To the Editor,
Over the last month I have had the honor and privilege of leading the Canowindra SES team.
Throughout this event this team has given all that their abilities and skills have allowed and more. They have been able to switch from pre-warning, to storm damage and flash flood operations, then to evacuation and preservation of life and then further to clean up and recovery in the space of 24 hours.
The surrounding emergency and support services have also been invaluable, these include: Moorbel and Nyrang Creek RFS teams, St. Vinnies, Salvation Army, both local Primary Schools and their P&C groups who provided services to our evacuated persons before welfare services could attend, Cabonne Council, CWA, Foodworks, Canowindra Services Club, Canowindra Hotel, Perennialle Plants, Lawrence’s IGA, SES and RFS members from out of our service area.
Many other businesses and locals assisted and please take this as my personal thank you to everyone involved.
I would also like to commend our community that have banded together and responded to every call for extra assistance we have put out. They have been there for every stage of this event, starting at helping to fill and deploy approximately 3500 sand bags, welfare accommodation and supplies, clean up and recovery and even while this was happening to our town during the peak of our own emergency, stop and ask me “What can we do for Eugowra?”
As we move forward through the recovery stage, I look forward to seeing the community spirit continue and our efforts and support flow onto Eugowra.
Thank you,
Inspector Owen Lloyd
Commander Canowindra SES