NSW: Extra volunteers to bolster storm repair effort

AAP General News (Australia)
04-20-1999
NSW: Extra volunteers to bolster storm repair effort

SYDNEY, April 20 AAP - An extra 200 volunteers will join the Sydney hail storm repair
effort tomorrow in anticipation of more bad weather.

Rural Fire Service (RFS) Commissioner Phil Koperberg said another 200 workers would join
the clean up operation at 6am tomorrow in response to predicted high winds and showers.

The contingency workers would ensure tarpaulins and other materials protecting houses
remained secure, State Emergency Service (SES) Director-General Hori Howard said.

"This leaves crews already on the ground free to continue the task of protecting properties
still needing emergency repairs," Major General Howard said.

Winds were forecasted to reach up to 50kph, he said.

Mr Koperberg said the extra 45 RFS teams would bolster an existing force of more than 1,900
emergency services workers.

Twenty RFS crews would patrol streets in affected areas to check on tarpaulins and
emergency repairs and the other 25 teams would be deployed where and when required, he said.

"This separate contingency operation is aimed at ensuring the weather doesn't cause people
any additional hardship by disturbing work already done on their homes".

Householders were advised to:

- Check tarpaulin tie-down ropes had not stretched and become loose.

- Move furniture to a central part of the house and cover with waterproof material if their
roof was not yet covered.

- Ensure personal documents were packed in waterproof bags.

- Take care leaving the house in strong wind conditions if they had weighed down roof tarps
with tiles or bricks.

AAP lk/bm

KEYWORD: HAILSTORM EXTRA

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