Rhythm of disasters: meet the veteran volunteers helping in flood aftermath

The Advertiser

28-05-2025

They never get easier, but Dianne Skaines has seen so many natural disasters that she recognises the rhythm of these things.
By lunchtime on Wednesday, the recovery centre at Maitland Town Hall had seen about 20 families, farmers, and homeowners displaced or rocked by the week's flooding.
A dozen or so support organisations, insurers, chaplains, and other services had set up shop under the control of the state government's reconstruction authority, which will operate the recovery centre for around the next week to help connect displaced and flooded residents find the support they need.
Mrs Skaines, representing the Red Cross and cradling a small dog called Mary Lou while her owner sought advice inside, had seen it all before.
She joined the NSW State Emergency Service shortly after the 1989 Newcastle earthquake. During the Pasha Bulker storm, she rode a flood boat through Hamilton North, helping people and their pets out of the water. Later, as a volunteer firefighter on blackout training, she remembers seeing a scurrying animal in the low light and reaching down to collect it.
She picked it up, and it bit her, though she did not mind. She put it into her helmet to keep it safe. When an officer came around, they joked she had rescued a rat.
"I'll wear that," she said with a good-hearted smile, gently petting Mary Lou. "They're all God's critters."
Mrs Skaines has been volunteering with one organisation or another for more than 30 years. Lake Macquarie's Gail Campbell, also in the Red Cross t-shirt, was also a long-time volunteer and their team leader for the day, With Margaret Olsson, from Thornton, the trio had decades of experience between them in helping people when it felt the walls had come crashing down.
"We meet and greet," Mrs Campbell said gently. "Offer them a cuppa and start them off. They can have a little bit of a talk and then get taken around to where they need to go."
Most residents who attended on Wednesday were looking for advice on dealing with mould, and some were asking about financial help to get back on their feet. All were looking for answers and support.
Few walked away with all the answers they came looking for, Mrs Skaines said, but they got what they needed. Importantly for the three volunteers, they did not feel alone as they left.
"It's good for them to come in and have a chat," Mrs Campbell said.
"Someone to talk to," Mrs Olsson said.
The federal government has pledged a disaster recovery payment of up to $1000 for eligible adults and $400 for eligible children, on top of personal hardship payments of up to $900 per family.
Up to 13 weeks' income support will be available, and primary producers will have access to concessional loans and freight subsidies.
About 3500 people remain isolated along the NSW mid-north coast, despite waters receding in recent days, AAP reported on Wednesday.
"Recovery is going to take time," Federal Emergency Services Minister Kristy McBain told ABC radio.
"This isn't going to be something that is done quickly and we've reiterated that we will be there for the long haul."
- with reporting by AAP
They never get easier, but Dianne Skaines has seen so many natural disasters that she recognises the rhythm of these things.
By lunchtime on Wednesday, the recovery centre at Maitland Town Hall had seen about 20 families, farmers, and homeowners displaced or rocked by the week's flooding.
A dozen or so support organisations, insurers, chaplains, and other services had set up shop under the control of the state government's reconstruction authority, which will operate the recovery centre for around the next week to help connect displaced and flooded residents find the support they need.
Mrs Skaines, representing the Red Cross and cradling a small dog called Mary Lou while her owner sought advice inside, had seen it all before.
She joined the NSW State Emergency Service shortly after the 1989 Newcastle earthquake. During the Pasha Bulker storm, she rode a flood boat through Hamilton North, helping people and their pets out of the water. Later, as a volunteer firefighter on blackout training, she remembers seeing a scurrying animal in the low light and reaching down to collect it.
She picked it up, and it bit her, though she did not mind. She put it into her helmet to keep it safe. When an officer came around, they joked she had rescued a rat.
"I'll wear that," she said with a good-hearted smile, gently petting Mary Lou. "They're all God's critters."
Mrs Skaines has been volunteering with one organisation or another for more than 30 years. Lake Macquarie's Gail Campbell, also in the Red Cross t-shirt, was also a long-time volunteer and their team leader for the day, With Margaret Olsson, from Thornton, the trio had decades of experience between them in helping people when it felt the walls had come crashing down.
"We meet and greet," Mrs Campbell said gently. "Offer them a cuppa and start them off. They can have a little bit of a talk and then get taken around to where they need to go."
Most residents who attended on Wednesday were looking for advice on dealing with mould, and some were asking about financial help to get back on their feet. All were looking for answers and support.
Few walked away with all the answers they came looking for, Mrs Skaines said, but they got what they needed. Importantly for the three volunteers, they did not feel alone as they left.
"It's good for them to come in and have a chat," Mrs Campbell said.
"Someone to talk to," Mrs Olsson said.
The federal government has pledged a disaster recovery payment of up to $1000 for eligible adults and $400 for eligible children, on top of personal hardship payments of up to $900 per family.
Up to 13 weeks' income support will be available, and primary producers will have access to concessional loans and freight subsidies.
About 3500 people remain isolated along the NSW mid-north coast, despite waters receding in recent days, AAP reported on Wednesday.
"Recovery is going to take time," Federal Emergency Services Minister Kristy McBain told ABC radio.
"This isn't going to be something that is done quickly and we've reiterated that we will be there for the long haul."
