QFES swiftwater rescue crews fly into Toowoomba after week assisting flooded town of Goondiwindi

They’ve been on the frontline of southwest Queensland’s worst floods in years. Now four members of the QFES’s swiftwater rescue crew have paid tribute to the towns they helped.

After a week of rescuing stranded residents and supporting flooded communities in Goondiwindi, Paul Dunn and his team are happy to be coming home.

The four men, who are part of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service’s swiftwater rescue team, touched down at Toowoomba Airport on Sunday.

Mr Dunn said the team was sent to Goondiwindi just before the town was cut off by floodwaters, where they played a vital role in supporting a town in crisis.

“The first few days, it was quite busy and obviously the rain was still falling at that time, so we had a few rescue jobs and a few people got stranded,” he said.

“After that, things calmed down a bit, and we went into a prepare-and-act type of situation to see what the floods would do and provide assistance to the community.”

QFES swift water team return from attending flooding situation in Goondiwindi. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Mr Dunn said the team had been humbled by the spirit shown by the Goondiwindi community during a tough period.

“Everyone was very hospitable and welcoming to us and the local knowledge that gave to us was second to none,” he said.

The crew was flown back to Toowoomba in Bell 214B, one of the helicopters tasked with supporting rescue services during the flood event.

QFES southwest region aircraft officer Chris Thompson said the air support provided to teams was invaluable.

A truck driver was rescued from floodwaters by emergency crews after rolling on a Goondiwindi highway. Picture QFES Media

STILL NOT GETTING IT: MORE PEOPLE RESCUED FROM FLOODS

Rescue services have vented their frustration at the number of southwest Queensland residents who continue to ignore warnings and drive into floodwaters.

Swiftwater rescue teams were called to eight separate incidents across the region, including three separate matters on Saturday alone.

In one case, a woman ignored road blocks and drove her 4WD into a flooded area on Springvale Road at Springvale, before her vehicle was washed away.

Other matters involved people getting their cars stuck in floodwaters and calling emergency services.

It comes just a few days after a 73-year-old Roma man was killed when he ignored warning signs and drove into floodwaters at Yalangur.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Service’s regional operations co-ordinator Jason Lawler said the lack of care by some residents nearly a week after flooding began was disappointing.

“It is hard (for us), it’s not only the impact to those who make those choices, but also the families,” he said.

“It’s also dangerous for emergency services, which is often overlooked.

“Seek an alternate route and drive to road conditions — your best move is to back out.”

QFES Chief Superintendent Jason Lawler. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Supt Lawler said floodwaters presented an even bigger threat now that the main rain events were over, since it could lull drivers into a false sense of security.

“At this point, with the blue skies and clear weather, the risk is just as relevant and even more so,” he said.

“We have got some local flash flood risks, but the flood waters are still moving and are a real and present danger.

Supt Lawler said there were still flood warnings for parts of the southwest, including the Macintyre, Weir, Condamine and Balonne Rivers.

“It’s a constantly evolving environment with floodwaters,” he said.

“Major flood warnings exist across the Southern Downs, major flooding at Condamine and Macintyre but the Chinchilla flooding is receding.

“We’re planning for about a week of operations.”

For the latest flood warnings and updates, head to bom.gov.au.

If you require support from the SES, call 132 500.

In an emergency, please dial triple-0.