Dr Bree Talbot
Hunkered down while the winds raged on, there were some unexpected guests in Dr Bree Talbot’s home as she sheltered with her family.
From flying foxes to birds, an eastern grey kangaroo, and a bathtub with three baby sea turtles, you’d be forgiven for thinking Bree’s house in northern NSW was a zoo – well, in fact, it was.
With the Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital closed during the cyclone for safety reasons, the veterinarian’s home became a makeshift emergency department for injured wildlife.
“We went out to help some of the carers who’d rescued animals – the kangaroo was on the floor of the laundry, and the flying foxes had got caught in barbed wire that needed delicately removing,” Bree, who is the hospital’s general manager of veterinary services, tells New Idea.
Incredibly, with no power, Bree performed surgery on the flying foxes and worked to keep the other animals stable, all under the watchful eye of her three children.
“Trying to do it without any power was a bit tricky, but we got there,” she says with a laugh.
“The kids thought it was great – they loved having the turtles at home.”
Last week, Bree and her veterinary team of 10 reopened the doors to the mobile clinic, already knowing the amount of injured animals they were about to face.
“We had koalas come in who’d fallen out of trees, a snake, some birds – we’re progressively getting busier,” she says.
“As the weather dries out, the animals will come out of their shelters and that’s when we’re starting to see those injuries … so it’s only just getting started for us.”
Find out more information about Dr Bree Talbot’s work here.
Rob Cullen
It’s been a busy few days for acting first officer Rob Cullen when New Idea sits down to chat with him.
As part of Landsborough’s Rural Fire Brigade in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Rob was tasked with ensuring crews and trucks were ready to be deployed when the impacts of the cyclone hit.
“We got our chainsaws ready and our trucks prepared for wet weather,” Rob says.
“We were lucky here as the eye of the cyclone passed over us, whereas north Brisbane and the Gold Coast got hammered. We sent some of our crews to do clean-ups and welfare checks.”
For Rob, who has volunteered at the brigade for the last five years, having the support of his wife, Kim, and daughter, Rachel, is invaluable.
“They’re part of the brigade too!” he says.
“So they’ve seen it firsthand –we can all support one another in these types of events.”
Ben Carrigg
Senior firefighter Ben Carrigg knows how dangerous getting stuck in floodwater can be.
As part of the technical rescue department at the Queensland Fire Department, Ben’s team was deployed into the Brisbane region last week as water levels rose.
While he did conduct multiple rescues, Ben says he was pleased with the efforts of Queenslanders to remain out of harm’s way.
“The community really heeded the warnings and made a great effort to stay safe,” he tells New Idea.
Ben admits there’s always “an element of caution and emotion” when conducting rescues but knows his training – and experience – always pays off.
Making his three boys proud is also something Ben strives for.
“[They are] always in the back of your mind,” he says.
“You want to be as sharp as possible so you can come home to them.”
James Dever
For Energex worker James Dever, knowing his adorable five-week-old son Jack was waiting for him at home, was enough to see him through each tough shift.
Since ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred started wreaking havoc on homes and businesses, dad-of-three James has been putting in long hours, helping to restore power while his young family waits for him to return from work.
Between each strenuous shift, James made sure to visit his wife and three little ones before heading out again as the power company worked to fix the grid.
More than 450,000 premises across the region lost power – the greatest number of power outages in Queensland’s history caused by a natural disaster.
Visit the Services Australia website to find out what support you may be eligible for or call the Australian Government Emergency Information Line on 180 22 66.
