Tuross and Batemans Bay join Regional volunteers boost Sydney flood emergency operations

More than 30 Marine Rescue NSW volunteers and seven rescue vessels from regional NSW will assemble in Sydney to bolster flood support operations.

The out-of-area crews and vessels will join their colleagues from MRNSW units in Sydney, ready to perform evacuations and other support operations as the flood emergency spreads across Greater Sydney.

Volunteers from Marine Rescue Central Coast, Norah Head and Port Kembla will be the first on scene, with crews from the Alpine Lakes, Merimbula, Tuross and Batemans Bay left their home bases to head north first thing in this morning.

This will make for a total MRNSW commitment of 13 vessels, including volunteers and assets from the Hawkesbury, Cottage Point and Botany Port Hacking units.

MRNSW Commissioner Stacey Tannos said rain was expected to intensify and flooding to worsen across the city.

“We have planning in place to deploy our crews wherever they are needed across the metropolitan area but particularly in western Sydney on the Nepean/Hawkesbury,” he said.

“Many residents on the upper reaches of the Hawkesbury do not have any road access to their homes so if flooding worsens, they will have no avenue of escape other than the river.

“Our volunteers will be ready to help in any way they are needed, whether that is evacuating residents, transporting medical or other supplies or providing logistical or other assistance to the SES, other emergency services or local authorities.”

MRNSW volunteers from six units – MR Port Macquarie, Camden Haven, Crowdy Harrington and three out-of-area crews from MR Ulladulla, Broken Bay and Tuggerah Lakes - have been working to provide flood support on the Mid North Coast since Friday night.

The Commissioner said crews had evacuated residents, including a six-month-old baby and a 93-year-old woman, from flooded and isolated homes and caravan parks, secured boats and a sea plane washed off moorings and cleared hazardous debris from around vessel moorings.

“Importantly, they have also helped maintain essential community infrastructure, transporting council personnel to repair a broken cable on the Settlement Point ferry at Port Macquarie and inspect a wastewater treatment plant upstream on the flooded Manning River at Taree,” he said.

Commissioner Tannos thanked all the MRNSW volunteers who had been operating in difficult conditions on hazardous waterways, as well as those maintaining the service’s regular services, over the weekend.

“Our volunteers are committed to serving and assisting our community whenever and wherever they are called upon. I particularly thank the volunteers who have left and are leaving their homes to travel to areas far afield to support people caught in this worsening flood emergency,” he said.

Volunteers from Marine Rescue Tuross are heading to Sydney this morning with the Tuross Lake boat TU12 to assist with flood relief. They will be stationed at SES in Blacktown. Pictured are Harley Moss and Blaise Madden. Wayne Ellison is also accompanying them. Unit Commander Alan Blessington has further volunteers on standby for travel tomorrow, whilst balancing the need for members to be available for local issues as flood levels rise. Photo: Marine Rescue Tuross