Saturday 21st March 4.15p.m. Allen Gale rings. Can I organise a team to Moora to help with some sandbagging and local flood damage? 5.15 p.m. Three vehicles leave with sandbags, shovels, plastics and a team of nine. 7.15 p.m. Arrived at Moora, intros all round, have a cuppa. Let's find what’s up. 8.15 p.m. Back after a recce of town with ALM Ronnice Wilson, yes, they do have a local flooding problem few houses very wet, others looking a bit damp. Still nothing a few bags and a bit of sweat can’t handle. This could be very wet by morning. Lets go bagging. Flash house, slate floor. Why bag it? Just lift the furniture, oh well, maybe he’s someone, just help now ask questions later. Hello here’s Northam. " Hi girls and boys hope you remember how to sandbag" "Trust you to be here to watch us." Great bunch, straight into it. They tell me Stirling and Swan are here as well. All the more the better, might be out of here by morning. Houses, businesses, sandbagged. Fridges and furniture lifted up on blocks. Frontend loaders dropping bucket loads of sand at the houses, we fill the bags, there must be an easier way than this after all these years. All the red lights, looks very official, about time too, stupid orange lights mean nothing anymore Red should be on all our vehicles. Where’s the TV cameras and H.B.F. now? This is what's it all about. Country and Metro units working side by side, sharing a laugh, sharing the load, giving help where’s it’s needed. Cruisers, utes, trucks and trailers, teams and equipment everywhere, this is what we train for, it makes you feel real good, real goosebumpy. 11.45p.m. Back to reality. Back to the unit Time for a rethink, lets see what’s happening. Some units will sleep other will keep watch on the water, monitor until morning.

12.30a.m. Bayswater here to feed us some tea. What? Hamburgers, you have to be kidding, they taste like rock cakes. By the looks of the bin I‘m not the only one who couldn’t finish it. Still can’t blame Bayswater they can only dish up what they’ve got. They do a good job to look after us. I’ll have a coffee at the motel and wash the taste down. 1.00a.m. In the sheets, had a hot shower, sleepsville. 1.15a.m. All out! The floods have hit and rising fast, leave your gear, we’ll get it later on in the morning. 1.30a.m. Check out the main street. Shop owners trying to pack up stock, throw a few sandbags in the doorway, too late, the waters already over them, forget the mainstreet, radio in, think about full evacuation? There’s a bus trying to get through the water, he’s heading for the old peoples lodge to evacuate. Radio into base," We’re going to lodge to help with evacuation." The water is up and starting to surge. I think about now is when the time stopped.

Early in the evening, Ken Dewhirst & Tracy Jenzen with Wanneroo 04. (No it's not stuck)

