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ADF personnel have continued their deployment on Operation Flood Assist 22-2 as part of the Australian government's response to flooding in Victoria and NSW.
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The Australian Defence Force (ADF) continues to work closely with National Emergency Management Australia in monitoring potential floods across the community.
It has been an emotional time for many people in Victoria, as their homes and livelihoods were affected by floods.
At the request of the Victorian government, the ADF supported areas heavily affected by the flooding event in places including Echuca, Swan Hill, Rochester, Seymour, Bendigo, Shepparton and Kerang, among others.
With the flood hitting Rochester, Principal of St Joseph's Primary School, Elizabeth Trewick, put out a call to help clean up the school once floodwaters had receded.
“I put out a call that we would have a bit of a clean-up on Tuesday morning,” Trewick said.
“I was telling people at the time that we had an army of people — then the Army literally just turned up.”
“The kids that saw them working actually experienced that they’re real people, they are fun, they work really hard, and they don’t just give up their time to protect us, they give up their time to help us,” Trewick added.
One of the many businesses affected was Anna and Brett Thomson’s café, Monkee and Co, in Echuca.
“The feeling of having the ADF here is a feeling of safety.”
“You feel safer.”
“You feel like even if something goes wrong now, we are going to be okay,” Mrs Thomson said.
“If we hadn’t had the wall and their help to build this sandbag levee, a lot of these businesses through here would have been the same as we would have been — out of business for a long time,” Mr Thomson explained.
Communities across regional Victoria have been very appreciative of the ADF’s efforts to help them during Operation Flood Assist 22-2.
“Because of their help and the people, we were able to clean out the school in just that day — people said it would take a couple of weeks.” Trewick added.
As at 7 November, about 60 ADF personnel and high-clearance vehicles are directly assisting emergency authorities in flood-affected areas across regional Victoria, including Mildura and Swan Hill.
Tasks include filling and distribution of sandbags, building levee walls, transport and logistics support, community engagement, access assistance, evacuation assistance, general duties support, clean-up activities and other relief activities.
Personnel also delivered essential medical supplies, including chemotherapy medication to emergency services, and assisted with rescues and evacuations.
In NSW, the ADF is providing up to 50 personnel to support NSW’s flood response in the central west region.
The ADF remains postured to provide additional support to State Emergency Services should a request be received via National Emergency Management Australia.
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