The Bellingen Shire Courier-Sun sincerely apologises for not mentioning in last week’s paper the wide range of agencies, many staffed by dedicated volunteers, who helped our community recover after the fierce storm of December 20.
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Our story, ‘Mega cleanup after storm’, noted the hard work of Bellingen Shire Council and Essential Energy staff, but should have also acknowledged the sterling efforts of the State Emergency Services teams from Bellingen, Dorrigo, Urunga, Nambucca, Coffs and Corindi, as well as Rural Fire Service units, NSW Fire and Rescue crews and Coffs Harbour City Council workers.
NSW SES Coffs Coast Local Commander Bill Roffey coordinated the response, which involved more than 150 requests for assistance.
He said Bellingen was the epicentre for the intense storm, which swept down the mountains, out through Urunga and north as far as Sandy Beach.
SES crews from Urunga and Dorrigo trying to reach Bellingen to render assistance first had to deal with fallen trees blocking their path.
“Both SES units, plus RFS and council, were out there trying to get the crews into Bellingen,” Bill said. “One of the locals I spoke to in Bellingen said it was the worst storm they’d experienced in their 28 years living there.
“A huge tree came down in Fernmount and virtually took out a whole house. It fell right in the middle of the family’s lounge room while they were watching television. It’s a wonder no one was killed.”
Bellingen SES received their first call for assistance at 10pm on Thursday December 20 and had crews of volunteers in the field from 11.30pm onwards, with over 60 jobs logged over the following days.
“As the combat agency, we activated council, tree contractors and Essential Energy and secured the additional resources of surrounding SES Units, NSW Fire and Rescue and the Rural Fire Service,” said Bellingen Unit team leader, Chris Hovey.
On Thursday night, Bill Roffey manned the control centre in Coffs Harbour from 10pm until 4.30am, snatched a few hours sleep, then was back on the job by 7am.
He said there were about 200 people out in the field rendering assistance to the community in the days leading up to Christmas.
The SES was still helping with mop up efforts in Bellingen as late as January 1, as families returned from holidays to find their homes damaged or their driveway blocked by fallen trees.