Latest news with #RuralFireService
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- Climate
- The Advertiser
Water search dogs join police operation after woman swept away in flood
POLICE divers and specialty water search dogs have been deployed to the Hunter Valley as part of the multi-agency operation to find a woman swept away in raging floodwaters on the weekend. Two Chinese nationals trying to get back to Sydney after a weekend in wine country attempted to drive through a causeway on Old North Road at North Rothbury as floodwaters surged through on Saturday night. The women, aged 27 and 26, a dog and the small car they were travelling in were washed into Black Creek, near Cessnock. The driver grabbed the dog and made it to shore but her 26-year-old passenger did not surface. Emergency services swarmed the area and a multi-agency search operation was launched, involving the NSW State Emergency Service (SES), the Rural Fire Service (RFS), the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA) and police, including water and rescue officers. The search from the land and water, and from the sky with a drone, continued through the weekend. Police divers were tasked to help with the search when it resumed on Monday. Five canines from the VRA NSW Search Dogs squad and their handlers were also tasked to assist. Four of those dogs had been trained in water searching, the first of their kind in Australia. They are part of a wider canine team that assist the police in different circumstances. Squad captain Sue Pritchard said the specialist capability had been deployed about 14 times since it became active one year ago. The dogs are highly trained to find people in the water and on the shoreline, and can help narrow down search areas. "They are truly amazing, and they have been very successful," she said, speaking generally about the squad. They work in a range of conditions and have to be able to navigate debris and balance themselves on a boat. Their training is intense and they have to be so finely tuned to what they are looking for due to the varying water conditions, temperatures, winds and currents. They can smell, detect bubbles, and may lick the water. Their partnerships with their handlers, who have to be able to read what the dogs are trying to say, is key. "We need pretty resilient dogs," she said. The team is made up of cocker and springer spaniels, coolies and a border collie. The volunteer handlers all come from different walks of life and can be called to go anywhere to help out. Captain Pritchard said the team was just happy to be able to help families have their loved ones found as quickly as possible. The search conditions were difficult on Saturday, with rescuers battling poor weather conditions and visibility. Police confirmed family in Australia and China had been notified of the search and police were liaising with Chinese Consulate officials. The 26-year-old woman was in Australia working as an engineer and was visiting the Hunter. A 40-year-old man also attempted to cross Black Creek when his car was swept into the raging waters and he was rescued by SES crews who found him clinging to a tree. The incidents came as wild weather wreaked havoc along the east coast. Shortland Esplanade remained closed to traffic near Nobbys beach on Monday as City of Newcastle crews worked to clear a weather-related landslip. No properties were affected. The New England Highway was closed at Muswellbrook due to flooding but reopened just after 10am on Monday, August 4. Dozens of local roads across the Hunter council areas remained closed due to floodwater inundation. A small section of Raymond Terrace, along the Hunter River, was under evacuation orders on Sunday night. Part of Hinton was isolated on Monday, while Hinton Public School and Hunter Trade College were non-operational. On Monday, the SES warned Clarence Town, Seaham, Muswellbrook, Denman, Maitland and Singleton to monitor conditions and stay informed on flooding in their areas. Holiday-makers and locals on the Mid North Coast were hit with what one resident described as 'mini cyclone' conditions on the weekend, causing damage to structures. The sun came out in Newcastle on Monday and conditions are expected to remain dry on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). POLICE divers and specialty water search dogs have been deployed to the Hunter Valley as part of the multi-agency operation to find a woman swept away in raging floodwaters on the weekend. Two Chinese nationals trying to get back to Sydney after a weekend in wine country attempted to drive through a causeway on Old North Road at North Rothbury as floodwaters surged through on Saturday night. The women, aged 27 and 26, a dog and the small car they were travelling in were washed into Black Creek, near Cessnock. The driver grabbed the dog and made it to shore but her 26-year-old passenger did not surface. Emergency services swarmed the area and a multi-agency search operation was launched, involving the NSW State Emergency Service (SES), the Rural Fire Service (RFS), the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA) and police, including water and rescue officers. The search from the land and water, and from the sky with a drone, continued through the weekend. Police divers were tasked to help with the search when it resumed on Monday. Five canines from the VRA NSW Search Dogs squad and their handlers were also tasked to assist. Four of those dogs had been trained in water searching, the first of their kind in Australia. They are part of a wider canine team that assist the police in