Hinchinbrook floods 2025: Lucinda teen Keldon Fletcher steps up during disaster
A selfless teen has been hailed for his efforts helping his cut-off community of Lucinda during the Hinchinbrook flood disaster.
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A selfless teen has been hailed for his efforts helping his cut-off community of Lucinda during the Hinchinbrook flood disaster.
Sergeant Gio Tantalo, the officer in charge of Halifax Police, said Keldon Fletcher, 16, had stepped up when the seaside town of Lucinda was left isolated by floodwaters.
He said Keldon, a member of the Police-Citizens Youth Club Hinchinbrook, had asked to take on more responsibility during the ordeal.
“He demonstrated a strong interest in assisting the community and asked if he could come on board and learn about being a (disaster) warden to help in Lucinda … to help with some of our more experienced guys,” he said.
“He’s demonstrated unique and just incredible dedication and a willingness to help the community ... he’s demonstrated that he is very capable.”
Sergeant Tantalo said Keldon and mum Rae Moody had stepped up above and beyond the call of duty, and been “deeply involved in collection and distribution of food supplies”.
He said the Ingham State High School teenager who had been cut off from his school for a fortnight, had been liaising with the likes of World Central Kitchen, a US-based “front-line” humanitarian response non-profit organisation, which had choppered in food supplies.
“He’s coordinated, even drops into other centres, through that organisation.”
Keldon said the rapid water rises that severed access to Halifax on Saturday, February 1, had caught many people short.
“The community does its best to always be prepared, but I think everyone always gets caught off-guard when a weather event comes up so quickly.”
He said the response team helped with fuel supply for generators with the aid of local businesses.
“We also helped get some fuel across the water in fire trucks to Halifax from the (Lucinda) port, so we were able to get them some diesel for the people there.”
He said he was able to help distribute the hot meals flown in from Townsville by WCK, and medication flown in by local helicopter pilots in conjunction with the Hinchinbrook Shire Council.
“There was a lot of learning and a lot of listening to the old hands; it’s a people game, the biggest thing is talking to people and seeing what people need and organising that.”
Keldon said the Lucinda community had rallied together and understood that there were limited relief supplies.
“When we had bread and milk drops there was unfortunately only so much bread in Townsville and it meant that there were some people that missed out on the first run but they were understanding and we were able to get them some on the second run.”
Keldon said his hobby as a HAM radio operator had helped with his communication skills.
“It’s taught me to speak well, teaches me to speak to other people no trouble, I don’t get afraid,” he said.
“The amateur radio was also invaluable for me because when we lost phones and power, it was my only communication outside and because I had that technical knowledge I was able to jump into action and communicate with the authorities by radio.”
The straight-A student said he was looking forward to school on Monday.
“The community did its bit to chip in and support each other and that is sort of what makes the area so resilient to these events.”
Sergeant Tantalo said the well-run PCYC was continuing to have a positive impact on the Lower Herbert community.
“Certainly Keldon and a couple of others are demonstrating as they get older that they will certainly be constructive and positive members of the community, that’s for sure.”
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Originally published as Hinchinbrook floods 2025: Lucinda teen Keldon Fletcher steps up during disaster
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