Personal reflection by Chloe Riley – RFS Deployment to Port Macquarie (Flood Recovery)
When I think back on the Port Macquarie flood deployment, what stands out most isn’t the mud or the long days – it’s the people. Both the ones who dropped everything to be there and the ones we were there to help.
Our team was made up of volunteers from all walks of life, brought together by a shared purpose. We slept side by side on military cots in a basketball stadium, ate quick meals between shifts, and worked until dark cleaning out homes and businesses swallowed by the floods. There was no comfort, but there was an unspoken bond. No-one complained – we knew why we were there.
And then there were the locals. The people who had lost so much yet still greeted us with gratitude and warmth. We helped remove ruined furniture, waterlogged memories, and thick layers of mud – but often, what people needed most was someone to talk to. We stood in the wreckage of their homes and listened to their stories: of family heirlooms gone, businesses built over decades now destroyed, and the sheer disbelief of seeing everything they knew under water.
In the face of unimaginable loss, there was still courage. There were moments of laughter, even hope. The resilience of that community was humbling. They let us in – not just into their homes, but into their lives, if only for a moment.
This deployment reminded me that disaster response is not just about cleaning up – it’s about showing up. The work we did mattered, but so did our presence. I’ll never forget the people I served alongside or the strength of the community we were there to support.
Chloe Riley
Incidents
16 May – Motor Vehicle Accident, which was a false alarm, to a car off the road that had occurred much earlier on.
25 May – Tree Down, Bundewallah Road, Berry. At 0200 Saturday morning, crews were paged to a report of a tree down in Berry. Misinformation from the 000 caller caused some confusion before the incident was located at Bellawongarah. KV, assisted by Beaumont Brigade and council crew, removed a large tree and debris that had fallen down a steep embankment blocking both lanes of the road.
7 June – Smoke, Green Valley Road, Beaumont. Smoke in the vicinity turned out to be a legal burn on Green Valley Road, with notification completed by the owner.
14 June – Spillage, Walkers Lane – Diesel spill that was spread from Kangaroo Valley Road through to Green Valley Road. KV units made the worst areas safer by spreading spill sorb material before handing over to RMS crews with additional equipment and supplies.
Compiled by Tracey Basman