different circumstances. Squad captain Sue Pritchard said the specialist capability had been deployed about 14 times since it became active one year ago. The dogs are highly trained to find people in the water and on the shoreline, and can help narrow down search areas. "They are truly amazing, and they have been very successful," she said, speaking generally about the squad. They work in a range of conditions and have to be able to navigate debris and balance themselves on a boat. Their training is intense and they have to be so finely tuned to what they are looking for due to the varying water conditions, temperatures, winds and currents. They can smell, detect bubbles, and may lick the water. Their partnerships with their handlers, who have to be able to read what the dogs are trying to say, is key. "We need pretty resilient dogs," she said. The team is made up of cocker and springer spaniels, coolies and a border collie. The volunteer handlers all come from different walks of life and can be called to go anywhere to help out. Captain Pritchard said the team was just happy to be able to help families have their loved ones found as quickly as possible. The search conditions were difficult on Saturday, with rescuers battling poor weather conditions and visibility. Police confirmed family in Australia and China had been notified of the search and police were liaising with Chinese Consulate officials. The 26-year-old woman was in Australia working as an engineer and was visiting the Hunter. A 40-year-old man also attempted to cross Black Creek when his car was swept into the raging waters and he was rescued by SES crews who found him clinging to a tree. The incidents came as wild weather wreaked havoc along the east coast. Shortland Esplanade remained closed to traffic near Nobbys beach on Monday as City of Newcastle crews worked to clear a weather-related landslip. No properties were affected. The New England Highway was closed at Muswellbrook due to flooding but reopened just after 10am on Monday, August 4. Dozens of local roads across the Hunter council areas remained closed due to floodwater inundation. A small section of Raymond Terrace, along the Hunter River, was under evacuation orders on Sunday night. Part of Hinton was isolated on Monday, while Hinton Public School and Hunter Trade College were non-operational. On Monday, the SES warned Clarence Town, Seaham, Muswellbrook, Denman, Maitland and Singleton to monitor conditions and stay informed on flooding in their areas. Holiday-makers and locals on the Mid North Coast were hit with what one resident described as 'mini cyclone' conditions on the weekend, causing damage to structures. The sun came out in Newcastle on Monday and conditions are expected to remain dry on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). POLICE divers and specialty water search dogs have been deployed to the Hunter Valley as part of the multi-agency operation to find a woman swept away in raging floodwaters on the weekend. Two Chinese nationals trying to get back to Sydney after a weekend in wine country attempted to drive through a causeway on Old North Road at North Rothbury as floodwaters surged through on Saturday night. The women, aged 27 and 26, a dog and the small car they were travelling in were washed into Black Creek, near Cessnock. The driver grabbed the dog and made it to shore but her 26-year-old passenger did not surface. Emergency services swarmed the area and a multi-agency search operation was launched, involving the NSW State Emergency Service (SES), the Rural Fire Service (RFS), the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA) and police, including water and rescue officers. The search from the land and water, and from the sky with a drone, continued through the weekend. Police divers were tasked to help with the search when it resumed on Monday. Five canines from the VRA NSW Search Dogs squad and their handlers were also tasked to assist. Four of those dogs had been trained in water searching, the first of their kind in Australia. They are part of a wider canine team that assist the police in different circumstances. Squad captain Sue Pritchard said the specialist capability had been deployed about 14 times since it became active one year ago. The dogs are highly trained to find people in the water and on the shoreline, and can help narrow down search areas. "They are truly amazing, and they have been very successful," she said, speaking generally about the squad. They work in a range of conditions and have to be able to navigate debris and balance themselves on a boat. Their training is intense and they have to be so finely tuned to what they are looking for due to the varying water conditions, temperatures, winds and currents. They can smell, detect bubbles, and may lick the water. Their partnerships with their handlers, who have to be able to read what the dogs are trying to say, is key. "We need pretty resilient dogs," she said. The team is made up of cocker and springer spaniels, coolies and a border collie. The volunteer handlers all come from different walks of life and can be called to go anywhere to help out. Captain Pritchard said the team was just happy to be able to help families have their loved ones found as quickly as possible. The search conditions were difficult on Saturday, with rescuers battling poor weather conditions and visibility. Police confirmed family in Australia and China had been notified of the search and police were liaising with Chinese Consulate officials. The 26-year-old woman was in Australia working as an engineer and was