When massive floods hit Bundaberg in January, the way in which the local council’s fleet service sprang into action is a classic example of how a good team on big wheels can help mitigate disaster.
Just days after a tornado ripped through the region, ferocious flood waters swept down the Burnett River, then peaked at a record 9.5 metres and inundated 2,000 homes and 200 businesses in Bundaberg.
“It came out of nowhere,” recalls Andrew Railz, Manager of Bundaberg Regional Council’s Fleet Services.
“They say there’s no education like adversity, and over the next few days we certainly found that to be the case,” he said. “Suddenly we found ourselves at the front line, keeping essential services and first responders supplied with fuel, generators, tools, heavy equipment, maintenance assistance and lots of advice.”
Railz claims the most heartening aspect of the ensuing ten days was the persistent way in which all members of the fleet services team threw themselves into the relief effort.
Working long shifts in unfamiliar conditions and well outside their normal scope of duty, the team had to provide support to operational crews while at the same time coping with a devastating flood in their own main workshop.
This meant some staff had to travel by boat to retrieve essential supplies and tooling from the workshop. Fortunately their prime mover float combination was able to make its way to the flooded workshop through 1.5m of water to assist with the collection of major items, including a 4,000 litre fuel truck, an excavator and generators.
Requests for emergency help came from unexpected quarters.
With no electrical power in town, a generator was needed for producing ice to stop food rotting in thousands of Bundaberg homes. Fleet Services supplied it without delay!
Then there was the old age home which had to evacuate residents but had no diesel fuel for their bus. Once again, Fleet Services saved the day!
“To keep operational crews fully functional the team worked on a 24 hour, 7 day-a-week roster for about ten days,” said Railz. “And then they faced the long and arduous task of cleaning a flooded workshop and starting over. They’ve been magnificent!”