City of Logan Mayor Darren Power calls them the ‘unsung heroes’.
When disaster strikes, they’re never far away. Often that means dropping everything in their daily lives to help others.
Leaving families and day jobs to travel half-way across the country to help those in need is all part of the position description.
This week members from the State Emergency Service (SES) from afar as South Australia answered the call from Logan to assist with the clean-up from recent hail storms.
They will work to repair roofs and remove strewn debris and fallen branches before heading home for the weekend.
The support has been embraced by Logan SES members who have been working tirelessly since Saturday.
“The dedication shown by these SES volunteers is incredible and I can’t thank them enough for their unwavering commitment to support the Logan community following recent storms,” Cr Power said.
“Hail battered parts of our city on Sunday with suburbs such as Boronia Heights and Greenbank copping the wrath of it.
“Fortunately we are beginning to see signs of recovery with SES crews working quickly to repair the damage.
“These amazing people often neglect the damage inflicted on their own homes to help others get back on their feet.”
Sian Zimmer is from the Enfield SES in South Australia. She got the call up on Sunday along with Ben Stobart and the pair arrived in Queensland on Monday to be deployed in storm zones throughout SEQ.
Ms Zimmer left her colleagues at the Port Lincoln Flying Club where she works as a flying instructor to offer a hand to Queenslanders.
“We get the call and off we go to wherever we’re needed, it’s just what we do,” she said.
Mr Stobart is a senior research scientist with the Fisheries division of the South Australian Research and Development Institute. He too put his day job on hold to support Queenslanders affected by storms.
Members from Bundaberg, Maroochydore, Nambour, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Townsville have descended on Logan and Ipswich to offer support.
SES Local Controller Jim Ferguson said recent weather events are a timely reminder for residents to be prepared for the storm season ahead.
“Last month Logan SES received 713 requests for assistance for incidents such as fallen branches and leaking roofs and more recently damaged roofs and smashed sky lights,” he said.
“Our message is to be storm-ready and to not be complacent. One thing is certain. We will see more of this unpredictable weather in the months ahead, so we just need residents to be prepared.
“It can be as simple as cleaning out your gutters and trimming trees around the house.”
This week the State and Federal Governments announced personal hardship assistance for residents in Ipswich and parts of Logan affected by Saturday’s severe storms.
Eligible residents in Greenbank and Boronia Heights will have access to $180 per individual and up to $900 for families of five or more to help cover the costs of their immediate essentials.
People can also access to up to $5000 towards reconnecting essential services to their homes.
People who are suffering hardship and are in need of assistance can visit www.communityrecovery.qld.gov.au or call the Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349 to access support.