visiting the Hunter. A 40-year-old man also attempted to cross Black Creek when his car was swept into the raging waters and he was rescued by SES crews who found him clinging to a tree. The incidents came as wild weather wreaked havoc along the east coast. Shortland Esplanade remained closed to traffic near Nobbys beach on Monday as City of Newcastle crews worked to clear a weather-related landslip. No properties were affected. The New England Highway was closed at Muswellbrook due to flooding but reopened just after 10am on Monday, August 4. Dozens of local roads across the Hunter council areas remained closed due to floodwater inundation. A small section of Raymond Terrace, along the Hunter River, was under evacuation orders on Sunday night. Part of Hinton was isolated on Monday, while Hinton Public School and Hunter Trade College were non-operational. On Monday, the SES warned Clarence Town, Seaham, Muswellbrook, Denman, Maitland and Singleton to monitor conditions and stay informed on flooding in their areas. Holiday-makers and locals on the Mid North Coast were hit with what one resident described as 'mini cyclone' conditions on the weekend, causing damage to structures. The sun came out in Newcastle on Monday and conditions are expected to remain dry on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). POLICE divers and specialty water search dogs have been deployed to the Hunter Valley as part of the multi-agency operation to find a woman swept away in raging floodwaters on the weekend. Two Chinese nationals trying to get back to Sydney after a weekend in wine country attempted to drive through a causeway on Old North Road at North Rothbury as floodwaters surged through on Saturday night. The women, aged 27 and 26, a dog and the small car they were travelling in were washed into Black Creek, near Cessnock. The driver grabbed the dog and made it to shore but her 26-year-old passenger did not surface. Emergency services swarmed the area and a multi-agency search operation was launched, involving the NSW State Emergency Service (SES), the Rural Fire Service (RFS), the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA) and police, including water and rescue officers. The search from the land and water, and from the sky with a drone, continued through the weekend. Police divers were tasked to help with the search when it resumed on Monday. Five canines from the VRA NSW Search Dogs squad and their handlers were also tasked to assist. Four of those dogs had been trained in water searching, the first of their kind in Australia. They are part of a wider canine team that assist the police in different circumstances. Squad captain Sue Pritchard said the specialist capability had been deployed about 14 times since it became active one year ago. The dogs are highly trained to find people in the water and on the shoreline, and can help narrow down search areas. "They are truly amazing, and they have been very successful," she said, speaking generally about the squad. They work in a range of conditions and have to be able to navigate debris and balance themselves on a boat. Their training is intense and they have to be so finely tuned to what they are looking for due to the varying water conditions, temperatures, winds and currents. They can smell, detect bubbles, and may lick the water. Their partnerships with their handlers, who have to be able to read what the dogs are trying to say, is key. "We need pretty resilient dogs," she said. The team is made up of cocker and springer spaniels, coolies and a border collie. The volunteer handlers all come from different walks of life and can be called to go anywhere to help out. Captain Pritchard said the team was just happy to be able to help families have their loved ones found as quickly as possible. The search conditions were difficult on Saturday, with rescuers battling poor weather conditions and visibility. Police confirmed family in Australia and China had been notified of the search and police were liaising with Chinese Consulate officials. The 26-year-old woman was in Australia working as an engineer and was visiting the Hunter. A 40-year-old man also attempted to cross Black Creek when his car was swept into the raging waters and he was rescued by SES crews who found him clinging to a tree. The incidents came as wild weather wreaked havoc along the east coast. Shortland Esplanade remained closed to traffic near Nobbys beach on Monday as City of Newcastle crews worked to clear a weather-related landslip. No properties were affected. The New England Highway was closed at Muswellbrook due to flooding but reopened just after 10am on Monday, August 4. Dozens of local roads across the Hunter council areas remained closed due to floodwater inundation. A small section of Raymond Terrace, along the Hunter River, was under evacuation orders on Sunday night. Part of Hinton was isolated on Monday, while Hinton Public School and Hunter Trade College were non-operational. On Monday, the SES warned Clarence Town, Seaham, Muswellbrook, Denman, Maitland and Singleton to monitor conditions and stay informed on flooding in their areas. Holiday-makers and locals on the Mid North Coast were hit with what one resident described as 'mini cyclone' conditions on the weekend, causing damage to structures. The sun came out in Newcastle on Monday and conditions are expected to remain dry on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Major update in search for woman, 26, lost in floodwaters in NSW - as some residents are told to evacuate immediately
