the Brigadier is a realist and understands the frustration of some locals during the emergency.
“There has been the occasional negative response, but we fully understand residents have gone through a great amount of trauma. It is only normal that if you have been waiting for assistance in an isolated community or farmhouse and there has been a delay, you may well be upset.”
“I don’t believe any negativity has been aimed so much at those assisting but is the result of the frustration and uncertainty being experienced.”
Up until this week, ADF personnel have been on the ground in just about every community in the Northern Rivers.
They have conducted hundreds of rescues in communities large and small, from regional centres to villages and individual farmhouses.
They have been involved in a host of exercises, from clearing landslips to stabilising buildings to clearing rubbish and debris. They have doorknocked, provided transportation, and assisted in whatever was asked of them.
Brigadier Lording said he will take away many memories from the operation.
“Just little things like when our troops assisted in the clean-up of Our Lady Help of Christians primary school at Lismore. Some time ago year six students had each written a letter about their future and they contained them in a box. The students and teacher thought the letters had succumbed to the flood but during the clean-up we were able to locate the box and I can tell you; the students were very appreciative and emotional. It was the sort of thing which could easily bring a tear to your eyes.”
“Another thing which comes to mind was when four of my soldiers were winched into an isolated dwelling at around 8pm one night, it took some time to conduct the rescue, but they emerged with three very happy elderly residents. There were plenty of examples like this.”
Brigadier Lording related once again the Broadwater involvement of 30 troops.
“After eight or nine days, they really did become part the community and I understand there were plenty in the community who wanted them to stay a little longer.”
The Broadwater community gathered for a BBQ for the troops when they departed last week.
At the time of publication, there were more than 3600 ADF personnel providing flood recovery assistance within the Northern Rivers. At the operations peak there were 4100 in the area of operation. As the ADF’s tasks are completed it is expected that the number will continue to fall over the coming days.