The flooded property about 10km outside Kempsey, NSW. Photo: Fire and Rescue NSW
A drone showed the way to safety for a rescue crew, farming couple and six dogs through 2km of flooded bush at night near Kempsey, NSW.
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) says the drama began on Friday afternoon when Strike Team Charlie (five in-water rescuers from the north and mid-north coasts) were tasked with reaching the residents.
The couple had already been stranded by floodwaters for three days on their property near old Burgess Creek, about 10km from Kempsey.
After setting up temporary base, the team set out but with landmarks flooded, the crew were forced to use a triangulation navigation app to locate the farm.
They paddled two hours in a rescue boat to reach the man, in his 60s, and a 32-year-old woman.
That was when they discovered the man had mild hypothermia.
He also refused to leave his six working dogs behind so the crew ripped down a bamboo fence and made a makeshift raft.
They used firefighting cords to create leads for the dogs and tied the raft to their inflatable flood boat. With the man on the raft to calm his dogs, they began the trek back.
Realising they faced a 2km paddle back at night, team leader Inspector Gaven Muller, at base, reached out for help from a fire crew from Wauchope who were trained to use a drone.
The drone located the group and used its spotlight to guide them through flooded bush to safety.
The couple were then taken to Kempsey Hospital for treatment.
CREW PRAISED
Team leader, Inspector Gaven Muller, was full of praise for his crew, a FRNSW statement read.
“I’m so proud of this team and the way it cared for those trapped people and their animals,” he says.
“Speaking over the radio, I told them ‘The drone’s up, I’ve got you in my sights, just follow the light’.
“They said it was like a beacon, and they knew they were heading in the right direction.
“Before long, they had reached safety, and we managed to get the pair to hospital.”
The team who rescued a farming family, dogs and all. Photo: FRNSW (No audio)