- with reporting by AAP
They never get easier, but Dianne Skaines has seen so many natural disasters that she recognises the rhythm of these things.
By lunchtime on Wednesday, the recovery centre at Maitland Town Hall had seen about 20 families, farmers, and homeowners displaced or rocked by the week's flooding.
A dozen or so support organisations, insurers, chaplains, and other services had set up shop under the control of the state government's reconstruction authority, which will operate the recovery centre for around the next week to help connect displaced and flooded residents find the support they need.
Mrs Skaines, representing the Red Cross and cradling a small dog called Mary Lou while her owner sought advice inside, had seen it all before.
She joined the NSW State Emergency Service shortly after the 1989 Newcastle earthquake. During the Pasha Bulker storm, she rode a flood boat through Hamilton North, helping people and their pets out of the water. Later, as a volunteer firefighter on blackout training, she remembers seeing a scurrying animal in the low light and reaching down to collect it.
She picked it up, and it bit her, though she did not mind. She put it into her helmet to keep it safe. When an officer came around, they joked she had rescued a rat.
"I'll wear that," she said with a good-hearted smile, gently petting Mary Lou. "They're all God's critters."
Mrs Skaines has been volunteering with one organisation or another for more than 30 years. Lake Macquarie's Gail Campbell, also in the Red Cross t-shirt, was also a long-time volunteer and their team leader for the day, With Margaret Olsson, from Thornton, the trio had decades of experience between them in helping people when it felt the walls had come crashing down.
"We meet and greet," Mrs Campbell said gently. "Offer them a cuppa and start them off. They can have a little bit of a talk and then get taken around to where they need to go."
Most residents who attended on Wednesday were looking for advice on dealing with mould, and some were asking about financial help to get back on their feet. All were looking for answers and support.
Few walked away with all the answers they came looking for, Mrs Skaines said, but they got what they needed. Importantly for the three volunteers, they did not feel alone as they left.
"It's good for them to come in and have a chat," Mrs Campbell said.
"Someone to talk to," Mrs Olsson said.
The federal government has pledged a disaster recovery payment of up to $1000 for eligible adults and $400 for eligible children, on top of personal hardship payments of up to $900 per family.
Up to 13 weeks' income support will be available, and primary producers will have access to concessional loans and freight subsidies.
About 3500 people remain isolated along the NSW mid-north coast, despite waters receding in recent days, AAP reported on Wednesday.
"Recovery is going to take time," Federal Emergency Services Minister Kristy McBain told ABC radio.
"This isn't going to be something that is done quickly and we've reiterated that we will be there for the long haul."
- with reporting by AAP
They never get easier, but Dianne Skaines has seen so many natural disasters that she recognises the rhythm of these things.
By lunchtime on Wednesday, the recovery centre at Maitland Town Hall had seen about 20 families, farmers, and homeowners displaced or rocked by the week's flooding.
A dozen or so support organisations, insurers, chaplains, and other services had set up shop under the control of the state government's reconstruction authority, which will operate the recovery centre for around the next week to help connect displaced and flooded residents find the support they need.
Mrs Skaines, representing the Red Cross and cradling a small dog called Mary Lou while her owner sought advice inside, had seen it all before.
She joined the NSW State Emergency Service shortly after the 1989 Newcastle earthquake. During the Pasha Bulker storm, she rode a flood boat through Hamilton North, helping people and their pets out of the water. Later, as a volunteer firefighter on blackout training, she remembers seeing a scurrying animal in the low light and reaching down to collect it.
She picked it up, and it bit her, though she did not mind. She put it into her helmet to keep it safe. When an officer came around, they joked she had rescued a rat.
"I'll wear that," she said with a good-hearted smile, gently petting Mary Lou. "They're all God's critters."
Mrs Skaines has been volunteering with one organisation or another for more than 30 years. Lake Macquarie's Gail Campbell, also in the Red Cross t-shirt, was also a long-time volunteer and their team leader for the day, With Margaret Olsson, from Thornton, the trio had decades of experience between them in helping people when it felt the walls had come crashing down.
"We meet and greet," Mrs Campbell said gently. "Offer them a cuppa and start them off. They can have a little bit of a talk and then get taken around to where they need to go."
Most residents who attended on Wednesday were looking for advice on dealing with mould, and some were asking about financial help to get back on their feet. All were looking for answers and support.
Few walked away with all the answers they came looking for, Mrs Skaines said, but they got what they needed. Importantly for the three volunteers, they did not feel alone as they left.
"It's good for them to come in and have a chat," Mrs Campbell said.
"Someone to talk to," Mrs Olsson said.
The federal government has pledged a disaster recovery payment of up to $1000 for eligible adults and $400 for eligible children, on top of personal hardship payments of up to $900 per family.
Up to 13 weeks' income support will be available, and primary producers will have access to concessional loans and freight subsidies.
About 3500 people remain isolated along the NSW mid-north coast, despite waters receding in recent days, AAP reported on Wednesday.
"Recovery is going to take time," Federal Emergency Services Minister Kristy McBain told ABC radio.
"This isn't going to be something that is done quickly and we've reiterated that we will be there for the long haul."
- with reporting by AAP