Ann Wason Moore says patience with emergency services is key after the Christmas Day storm

Stressed-out residents are starting to vent their frustrations on emergency crews struggling to piece our city back together. Read what they said

Fallen tree causes major traffic hazards across the road after smashing into a parked motor vehicle at Coomera on the Gold Coast after a massive storm swept through Christmas Night. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Scott Powick

As the last hours of 2023 tick away, let’s resolve to begin our 2024 resolutions early.

At risk of sounding like an absolute wanker, I’d like to suggest we all work on patience and kindness … and let’s begin by practising with the emergency crews trying to put our city back together.

Now, I realise this is easy for me to preach while working away in a house that still has power and which sustained little damage during the wild, cyclonic storm of Christmas night, but, sadly, little signs of stress have started to spring up – both on our streets and on social media.

I have endless empathy for those who have been affected, the thought of my Chrissy leftovers going to waste almost brings me to tears, let alone actual damage to my home. My heart goes out to all of those injured or who have lost loved ones.

I know all the thoughts and prayers in the world, sadly, won’t make much of a difference for those who are suffering through this time. and simply living without power for days on end must be incredibly frustrating and isolating.

Which is why I also understand those who are venting this stress on emergency crews now working on our streets. But that doesn’t make it right.

An Energex spokesman said many of the almost 500 workers from across south east Queensland who were trying to turn the electricity back on had not seen their families since Christmas Eve, and many were without power themselves.

Pictured is the destroyed home of Len la Tours which was totally destroyed by deadly storms over the holidays in south-east Queensland. At least seven people have died and more than 46,000 homes are still without power across the state on Thursday following thunderstorms and a "mini-cyclone". Picture: NCA NewsWire / Scott Powick

Called out early Christmas morning, they’ve worked around the clock, returning home only to sleep, and then heading back out as soon as they could meet the minimum hours of rest under the stipulated fatigue management system.

And it’s exhausting work: hot, humid, tiring … and dangerous.

Which is why we must let them get on with the job, as much as we might want to ask just when power will be back. Or, worse, to verbally or even physically abuse the crews doing their best. I’ve had it reported to me already.

A friend was driving past the Energex depot in Burleigh, a place normally secured from public access. Of course, being without power itself, a disgruntled customer was able to push their way through the gates and was demanding answers as to when electricity would return to his property and criticising the company’s efforts.

Meanwhile, community pages on social media have been littered with criticism.

“This is a disgrace … two days in and nothing has changed. No police at any intersections with lights out … no SES … no council … no Energex … no power … NOTHING!! The only tree clearing is people doing it themselves,” said one Coomera resident.

“Completely agree, useless. Maudsland has had no power since 9.30pm Christmas Day. Power lines still on the ground, no mobile reception. Oh, but three of the theme parks are open. It’s disgusting how little help there has been,” said another.

Fallen trees cause major pedestrian and traffic hazards across the roads and footpaths at Burleigh Waters on the Gold Coast after a massive storm swept through Christmas Night. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Scott Powick

I know this is an incredibly tough time, but we’re better than this.

The Energex spokesman said while the vast majority of people were doing the right thing, and that Energex and emergency service crews understood the hardship that people were going through, it was always worth remembering they were doing their best to help the community under very difficult circumstances.

And the situation, he promised, would get better.

“We are all in this together, but we just ask that people please remain patient. We’ve never seen this kind of damage on the network before. We’re talking 32m, steel-reinforced concrete poles just snapped. It’s unbelievable.

“We have specialist crews assessing damage that could only access certain areas on Wednesday because of the debris. We have a helicopter going over the Gold Coast, Scenic Rim and Logan to continue the assessment and find out exactly what is needed and where.

“What you see is just a fraction of the network damage. You might see one pole down on a street but the high voltage lines above and below are also affected, or there are lines that are buried under old-growth gum trees.

“We also have to make sure we are keeping the community and our crews safe … especially when we’re talking about high voltage.”

The spokesman said while he understood the desperation of residents, every question asked of crews meant time away from the job at hand: “I know we all want answers. My advice is to just check the website, if you can, for all the latest updates. Firmer time frames are coming.

“Our crews are happy to help and to answer what they can, but the best thing we can do is just let them get to work turning the power back on.”

So … keep calm, stay kind, and bring on a truly lit 2024

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