News Story
Operations at the flooded basement in premises on Queen Street, downtown, turned out to be a long-duration job. Our members attended over the whole day, from 8am until 5pm, looking after traffic management, pedestrian and crowd control and canteen duties, including serving hot meals.
11 members were on duty at some stage during the day, required because fire brigade operations blocked one lane of Queen Street traffic and the western footpath for the duration. The job entailed pumping millions of litres of water about a metre deep, from the flooded basement of a warehouse-type $2 shop beneath the Acrossia Building. It was only when the task was completed that the damage was evident within the store. Cardboard boxes and wrappings had disintegrated in the wet, spewing goods all over the floor. Some stock floated on the surface while heavier items emerged only as the water level subsided. Our members concluded their duties at 5.15pm.