Evacuation of lodge, knock on the doors, wake up the people, identify yourself, hard not to scare elderly people in the middle of the night by yelling and belting on their doors and windows. Oh well. Thankfully we have the lodge carer with us and she tells us their names to call. People on frames, in chairs, partial crippled their minds are slow to apprehend what’s going on, we must be calming don’t panic, the grass we walked over 5 minutes ago is now ankle deep in water. Shit how quickly is this water coming up? Get on with it. These two ladies can’t walk we have to carry them, remember they’re old and frail, careful how you lift them, glad J.W.’s with me to help to carry them. Where’s the man from the end unit? Damn he’s still there. "Are you okay?" "I can’t do my buttons up on my shirt." Shit why didn’t I notice his hands, slow down, stop rushing. "Can I help you?" "Yes please." Do his buttons up, help him to his bed, help with his shorts. "A little bit tighter with the belt please." On with his shoes and socks. "Do you have any glasses or a watch, okay? Lets go? "Can I just comb my hair?" Poor guy, I wonder if he’s got some family somewhere, life sure sucks. I need a wheelchair he can’t walk only shuffle, no time, lets go in the chair and off through the water .Man is it rising. Bus has gone over to the hospital, wheel the last few over the lawn. Check every room with a carer, put all the bedclothes on the bed might stop them from getting too wet, if we’re lucky. Disconnect the computers and stereos pull all the power leads out. Final check, ask the carers, Is there anything left to spoil, have they got the medications etc. Yes. Lets get out of here the courtyards already under water. Damn look how deep the ute is, bloody petrol 4wd what a waste of time. Hopeless in this situation, if it stops I walk and get very wet. Let's head for the hospital. O Great! Now we have to evacuate the hospital, damn it, talk about double trouble. Okay lets get organised. Find out whose in charge and get things moving. MacMahon has made their 4wd dual cabs available, all diesels great. See the drivers, line them up outside at the ramp. Everyone who can walk or shuffle get them into the utes and they can go, leave more room in the bus. The poor old folk from the lodge are having a hard time of it. Everyone trying to help them and telling them what to do. Come on people, take a breath, they’re human beings, not bloody cattle. No problems everything's calm, S.E.S. everywhere, Stirling inside the hospital, helping, comforting and organising, Wanneroo’s outside helping to make sure the loading’s going smoothly, reassuring the people. Vinnies taking names, whose going in what vehicle. Trak’s got a baby in her arms, the dad’s worried about his wife and other baby which has a drip hanging out of it. John Noble’s got the drip trolley, please be careful don’t trip down the ramp. Here’s a problem, our Cruisers back, we have a suspected heart attack, O hell, duck inside. "We need a doctor." "That’s me." Hey she’s pretty, a bit of Asian by the looks. Out to the Cruiser, yep we’ve got a problem. Load her into the wheelchair, she’s heavy and a dead weight, damn, she’s slipping, okay sit her up a bit, pull her dress down, respect her dignity damn it. The doc’s got her inside, keep loading this waters not waiting, There goes the town siren, that’ll get the mob going, stopped already must’ve drowned itself. The bus is back for another load, I didn’t even see it leave, and here’s some more utes. Look at the baby on oxygen, all hooked up on a machine, it’s name is Alone, how appropriate, poor little bugger. Here’s a midwife, two very pregnant women, this’ll be interesting if one of them decide it’s time to push, a water baby hope it’s got gills, bad joke you idiot. Oxy bottles, medications, necessary supplies, wheelchairs, frames, trolleys and drip stands, all in the back of utes, on top of cruisers, wherever, but get them to the high school. Okay that’s the last one, lets get out of here, we have to help to unload. Congrats to you all we’re doing great. What’s the time? Who knows, Who cares. Hope I can through the water it’s bloody deep. Useless petrol motor, follow the truck if we get stuck he can tow us through, or Rod can give us a shove in the back, either way I don’t fancy getting any wetter than I already am.