The search for a woman swept away in floodwaters in New South Wales has been suspended overnight. The woman, 26, was in a Mini Countryman which became stuck in floodwater near Cessnock, in the Hunter Valley about 7.50pm on Saturday. The driver, a 27-year-old woman, was rescued without injuries but the 26-year-old was dragged away by the current. Authorities immediately launched a multi-agency search including police, the Rural Fire Service and Volunteer Rescue Association rescuers which continued on Sunday. The search was disbanded for the night about 4.30pm today due to poor weather conditions and visibility issues. The multi-agency search will resume about 8am tomorrow, on Old North Road, Rothbury. Members of the public in flood-affected areas have also been warned avoid dangers such as damaged powerlines and floodwaters on roads. The State Emergency Service (SES) has directed residents in Gunnedah to evacuate due to hazardous flooding. Those on Bloomfield Street and Conadilly Street are affected. Also on Sunday, SES crews responded managed to save a 40-year-old man who was stuck in a tree due to floodwater. The man was swept out of the tree but rescuers followed him in the water and managed to pull him to shore, and he was taken to hospital. Both sides of the nation were facing wild weather, with high winds and storms expected in Western Australia and soggy conditions and flooding continuing for northern NSW. Tens of thousands of households in the eastern state spent a night without power as heavy rain, floods and unprecedented snow wreaked havoc. The SES has responded to more than 1455 call-outs related to rain, thunderstorms and snow. Residents in some parts of Taree on the mid north coast have been asked to evacuate due to flooding, while warnings are in place for the Peel and Namoi Rivers at Tamworth, Manilla and Gunnedah. Armidale and Guyra in New England had unprecedented snowfall and SES crews responded to more than 100 trapped cars. A new low-pressure system is expected to push up the NSW coast on Sunday, but conditions are likely to ease by afternoon, the Bureau of Meteorology said. Elsewhere, the bureau has issued a severe weather warning as a cold front moves through WA on Sunday, with damaging winds expected across the state's southwest, affecting Perth, Albany, Bunbury, Margaret River and the goldfields. 'Most of these damaging wind gusts will be driven by showers and thunderstorms,' meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said. Authorities warn surfers, fishers, swimmers and boating enthusiasts to stay clear of the coast amid dangerous swells. People have been urged to stay at least eight metres away from fallen power lines, power poles and damaged electricity equipment. Lightning temporarily forced the Wallabies and British and Irish Lions to seek cover during Saturday night's clash in Sydney, before the Australians managed to avoid a series whitewash. Much of the match was played in torrential rain, while lightning early in the second half forced a rare 38-minute stoppage as several hundred fans were forced to evacuate the stadium to take shelter.
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
‘Vital' act ahead of bushfire season
The next generation of firefighting vehicles will be put to the test when the bushfire danger period kicks off in NSW after years marred by devastating floods and bushfires. In a first for NSW, the Rural Fire Service has taken possession of six ultra-large Tatra trucks, which will be deployed when the northern danger period starts on August 1. NSW Premier Chris Minns said the firefighting trucks, which are being tested as part of the state government's next-generation fleet trials, were 'more than just vehicles'. 'They're vital tools protecting lives, supporting our firefighters and strengthening community safety across NSW,' Mr Minns said. 'We are providing our firefighters and the communities they protect with the best possible equipment and technology.' Mr Minns said it was vital that emergency volunteers had new equipment, with scores having come out in recent months to assist after flooding on the NSW Mid-North Coast. Five people were killed during the record-breaking floods that smashed areas such as Taree, coming just a few years after floods devastated parts of nearby Lismore. At the same time, the government is working to implement recommendations from the NSW Bushfire Inquiry, which probed learnings from the 2019-20 season. The state government says 290 new and refurbished have been deployed to NSW RFS brigades across the state, in addition to the six new Tatra vehicles. Coming in at a whopping 26 tonnes, the Tatra trucks are made in Czechia and can carrying nearly 9000 litres, making them the largest trucks in the fleet. Boasting the ability for tyres to inflate and delate, the Tatra trucks are made by a military specialised manufacturer and come in 4x4 and 6x6 models. Final fit-outs on the Tatra trucks will be completed domestically, with the first of the vehicles to be tested during the upcoming bushfire season. NSW RFS Commissioner Trent Curtin said the rollout of the Tatra trucks formed part of a long-term program to 'future-proof ' the fleet. 'These vehicles feature the latest in crew protection systems, improved safety design and communications equipment, helping our crews to operate in the toughest conditions,' he said. 'This work will help make sure our volunteers will come home safely after fighting bushfires across the state.' Several new vehicles, excluding Tatra trucks, were deployed during the recent flood crisis, with the RFS also preparing a major move of its home base to Marsden Park.
