FED:SES volunteers brace for busy season

AAP General News (Australia)
12-13-2010
FED:SES volunteers brace for busy season

By Susanna Dunkerley

QUEANBEYAN, Dec 13 AAP - Emergency service volunteers are bracing for a busy Christmas
and New Year with rain and flooding continuing to affect large parts of NSW.

Goulburn, Mulwaree, Cowra, Coolamon and Tamworth on Monday were added to a list of
37 local government areas declared natural disaster zones, as clean-up efforts continued
across the state.

While floodwaters have receded in many areas, the central west town of Forbes is on high alert.

And 4600 people remain isolated, including those in Wee Waa and Coonamble in the state's north.

NSW Emergency Services Minister Steve Whan says State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers
are continuing to work around the clock.

"Flood peaks are moving downstream keeping SES (volunteers) busy for at least another
two weeks, if not more, depending on the rain," he told reporters at the SES Queanbeyan
headquarters.

"We are very grateful for the efforts of the SES volunteers who will willingly do this
right across their Christmas break."

Mr Whan spent the morning showing NSW Premier Kristina Keneally around Queanbeyan,
which was cut in half when floods peaked at around 8.5 metres late last week.

The pair will travel to Dubbo, in the state's central west, later on Monday to continue
a tour of flood-affected areas.

Premier Keneally says Forbes would be the major priority of the next 36 hours.

"Whilst the rain has cleared we are still concerned about a number of areas," she said.

She said it was too early to put a dollar figure on the damage across the state, but
assistance was available to councils, businesses and low-income families.

The NSW government has also written to Prime Minister Julia Gillard seeking exceptional
circumstance provisions for farmers.

Mr Whan said they had already lost about half a million dollars worth of crops.

"After a long period of drought that's pretty devastating for farmers," he said.

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting little rain on Monday, with just a few isolated
showers and possible thunderstorms expected on the north coast.

SES Commissioner Murray Kear says it's a welcome respite for flood-hit communities.

"But this does look like it's going to be a very wet summer, and so it won't be the
last time SES volunteers respond to community needs," he said.

The SES says it has received 2755 requests for help since the start of the flood crisis.

There have been 133 flood-related rescues.

AAP sld/sb/jl/nb

KEYWORD: FLOODS NSW 2ND UPDATE (VIDEO AND PIX AVAILABLE)

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