We’re at the High School, here we go again folks we have to unload them quickly but carefully. We need a nurse, a patient is having a turn or something, leave her to the expert and someone to help her. Find a trolley, get the medications out. Two women offer to carry the bag of drugs etc, check their tags, I think their part of the hospital group, should be okay, D.V.H. follows them up with more gear. Careful bringing them out the bus they're not ragdolls they just don’t bend. Anyone for a wheelchair race? Sorry. Bloody hell this blocks upset, his sister is missing, very pregnant, they left in a black falcon ute and nobody’s seen them. Radio Graham and George. "See if you find them, the ute’s only got one headlight." Back to the bus, here’s Traks, she’s in tears, Oh no what’s wrong. "I can’t do this it’s to depressing, all those little babies and old people." Not now please Tracey. "It’s alright mate." Give her a hug and shed a few tears of your own, it feels good, that’s enough. "Don’t let me down now mate, I need you, these people need you, it'll be alright, come on, okay?" "Okay I’ll be right." Hold her and walk back to the bus, ah, there’s Rod. "Come and give your misses a hug and then get back into it, thanks both" Well that worked they’re both smiling and going to help. Here’s the guy about his sister. Call up Graham. "No luck yet" "Keep looking it’s got to be in that street some where." "She’ll be right mate we’ll find her for you." "Thanks cobber." and off he goes. Why do I feel good but at the same time a little doubtful? Call Graham have a look for an 85y.o. man, believed to be at his house alone. Wonder what’s up at the base or even better where is it? George has radioed in, they’ve found someone and their okay. Yeah great, what about the black ute? Graham’s arrived with some more townspeople. People asking questions for directions, where to go, what to do, told them to follow the crowd, how would I know, nobody told me, organised chaos, don’t you love it. Still it’s working, and that’s what counts. Here’s the guy with the missing sister, they’ve found her and the old man. Good radio Graham let them know, find out what they're doing and where they are. Jim Burnett would just love to hear our radio procedures. What he can’t hear won’t hurt him. It works that’s what counts. Swan’s calling for a pump, the Telstra’s exchange is about to go under, it’s urgent. "Okay stand by I’ll see what I can find out." Now what do I do, find a local, someone must know where to get a pump. Trevor Wilson knows where to get one. "Take my cruiser you can drive." "Gee thanks a lot Trev." "We have to go and pick the guy up and take him to his shop, the waters up but we should get through. " Easy for you to say, but I’m driving. It’s not to bad only up over the wheels, good old diesels, thanks Telstra. We’ve picked him up, he’s in the front with me, Trevs locked in back with his equipment. No room in front for three, not with all the radios and fancy gear this mob carry. Shit this isn’t fun anymore, that waters bloody strong, keep talking guys, I'll just concentrate on keeping this afloat and moving. Think stupid, small bow wave, don’t rush, keep the rev’s up. Bloody hell the waters coming up the bonnet, can’t see, O god it’s over the mirrors, I’m in bloody trouble, and I’m scared, I’ve bitten off more than I can chew, keep it going, we stop and these guys are in trouble especially Trevor, he’s locked in the back. O shit help. Here’s the shop, waters down to the doorhandles, "Go out through the window." Trevor's still laughing, if only he knew. Why am I still shaking? Not from cold that’s for sure. Keep the revs up. "Here’s the pump, we need some pipe, would you believe it’s just floating past in the parking area." Trevor hands me a hacksaw through the cage, we cut a length off, throw it up on top and let the rest float away. Back in through the window, wind it up, laughter all around, the things we do to stop being bored. Yeah right. Reverse back into the street, waters still as strong, gives the cruiser a bit of a nudge, this is a piece of cake, who am I kidding, don't forget to breathe stupid. Here we go water over the bonnet, no problem, been there done that, Check the swirls in the water Trevor tells me they’re deep roadworks, smart move try and stay out of them. Down into the Telstra yard, There’s Alan and his crew from Swan, huddled up under a blanket on top of their trailer, they look a bit wet.

"Here’s the pump and pipe, hope it works." "Thanks, hope it’s not to late." "Good luck, see ya." "Yeah see ya." Head back into the water, lets go with the flow it’s not to bad. Would you believe people are actually having pool parties on their patios? Wow we’re back in deep water again, up to the wipers. "Turn right at the next road." Like I can see the next corner it’s all just water to me. "Watch the van on the side." "No problem I can make it out." "Look out for that commodore there’s no one in it, it’s floating down the street by itself." "Did you get its number it failed to give way to the right."

Part of the Wanneroo Team filling sand bags

I hope those people don’t mind getting wet, they should be ready for a bit of wash when I go past, because I ain't stopping just because their standing too close. Drop the man off at his place and find the shallowest way back to the high school. Love a drink of water. Hey its daylight! Now that was sneaky where did the dark go? Wow look at the water, that’s a hell of a lot of water. How dangerous has that been driving around in that in the dark in all that water, the things we do. With all this water we need a boat. There must be a boat some where in this town after all it was a river that just caused this entire problem. Trevor knows where there is a boat, we’ll unload his cruiser so they can use it to pick up people and then we’ll go get the boat. "You drive Trev your closer to the door." Couple of streets down the road and we’ll get the boat. Oh oh the cruisers floating, it’s to light now we’ve taken the weight out, there’s holes in the back, we’re sinking but not fast enough to stay on the road and keep traction. The water’s too strong it’s turning us, shit. "What’ll we do now?" "Wind up your window and hang on." Well that’s it, we’re in the ditch up against a tree, time to abandon ship. "Out my window Trev and pass out the stuff on the seat. At least we saved some gear for you." No wonder we got washed off, we’re right in the middle of a very fast flowing creek, this could be a problem especially the way I swim. Check out our rescue, a bloody old Chamberlain tractor. "I can’t stop, you’ll have to jump and grab hold as I go past." In we go together shit its cold, grab on, stand on the drawbar, come on Trev get up here. This guy knows where the boat is, his girlfriend is stranded on top of his 4WD and we’ll need a boat to get her and a dog off and out of there. We’ve met the owner of the boat. His house is flooded and his car is up to it’s roof under water, but he’s still laughing, his family’s okay so he doesn’t care.

