General News
4 December, 2024
Swift water rescue teams put to the test as motorists get caught out
Recent training had paid off, said the local Queensland Fire Department Inspector.
Mount Isa firefighters had just returned from a swift water rescue refresher course before they were called to multiple flash flooding incidents in the city last week.
Queensland Fire Department (QFD) Western Command Inspector Jarrod Olivero said it was standard procedure in November for teams of Mount Isa firefighters to complete the refresher course along the Tully River, which has long been a training location due to its surging rapids and strong currents, as part of the station’s preparations for the wet season.
Mr Olivero said swift water rescue was among the most dangerous tasks for firefighters.
“This year we seem to have had a very rapid move from our fire season to needing to start doing swift water rescues,” he told North West Weekly.
“Having to do that many swift water rescue call outs at the same time, especially at this time of year, is a bit of a rarity for us.
“But we are at nature’s peril.”
Emergency services had a long night on Thursday after a deluge of rain fell across Mount Isa, with some residents reportedly tipping out more than 100mm from their rain gauge.
By the early hours of Friday, all crossings across the city were inundated by water, except the Isa and Grace Street bridges,
Mount Isa City Council chief executive officer Tim Rose said that upon police request, council workers confirmed that the flood warning flashing lights along all city crossings were working correctly, and at a later point, road closure signage was also allocated, after some motorists continued to drive through rising waters.
A Mount Isa police spokesperson confirmed that some members of the public were found to be ignoring road closed signs and driving in adverse weather conditions to look at flood waters.
“Those motorists have become stranded and required emergency rescuing by authorities,” the police spokesperson said.
“These actions put both the drivers of the motor vehicles and emergency service workers at unnecessary risk.”
Mr Olivero said multiple Triple Zero calls were received just after 8.30pm on Thursday alerting emergency services to incidents at the Davis Road, Alma Street and Sunset Bridge crossings within several minutes of each other.
Along Sunset Bridge, a pizza delivery vehicle had become trapped on the crossing, with multiple residents assisting the delivery driver to push the car from the gushing waters.
Authorities were most concerned about a lone car occupant who was found clutching to the front of a van that was hanging precariously over the edge of the causeway at the Davis Road crossing.
Mr Olivero said off-duty firefighters were immediately called back to work and several rescue teams were dispatched to the trouble spots.
“On Davis Road, the water was over the bonnet of the car and the person was clinging to the side of the vehicle,” he said.
“We had to move very quickly in a situation like that and our guys probably had to person to safety within about four or five minutes after our initial arrival.
“A person hanging onto the side of the vehicle like that has the potential to be swept away – we know there is a lot of rubbish and debris in the river – something like that comes along and collides with the vehicle or the occupant and it can sweep the person downstream.
“It just goes to show that we can have one significant storm and depending on where it falls, it can cause significant flash flooding.
“The water, when it did recede, did so very quickly.
“By the time we left our third job and went back to the area where the first call-out was, the water level had dropped dramatically. We have the ability to call off-duty staff to allow us to put together multiple rescue teams at the same time – it is something we prepare for.
“For example, if we would ever have a significant issue on the Leichhardt River then we may need crews on either side of that river – getting access to someone in the middle would be difficult to manage from a single side.”
The police spokesperson repeated warnings that there are “significant fines and other action that can be taken against those who blatantly ignore these steps that are put in place to protect people from these hazards.”
“Water heights and conditions can change rapidly, and police remind motorists that if it’s flooded, forget it.”