This week there is only one thing I can think to say, and that is thank you.
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Thank you to the people and agencies who helped us in the last few weeks to respond to the flood.
It came quickly and from surprising directions, but the experience, skills and strength of the teams that worked tirelessly, 24 hours a day, to save people, homes, animals and property was incredible to see.
The flood response is lead by NSW SES who jumped to the task from distributing sandbags to rescuing those who had been cut off. And they were ably supported by numerous emergency services, agencies and Council staff.
Thank you to the amazing Recovery Taskforce that has assembled to not only kick start but provide an amazing turbo boost to the recovery and clean-up effort.
The taskforce has involved personnel from NSW Police, Fire and Rescue NSW, the Rural Fire Service, SES, Australian Defence Force, Resilience NSW and Kempsey Shire Council among others.
From flying over the remotest parts of our upriver shire to check on residents and assess our roads and bridges to driving through water-soaked Lower Macleay roads to deliver feed for stock the work that these teams are doing is unheard of before and making a huge difference.
Thank you to the staff of Kempsey Shire Council. In a flood there are so many immediate needs. Road closures, water mains, communications updates, waste disposal, recovery assistance, community requests to customer service. It is an impossible task and an impossible task to do perfectly, some things don't go to plan, but nothing takes away from the stunning effort and output from the team and that has filled me with so much pride.
Thank you to you, the community.
The biggest thank you of all. Our shire is a wonderful place to live but we all know that the possibility of flood is real. In the last weeks we have seen it. The way the community has responded has been simply overwhelming. Lending a hand. Answering questions. Giving, giving, giving. Those who have lost everything stepping up to help neighbours.
I never doubt that the people in this community are the best people in the world. Now we have even more proof.
