Emergency recovery taskforce deployed to Kempsey
Published on 25 March 2021
Kempsey Shire has been identified as one of the three priority areas in the region to have a dedicated Taskforce of State and Federal agencies deployed to lead the immediate recovery effort in our Shire.
The Northern Region Taskforce will be coordinated by local senior personnel from NSW Police Force, Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW), Rural Fire Service (RFS), SES, Australian Defence Force (ADF), Resilience NSW and Kempsey Shire Council. The Recovery Taskforce is in place to support business and the community in ensuring they are safe and supported to clean up and return to normality.
The flood emergency operations centre is still active, to support the SES as the combat agency in managing the current situation and in particular the support to residents still isolated.
The Recovery Taskforce have rapid assessment teams on the ground are prioritising cleaning of debris and silt that’s in public and private assets, requirements for schools to reopen and assessing needs of residents to dispose of flood generated waste while helping provide recovery information to the community.
Crews of RFS, FRNSW and ADF staff have been on the ground today working through those priorities including the clean-up in the CBD, Gladstone and Smithtown. Council crews with the help of the ADF have been focussing on assessing, repairing and opening roads and bridges around the Shire and have used 12 tonnes of material to fill potholes in Stuarts Point, Grassy Head and SWR.
As Macleay River flood waters continue to recede the workload and resources available will increase.
The priorities for Friday will be completing assessments of all schools to determine clean-up priorities with the target of getting schools operating next week. RFS and ADF crews will also be working with households in the Stuarts Point area to assess public health impacts from private sewerage system failures.
Residents requiring immediate emergency assistance and supplies are to contact SES and 000.
Service NSW are coordinating financial assistance, mental health support and accommodation advice through 137788 or service.nsw.gov.au
The Recovery Hub at 57 Elbow Street Kempsey will now be open from 8:30am–4:30pm seven days a week to provide face to face assistance and support.