Perth Now
23-07-2025
- Automotive
- Perth Now
‘Vital' act ahead of bushfire season
The next generation of firefighting vehicles will be put to the test when the bushfire danger period kicks off in NSW after years marred by devastating floods and bushfires. In a first for NSW, the Rural Fire Service has taken possession of six ultra-large Tatra trucks, which will be deployed when the northern danger period starts on August 1. NSW Premier Chris Minns said the firefighting trucks, which are being tested as part of the state government's next-generation fleet trials, were 'more than just vehicles'. 'They're vital tools protecting lives, supporting our firefighters and strengthening community safety across NSW,' Mr Minns said. 'We are providing our firefighters and the communities they protect with the best possible equipment and technology.' Some 290 new and refurbished firefighting vehicles have been delivered to NSW RFS brigades across the state over the past year. Supplied Credit: NewsWire Mr Minns said it was vital that emergency volunteers had new equipment, with scores having come out in recent months to assist after flooding on the NSW Mid-North Coast. Five people were killed during the record-breaking floods that smashed areas such as Taree, coming just a few years after floods devastated parts of nearby Lismore. At the same time, the government is working to implement recommendations from the NSW Bushfire Inquiry, which probed learnings from the 2019-20 season. NSW Premier Chris Minns said the new trucks were 'vital tools protecting lives'. NewsWire / Nikki Short Credit: News Corp Australia The state government says 290 new and refurbished have been deployed to NSW RFS brigades across the state, in addition to the six new Tatra vehicles. Coming in at a whopping 26 tonnes, the Tatra trucks are made in Czechia and can carrying nearly 9000 litres, making them the largest trucks in the fleet. Boasting the ability for tyres to inflate and delate, the Tatra trucks are made by a military specialised manufacturer and come in 4x4 and 6x6 models. Final fit-outs on the Tatra trucks will be completed domestically, with the first of the vehicles to be tested during the upcoming bushfire season. The first Tatra truck will be deployed as part of the next-generation trial this year. Supplied Credit: NewsWire NSW RFS Commissioner Trent Curtin said the rollout of the Tatra trucks formed part of a long-term program to 'future-proof ' the fleet. 'These vehicles feature the latest in crew protection systems, improved safety design and communications equipment, helping our crews to operate in the toughest conditions,' he said. 'This work will help make sure our volunteers will come home safely after fighting bushfires across the state.' Several new vehicles, excluding Tatra trucks, were deployed during the recent flood crisis, with the RFS also preparing a major move of its home base to Marsden Park.
News.com.au
23-07-2025
- Automotive
- News.com.au
NSW government to trial next-generation firefighting truck after floods, bushfires
The next generation of firefighting vehicles will be put to the test when the bushfire danger period kicks off in NSW after years marred by devastating floods and bushfires. In a first for NSW, the Rural Fire Service has taken possession of six ultra-large Tatra trucks, which will be deployed when the northern danger period starts on August 1. NSW Premier Chris Minns said the firefighting trucks, which are being tested as part of the state government's next-generation fleet trials, were 'more than just vehicles'. 'They're vital tools protecting lives, supporting our firefighters and strengthening community safety across NSW,' Mr Minns said. 'We are providing our firefighters and the communities they protect with the best possible equipment and technology.' Mr Minns said it was vital that emergency volunteers had new equipment, with scores having come out in recent months to assist after flooding on the NSW Mid-North Coast. Five people were killed during the record-breaking floods that smashed areas such as Taree, coming just a few years after floods devastated parts of nearby Lismore. At the same time, the government is working to implement recommendations from the NSW Bushfire Inquiry, which probed learnings from the 2019-20 season. The state government says 290 new and refurbished have been deployed to NSW RFS brigades across the state, in addition to the six new Tatra vehicles. Coming in at a whopping 26 tonnes, the Tatra trucks are made in Czechia and can carrying nearly 9000 litres, making them the largest trucks in the fleet. Boasting the ability for tyres to inflate and delate, the Tatra trucks are made by a military specialised manufacturer and come in 4x4 and 6x6 models. Final fit-outs on the Tatra trucks will be completed domestically, with the first of the vehicles to be tested during the upcoming bushfire season. NSW RFS Commissioner Trent Curtin said the rollout of the Tatra trucks formed part of a long-term program to 'future-proof ' the fleet. 'These vehicles feature the latest in crew protection systems, improved safety design and communications equipment, helping our crews to operate in the toughest conditions,' he said. 'This work will help make sure our volunteers will come home safely after fighting bushfires across the state.' Several new vehicles, excluding Tatra trucks, were deployed during the recent flood crisis, with the RFS also preparing a major move of its home base to Marsden Park.
