G'day everyone.

Kinda wish I had a better subject to bring up.

I guess you're all hearing about the flooding here in Queensland. Trust me when I say, it is horrendous. (I'm in Caboolture 45 min. nth of Brisbane.)
So far, 9 dead, (5 kids) and 66 missing, (some have been found, was 72). Authorities are saying the toll will rise.

I said about 4 days ago, in my last post, there is an area bigger than Germany and France put together, under water, and we've had more rain since. The super rain cells as they're being called, are on the move south west and will continue through outback Qld. and New South Wales. Just here 540 mm or about 22 inches in 4 and 1/2 days. This morning, 4 inches in about 1 hour.

One of our local TV stations here, conducted a televised fundraiser on Saturday night and raised $11,000,000 plus, before the worst event hit us today. Matched with the Gov. funds etc., I think we're up around $30,000.000.

Aside from what you're seeing on your TVs, ( I don't know what you're seeing) Check out Youtube.

YouTube - Toowoomba floods 2011
YouTube - Toowoomba Flash Flooding, Amazing Footage | 10 Jan 2011 - ABC News 24
ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If_AIGhCoZI

Anyway, you get my drift. Just search for floods in Toowoomba, Theodore, Condamine, Forest Hill etc. All in all about 32 towns either partially or fully evacuated. The big wet started before Christmas, so some poor people are being flooded for the 3RD TIME IN 20 DAYS, and if they didn't before, some have now lost everything, family, houses, cars, the lot.

As an example, the water came up so fast, the 300 or so residents of Forest Hill couldn't get out in time. They are still being choppered out as I type this.

I personally, have come out of my early retirement. I've set up a company to help with the cleanup. So far ,I've had numerous other companies offer equipment, pumps, truck, wet/dry vacs, hot/cold pressure washers etc. at cost price, which means my funds are getting stretched. Hopefully, when the water goes down, the gear will arrive and we can get started.

I've hit up BP Australia for a fuel card (discount or free) but I won't hold my breath.

What I'm really trying to say is,,, IF YOU SEE ANY FUND RAISING HAPPENING IN THE U.S.A., (or even if you don't, see if your banks can start something up), DIG DEEP, don't hold back.

Luckily, my place is flood free, but I did have the street gutter overflow, and run 4 inches deep by about 18 ft wide, down my driveway. About 2 inches of it went through my double garage, office and laundry. Very little damage, but I had to open the back door to let it out,, LOL. Pity the pumps haven't arrived yet.

Anyhow, hope I didn't bore you all too much. Old 65 EFY is on hold for a bit, so the update on my gallery will have to wait.

Cheers, you lot, Ron.

PS I'll try to stay dry.

 

Anyway, you get my drift. Just search for floods in Toowoomba, Theodore, Condamine, Forest Hill etc. All in all about 32 towns either partially or fully evacuated. The big wet started before Christmas, so some poor people are being flooded for the 3RD TIME IN 20 DAYS, and if they didn't before, some have now lost everything, family, houses, cars, the lot.

As an example, the water came up so fast, the 300 or so residents of Forest Hill couldn't get out in time. They are still being choppered out as I type this.

I personally, have come out of my early retirement. I've set up a company to help with the cleanup. So far ,I've had numerous other companies offer equipment, pumps, truck, wet/dry vacs, hot/cold pressure washers etc. at cost price, which means my funds are getting stretched. Hopefully, when the water goes down, the gear will arrive and we can get started.

I've hit up BP Australia for a fuel card (discount or free) but I won't hold my breath.

What I'm really trying to say is,,, IF YOU SEE ANY FUND RAISING HAPPENING IN THE U.S.A., (or even if you don't, see if your banks can start something up), DIG DEEP, don't hold back.

Luckily, my place is flood free, but I did have the street gutter overflow, and run 4 inches deep by about 18 ft wide, down my driveway. About 2 inches of it went through my double garage, office and laundry. Very little damage, but I had to open the back door to let it out,, LOL. Pity the pumps haven't arrived yet.

Anyhow, hope I didn't bore you all too much. Old 65 EFY is on hold for a bit, so the update on my gallery will have to wait.

Cheers, you lot, Ron.

PS I'll try to stay dry.

 

Hey Ron,
I'm in California and have been following the news down there...I've got a few mates in the area, it's sad to hear about it all.
Are the Red Cross or any donation sites available...let me know, I'd be happy to give what I can. I was working in the media
back when Katrina hit New Orleans, and I was there about two weeks after the storm...it's incredible what damage the water
can do.

I hope you and yours are safe Ron,
Best,
Jason

 

Good man Jason.