"Let’s get the cat off the roof and go help someone." Typical country bloke I'm all right mate let’s help the next bloke. Can’t find the fuel tank it’s gone with the water, tow the boat down to his mate’s with the tractor, he’s got a spare tank. Right we’re away, picked up the girl and dog and heading for the high school.

What the hell, we’ve just hit something in the water, the boats sunk and we’re all in the water, and brother isn’t it cold. Luckily it’s only waist deep but there’s still a lot of drag. Found the problem, a belt wrapped around the prop and dropped us in it. Turn the boat over empty it out and we’re on our way again back to the high school. Damn just lost my black S.E.S. cap had it for quiet a few years. Oh well R.I.P. Unload our people and the boats gone off to pick a woman and kids stuck up on a farm somewhere. Let’s see if I can find a drink, even some clean water would do. Here’s Ronnice, looks a bit teary. "What’s up mate." "Where’s Trevor?" "Just down the passage, why, is everything okay?" "They told me your Landcruiser had sunk and no one had seen you or knew where you were and I got worried" "Hey I wouldn’t let anything happen to him otherwise I’d be in big trouble with you. He’s alright." "They said he’d be okay because he was with you but I still worried." "Here he is now, she’s all worried about you Trev mate, she thought you might have drowned." Big teary hugs, ain’t life grand, ah shucks. Wonder how my lot are at home. "Anything to eat anywhere?" Scrambled eggs, just warm but edible. Still nothing to drink. What a joke, there must be a drink somewhere, wonder what happened to Bayswater? There’s the midwife, girls are still holding together. Have a look at the Northam bunch hanging off the stairs, look a bit tired, wonder why? Most of them have only been awake for 23hrs.Where’s my mob?

Here’s Rod, he’s worried, something’s wrong. Our cruisers gone down and over in a drain and Tracey’s in it. Great we don’t need this. "Forget Op’s we’ll use the Ute radio." "Talk to me Graham." "We’re in the shit, the cruisers down in the water and we’re stuck, everyone’s okay, four of us and two coppers. We need something to pull us out." Here’s Crash from Stirling, no problem, he’s got the location and gone to get a tractor to pull them out. Swan’s on their way as well to help also. No second thought, no questions, one unit down, two go to help, what a great bunch. No wonder Rod’s worried, Tracey has always been scared about being trapped in a car in water and it almost happened. Poor devil I hope she’s all right, wonder how Graham’s feeling. Glad it wasn’t me I’d never live it down. Here’s the midwife again. "How’s the ladies, behaving themselves?" "One thinks she wants to push, but I’ve got news for her." "Good luck trying to stop nature." "Yeah right thanks." What a buzz, choppers everywhere, looks good, RAAF and all. Northam and Stirling crew moving again. Poor bloody patients. Up and down like yoyos. Graham’s back, he’s smiling outside, wonder how he feels inside. Crash is back, now that’s what I call a tractor, here’s Swan as well. Lets see what’s wrong with the cruiser. Close the bonnet, she’s bent a rod, unlucky, she’ll get us home if we take it easy. Wow food, ham and salad roll, don’t look at the expiry date, just eat it. Tear it in half and share it around, The old seven loaves and seven fishes trick. We’re transferring the patients to Perth in the choppers, Grahams organising, here we go again, all in together, back the truck up to the wall, lift the patients up onto the truck, around to the oval, off the truck, into the chopper, and up up and away. Any other time they'd probably enjoy it, but they all look like they’re in shock. How to make a human barricade, tie a Stirling girl onto a piece of rope and get her to hang backwards over the water, she looks like she’s even enjoying it. Must get wheelchair handling put into the training manuals.

