A car at Altona Golf Links felt the brunt of the storm last week. 77037
By Vanessa Chircop
VOLUNTEERS at the Altona State Emergency Service (SES) Unit were kept busy once again last week.
The storm that raged across Melbourne not only kept the volunteers busy in Hobsons Bay but in Melbourne’s Eastern Suburbs as well.
SES Deputy Controller Peter Tester said the first call came through at mid-morning and kept the team busy until 1am the next day.
“As a result of the strong winds experienced across Victoria on Sunday 5 February 2012, Altona SES volunteers received 11 requests for assistance in the Hobsons Bay area, 10 for trees down or across roads and one for building damage,” he said.
“In one circumstance, a large gum tree crushed a Holden Barina in the Altona Golf Links car park.”
Mr Tester said they worked in Hobsons Bay until 5pm but were then called to Nunawading where they dealt with 10 more requests about fallen trees, some falling across lanes and roads.
“It was a long day,” he said.
“We spent a lot of it chain soring and cutting up trees – it was exhausting.”
Despite the late finish many of the volunteers were back to their day jobs as usual Monday morning.
“If I’m rostered on to work, I go to work,” he said, “just like the rest of the volunteers.”
Mr Tester said the last 12 months had been extremely busy for the SES.
“There are times when you think ‘not again’.”
Due to the strong winds, Mr Tester said he was surprised they didn’t receive more calls for building damage.
“I probably expected more – I guess we were fairly lucky.”
