SES clears its backlog

Albury SES region controller James McTavish said 120 people had taken part in the massive clean-up across the city, including people from the NSW Fire Brigade, Volunteer Rescue Association and Rural Fire Service.

Mr McTavish said he had been impressed by the response to a call for assistance from SES crews across NSW after Thursday’s 107kmh winds battered the Border.

More than 80 volunteers from as far as Wollongong, Shellharbour, Forbes, Parkes, Goulburn and Cowra joined others from the Riverina, including Tumbarumba, Wagga, Culcairn and Griffith, in answering the call for help.

Mr McTavish said the Albury SES was grateful to the volunteers for giving up their last weekend before Christmas.

“It certainly is a sacrifice at this time of the year and it’s something that certainly was appreciated,” he said.

“Without the support from other volunteers across the state, it would have been a very long Christmas for us.”

Sixty-six firefighters from as far as Young, Wagga and Leeton also took part in the clean-up, with 14 trucks dispatched across Albury on Saturday morning.

“Everybody pitched in really well and got the job done in a little over 48 hours, which I think is quite good considering we had over 280 jobs come through,” Mr McTavish said.

Residents also busied themselves clearing up, with many taking advantage of free access to the Albury and Wodonga tips.

Wodonga Council waste management co-ordinator David Pinder said about 350 cars — three times the average — had passed through the city’s waste transfer station on Saturday.

“The objective was for the council to help out the residents but also to encourage a bit of community co-operation in helping council to assist in the clean-up, because our workers will certainly be under the pump for the next few days,” he said.