MIA RFS volunteers provide assistance to states flood impacted communities

Group Captain Craig Bardney Travelled to Lismore on March 2^nd to do undertake a Divisional Commander Roll, returning on March 9^th to Griffith.

A further crew of eight volunteers also travelled up north to Ballina on March 11^th, returning on March 14^th to assist communities impacted by flood waters.

Now, a additional crew of five MIA RFS volunteers have travelled to Sydney to work in the Hawkesbury region to provide whatever support they can, working diligently alongside crews from the Southern Border and Mid Murray Districts, again led by Group Captain Craig Bardney.

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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