At People First Fire, our thoughts are with all those affected by the NSW floods over the last few months. Our amazing GM Dean Broadwood assisted with the recovery effort for the Lismore floods in March, and it’s devastating to see it all happening again so soon.
Dean travelled to Lismore with a 20-strong team as part of a professional fire and rescue service, and spent five days going from house to house, helping residents with their clean-up, assessing the structural damage to their homes, and hearing their shocking, often terrifying stories. As the flood waters subsided, Dean’s group were the first rescue teams to access a couple of smaller towns outside Lismore. They were able to check on the residents, help where they could, and put them in touch with other professional aid as needed to help them get back on their feet.
Among the bleak scenes of people hosing out their houses, with all their possessions dumped in their front yards, Dean says he observed just as many amazing examples of kindness and community spirit, with teams of volunteers arriving each day from the Gold Coast, Brisbane, and even further afield to pitch in and help.
If you or your family have been impacted by floods this year, the team at People First extend our sympathies. We hope you can stay safe and strong as you navigate your way through the challenges ahead.