The Red Cross are doing wonders over here. What a monumental task.
We also have the Salvation Army here but I'm not sure they're over in the U.S.

My guess would be the Red Cross over there would have some sort of fund raising arrangements.

Latest count is 12 Dead, about 70 missing (that figure is constantly varying). Of the missing, they have grave fears for about 30 of them. Mostly from a little town called Grantham, apparently hit by an 8m (26ft) wall of water.

From what I hear over here, these floods are the big news, world wide.

I gotta tell you, I might be an emotional old *****, but I don't scare easily. I think if the death toll remains below 30, we'll be lucky. So yep, I'm scared, not for me, but all the people in the path of the water and rain now.

NSW is copping the flood water and rain now, and Victoria, just the rain so far. Lets hope they get of better than Qld.

I just heard on the telly. Donations can be made on Queensland floods : Queensland Government .

Also, 40,000 homes are expected to be affected in the next 24 hrs, That's just in the Brisbane area alone. That's not including the properties in about 70 other communities so far.

You just gotta tear your hair out sometimes. I have a truck load of gear, pumps, pressure washers etc etc, coming from Melbourne Vic. right now, and ironically, the flood water will prevent the equipment from getting here sooner rather than later.
God dam, it's enough to give ya the ****s.

Anyway, thanks heaps for your kind thoughts. I'm sure any donations you and your friends can make, will be of great help.

I'll attempt to keep you all posted. I'll just add to this thread. So, keep an eye on it.

Cheers, Ron.

 

My prayers go out to all our friends downunder...............

 

Ron,
Our thoughts are with you, best of luck. I have made a donation with the Red Cross on your behalf.
Paul

 

Thanks for your thoughts and you donations fellas.

I cracked the sads today and took my genny, pressure washer, and a 44 gal drum of disinfectant and did the rounds. I got fed up waitin for my gear to arrive.
The irony of it all, is that I've had to order most of this stuff in from down south,, (Melbourne), but the crappy weather, storms etc., have now done the dirty on that neck of the woods as well. That's something like 1,350 miles away. Bloody near every where in between has been affected as well.

A place call Horsham, in western Vic. (the town where we live for 8 years, and where the kids were born), is now experiencing it's worst flooding in over 100 years. Something like 600 houses evacuated in a town of about 21,000 people. Not good odds.

What a stinkin smelly mess. The height the water got to was amazing. wheelie bins, rubbish bins or trash cans or whatever you guys call em,,, hanging from the power lines.
[IMG]file:///C:/Users/owner/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot.png[/IMG]http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/gallery-e6frer9f-1225987588708?page=1

Some poor kids favourite teddy. A stark reminder of the overpowering and indiscriminate nature of extreme flooding.
[IMG]file:///C:/Users/owner/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.png[/IMG][IMG]file:///C:/Users/owner/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.png[/IMG]http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/gallery-e6frer9f-1225987588708?page=47

It'll be a while before anyone moves in here again. One of around 12,000 houses fully flooded and 17,000 or so partially flooded, in the Brisbane area alone
Flood clean-up | Brisbane flood clean-up pictures | Courier Mail

Fish being trapped and rotting as the water recedes. Bloody Bull Sharks swimming down the main street of one of the suburbs.
There were 5 Brown snakes spotted in one of the street I was in today, (the water has subsided). Plaster board in most of the houses, has either been partially or fully removed. One guy found 4 dead rats in his wall, drowned.
I've been come home, had a long shower, and now, some 2 hours later, the smell of the mud's still comin out of me.

I saw on the news tonight, a rather large truck repair shop on the south side of Brisbane. This bloke's shed has a room about 3o ft high. One of the trucks in for repair, was a fuel tanker. A triple axle 24 tone rig. The dam think floated, and destroyed part of the roof. Punched a massive hole through it.

Bloody well, unbelievable images.

Best of all though, is how this event has united the people everywhere. It has been nothing short of incredible. One day alone, saw about 50,000 volunteers, bring their, mops buckets, bobcats, trucks, generators etc etc. and get stuck in. The "Mud army" as they are now known.

Anyhow guys, I'll shut up now. I've chewed your ears, (or should that be eyes???) long enough.

Have no fear though fellas, we might have got our ***** kicked, but we're coming back bigger and better.

Cheers, Ron.

Remember,
If you think you can,,, or you think you can't,,,, you're probably right.
The moral, according to Ron,,,, better to think you can.

 

Hang in there Ron, Sounds like you are doing your best for those around you. I lost a very good friend to flooding up here in '06. I will pray for wisdom and an orderly recovery. It will be many years putting all the pieces back together, but the resilient nature of your people will prevail!