OPERATION SHEEAN
In Response to: Cyclonic Winds
Location: Kentish Region TAS
Active: 21 July 22 – 21 Aug 22
Cyclonic wind damage, NW coast of Tasmania
On June 11 2022, cyclonic winds exceeding 200km/h, impacted the Northwest Coast of Tasmania and in particular the Kentish LGA, extensively damaging bushland, farming land, residential and commercial infrastructure. SES and RFS estimate that over 100 properties have been impacted. Rural Alive and Well (RAW), have approached Disaster Relief Australia to assist in the recovery process within the impacted area.
DISASTER RECOVERY TASKINGS
- Ensure safe access to impacted properties through removal of fallen trees,
Assist RAW & Kentish LGA with removal of crowns of fallen trees on council/public land - Chainsaw operations training and consolidation activities for DRT Tasmania members as required
- Minor fence line repairs, and
- Aerial damage assessments.
Conclusion of Operation Sheean
Disaster Relief Australia will conclude Operation Sheean based the Claude Road Community Hall in the Kentish Council LGA, on Saturday, 20th August 2022 after 5 weeks in the area. As of 17th August 2022, the operation has deployed 74 volunteers, contributing over 3900 volunteer hours and 111 requests for assistance. The estimated cost saving to the community is over $210,000.
National Deputy Director of Capability with Disaster Relief Australia, Chris Perrin is proud of his teams’ efforts in assisting to clear the enormous number of debris from fallen trees. “Though we managed to remove a significant amount of trees, it’s going to take more time and more effort to fully recover. Our local team will continue to help with the clean up effort.”
DRA would like to sincerely thank everyone involved for their selfless contribution and service. Partners, supporters, and donors who have and are continuing to contribute funding, donations and in-kind support enable the veteran led volunteer disaster relief teams to bring real help where it’s needed most.
DRA thanks the Kentish community for being so welcoming to their volunteers. Whilst Operation Sheean is wrapping up, their local Tasmanian Disaster Relief Team will continue to receive and work on calls for assistance. Contact them via opsheean@disasterreliefaus.org to lodge your request.
Use Any of Your Life Skills, Nurse Michelle
Everybody will be able to make a contribution in some way. They will bring their own life experiences and be able to make a purposeful impact on other people – and that’s such a wonderful thing to be able to do to people in our community who may not have that access to those resources in another way.
See the Impact of DRA, Veteran Tory
Joining DRA has given me more meaning to fill in the spare time that I’ve had and come down and help the community. The self-worth it gives you and the interaction with other veterans’ emergency service is just great to see the smiles and the community starting to recover from this tragedy.
Put My Skills to Use Helping Australians, Veteran Spot Swales
I was drawn to volunteer with Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) due to its focus on supporting veterans. After service in the Royal Australian Navy in the 1960s and 1970s, I wanted to put my skills to...
Passion to Give up Time for Community, Veteran, Alan Ashman
I first heard about Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) by following the journey of another member who has been with DRA for a few years and seeing the operations that he had deployed on. Seeing the...
Caught Everybody by Surprise, Tony Carusi Thanks
The floods caught us. They caught everybody by surprise. The magnitude and the speed with which the flood came up; the hundred-year flood is nothing compared to this one. We were awake all night....
Really Rewarding, Health Care Australia Volunteers
Today was really rewarding and a big eye-opener seeing how much was destroyed in the floods. It’s one thing hearing about it - but seeing it is completely different! When we first arrived at a...
Positive Support Through Empowerment – Veteran, Josh Bailey
My military service began at age 17 as an Army reservist, with the 2/17 Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regiment. Based in Blacktown, Sydney. Not long prior, I completed year ten and had an...
True Heroes – Veteran, Wayne Larson
In the 80’s I was a writer in the Navy. My grandfather, my great uncle, cousins, myself and now my son, all joined the Navy. It was generational. After 5 years of service, I left and headed down a...
Never seen anything like this ever – Steve Baker Community Reflection
I’ve lived here for 12 months but I've never seen anything like this ever. About a metre of water came barrelling down the stairs and ramps. The water pressure has blown the heavy fire doors off...