Northam’s looking a bit ragged, Chooky looking tired, Cookie not much better, where’s Serge, asleep behind the wall maybe. Everyone’s still working where asked, few smiles here and there, that’s the way people, keep your spirits up, it’ll help the patients as well.

What’s the time? Who cares, must get a watch one day, no one going anywhere in a hurry unless it’s by helicopter. Wonder what it’s like in a chopper? I’d probably throw up.

Hello we’ve got a job, go out onto the main road and escort the boats in. Where’s Tracey? She can come for a drive with Rod and me instead of sitting there shaking. Here they come, sure look impressive all the boats and support vehicles in convoy, where's the TV when you want them. Back to the high school, time for a town patrol, Ronnice wants to have a look at their house and see how bad it is, take Dave and his camera with us. He wants to take some shots. First problem, how do you turn 30 buses around that’s come onto town on the wrong road. Easy, don’t try, just back them up about 300ms and send them out to the speedway to await orders. Next problem, a local resident wants us to check up on some gear he left in his car, which got flooded, and some gear on top of his wardrobe. "Just push the front door open and it’s the first door on the left. You’ll find them on top of the wardrobe." "Right." Says Ronnice "We’ll make our way straight around there." "Thanks a lot I’d hate them to fall into the wrong hands." Water’s still very deep, make a few detours to find the best way across town. Sure looks different in the daytime. Water up to the windows of some houses, doors and windows smashed, what a mess they must be inside. Ronnice not very happy about driving through the deep water. "Just keep it going nice and steady, you stop, we start swimming, so don’t stall it, or your going to get wet." "You’re a real mongrel when you want to be." Yep sure am. Dave having fun in back snapping away to his little hearts content. Hope he gets some good shots, or people won’t believe how deep these cruisers can go in water and still come out the other side. Here’s the guy's house, into the water up to the waist, bloody cold, just when I was half dry. Check his car, it’s stuffed completely flooded. Luckily his thing’s still on the back shelf. Take it over to the cruiser. Wade back into the house, shove the door, it’s jammed, the carpet is floating about a meter off the floor, china cabinet covered in water and ready to fall over, squeeze through the gap, lucky I’m a skinny bugger. Grab his things wrap them in a jumper and wade back out to the cruiser. Water’s still flowing with a bit of drag.

Coming up to Ronnice’s house now, things don’t look that good, inside is definitely going to be very wet, can’t stop to look, water’s too deep.

Past a couple of the flood boats, they’re checking houses for people to evacuate. Strange feeling driving under the water that the boat is floating on beside you. Now here’s something different in rescue craft, a rather large tractor with a wheat bin on the back and people in the bin, at least their dry.

Back at the high school, seen the midwife, it appears one of ladies decided now was the time to start pushing, but she just started both of them doing their breathing and puffing and sent them on their way in the chopper to Perth.

Seems like there’s a problem about using the Sat phone, it appears we’re not allowed to use it to get messages to our families, and that it must be kept open for official calls only, don’t worry about the40 odd vollies who have been up here for over 16hrs, like it doesn’t matter that our families haven’t heard from us but I bet it’s all over the news about the town flooded and people being evacuated, and of course they wouldn't be a little bit worried about us. Red tape what a lot of crap, I bet it wasn’t a vollie who made that decision, no prizes for guessing who it was.

Well it looks like we going back to Wanneroo, I’ll drive the cruiser and see how far we can get before it goes bang. This is pure stupidity, I’m so tired and can hardly keep my mind awake to drive, Dave’s with me and I haven’t a clue what we’re talking about, but at least it’s keeping us going, not long now, just gone past Muchea. Oh God that was close, I think we both dosed off together and we’re in the gravel at a nice old rate on knots, a quick awakening and we’re headed in the right direction so to speak. That won’t happen again. How many times do I tell myself I shouldn’t do this when I’m tired? It’s just as bad as pissy drivers.

Sunday 22nd March 4.15p.m. 24hours have past since that first call. What was it he said? Can you help with some sandbagging and local flood damage?

"Yeah. Thanks Alan and thanks to the people of MOORA for one hell of a POOL PARTY.

Evacuees being unloaded from trucks at the Moora High School. Some of these people were later sent to Perth by Helicopter.

All Photo's taken by Dave Van Heek