Members of the MIA RFS travelled to Lismore to assist in flood recovery efforts, providing additional support to those impacted by what is being heralded as the worst flooding the Northern Rivers has ever seen.
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Group Captain Craig Bardney Travelled to Lismore on March 2nd to do undertake a Divisional Commander Roll, returning on March 9th to Griffith.
A further crew of eight volunteers also travelled up north to Ballina on March 11th, returning on March 14th to assist communities impacted by flood waters.
According to Group Captain Bardney, flood recovery and clean up had been a 'mammoth effort' by the MIA RFS volunteers.
"MIA District volunteers are always willing to put their hand up to assist their fellow community members anywhere in the country no matter what the disaster is," Group Captain Bardney said.
"Our work in the Northern Rivers was to provide assistance in any way that we could to residents and assist the SES in the renovation, rehabilitation and recovery of flood affected properties," Group Captain Bardney said.
"It was amazing what had washed into residences, we saw live cows stuck on people's roofs and plenty of dead animals unfortunately as well, it really was quite confronting and disturbing."
This isn't the first way that Griffith locals have given back to flood impacted communities, with more than $100,000 worth of supplies being donated and driven up to the Northern Rivers last week.
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"The main street of Lismore was just full of rubbish, everyone's lives were just thrown out onto their front lawns as they stripped their houses after the flood waters started to recede," Group Captain Bardney said.
"There was heartache for many."
Some houses remained locked up awaiting police inspection, whilst RFS and other disaster agencies such as the SES and Australian Army did what they could to assist those whose lives have been irrevocably changed by the history making flooding.
"It reminded me of the Yenda floods, a decade ago now where I was one of the Divisional Commanders overseeing RFS units with assistance and recovery efforts," Group Captain Bardney said.
"This years floods both in the Northern Rivers district and across the Hawkesbury have been a period of great turmoil for many and there is still plenty of work to be done."
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