Parking fine drop

Andrew Mathieson
A VETERAN emergency worker has spoken about the devastation that confronted volunteers on arrival to flood-affected Queensland.
Jan Jensen from Geelong SES and two colleagues from South Barwon unit joined 20 other Victorian volunteers to fly up to the floods over five days.
Mr Jensen said authorities were unprepared for the onslaught of unexpected wild weather that hit several rural coastal Queensland towns, north of Brisbane.
He said volunteers were “going in blind”.
“There was nothing set up in preparation, there were no headquarters like you would start at a normal operation, so that all had to be organised first,” Mr Jensen said
“Just to get the equipment in that we could use – well, we turned up to nothing.”
Mr Jensen attended several homes, schools and businesses each day, cleaning up and throwing out damaged furniture in the aftermath.
SES workers also had to implement their health and safety skills to help residents dodge unsanitary conditions.
“After a day they were very grateful of anyone, who would help,” he said.
“First people say they can deal with it themselves, but all of sudden they see how big it is.”
“After a couple of days they ask why would anybody keep coming here.”
The Queensland floods were one of eight “major” disasters that Mr Jensen has frequented over his 22 years as a SES volunteer.
“We were really dealing with one, small township but what’s happening up there is something on a scale we have never come across before,” he said.