Image Gallery: November 2008
19 November 2008
Operation Storm Assist
More than 600 soldiers and around 150 airmen and women answered Brisbane City Council’s (BCC) call for help after a severe storm cut a swathe of devastation through Brisbane’s northern suburbs on Sunday.
The soldiers, mostly from Brisbane’s 7th Brigade, including its Emergency Support Force, launched into action around midday Monday. They cleared fallen trees to restore emergency services and vehicle and pedestrian access to homes in Upper Kedron, located some 10 kilometres from Brisbane City.
Overnight, two sections from 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment (2 CER) remained in the field, assisting the BCC with water distribution at The Gap Primary School. The soldiers were back in action by 5am on Tuesday, reaching the full complement of around 600 by midday. Later in the day, around 150 Royal Australian Air Force airmen and women from Amberley-based 382 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron (382 ECSS) were on the ground, helping with Defence’s contribution to the clean-up operation.
The 2 CER Headquarters is commanding the Defence operations that are being coordinated out of an Upper Kedron park in the heart of the devastation. Commanding Officer 2 CER, Lieutenant Colonel Joel Dooley praised the soldiers’ and airmen and women’s efforts, highlighting their eagerness to help the local community.
“I’m very proud of the work our personnel are performing. Their willingness and commitment to the people of Brisbane in their time of need has been superb. We are coordinating with BCC and Emergency Management Australia to maximise our current efforts in The Gap and Keperra, which suffered the brunt of Sunday’s storm.”
The deployed soldiers are from Brisbane’s 2CER; 6RAR, 8/9RAR, 2/14 LHR (QMI); 1 Fd Regt; 7CSSB; 1 Sig Regt; 21 Const Sqn; 20 STA; 6 ESR; and RAAF Amberley-based 9FSB and 382 ECSS.
| 20081118adf8222937_002 An army of support sorts through the destruction wrought by Brisbane's storms since 1985. (Date taken: 18 November 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20081118adf8222937_004 Gunner David Willis (left) and Bombardier Kelvin Groves, 1 Field Regiment, sort through the devastation wrought by the worst Brisbane storms since 1985. (Date taken: 18 November 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20081118adf8222937_005 An army of support sorts through the destruction wrought by the worst Brisbane storms since 1985. (Date taken: 18 November 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20081118adf8222937_009 Private Dayle Thorson, 8/9 RAR, gets back to the basics with an axe during the massive vegetation clearance operation after Brisbane's worst storms since 1985. (Date taken: 18 November 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20081118adf8222937_010 Private Dayle Thorson, 8/9 RAR, gets back to the basics with an axe during the massive vegetation clearance operation after Brisbane's worst storms since 1985. (Date taken: 18 November 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20081118adf8222937_011 Major Richard Peace, 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment, updates the battle map during Operation Storm Assist. (Date taken: 18 November 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20081118adf8222937_012 Commanding Offiicer 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Joel Dooley, gives a media interview at Operation Storm Assist command post located at Keperra Picnic Park. (Date taken: 18 November 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20081118adf8222937_013 Private Mitchell Quinn (left), 8/9 RAR, joins his mates at the water distribution point at The Gap Primary School. (Date taken: 18 November 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20081118adf8222937_014 Brisbane residents collect fresh water from The Gap Primary School, after Brisbane City Council closed the The Gap Reservoir due to suspected water contamination. (Date taken: 18 November 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20081118adf8222937_015 Gunner David Willis (left) and Bombardier Kelvin Groves, 1 Field Regiment, sort through the devastation wrought by the worst Brisbane storms since 1985. (Date taken: 18 November 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20081118adf8222937_016 Soldiers and civilians support the clean-up effort in Brisbane. (Date taken: 18 November 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20081118adf8222937_017 Trooper Jeremy Fahey tends to a baby Rainbow Lorikeet found in the debris at The Gap in Brisbane. (Date taken: 18 November 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20081118adf8222937_018 An army of support sorts through the destruction wrought by the worst Brisbane storms since 1985. (Date taken: 18 November 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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