General News
27 October, 2024
Double length video shows more action
AN EXTRA minute makes a difference - those 60 seconds captured on video community heroes and a lone SES volunteer winching Paul Winter to safety after his car was swamped by a rising Nardoo Creek. A low-quality video used by the State Emergency...
AN EXTRA minute makes a difference - those 60 seconds captured on video community heroes and a lone SES volunteer winching Paul Winter to safety after his car was swamped by a rising Nardoo Creek.
A low-quality video used by the State Emergency Service to back its claims the rescue was by the “effected” by its volunteers was seen last Saturday. All one minute and 14 seconds - a CFA volunteer on the opposite bank, briefly two SES volunteers then a sole member holding a rope.
By Sunday night, the Loddon Herald had been given a better quality, two minutes and 10 seconds of footage. The longer version, now on social media, shows non-SES members clearly part of the frantic rescue effort.
Sgt Huisman said after the rescue that the creek level was steadily rising when he arrived.
He said the community kicked in. His wife Gabby was on the creek bank, encouraging the driver to climb on the roof of his Ford Territory. “I kept telling him to hold on and to keep breathing,” she said.
The man’s dog swam to the creek bank where Sgt Huisman, and Andrew Roberts were being fitted with safety equipment, the ropes gripped firmly by Matthew Tansley, Scott Cunningham and his 15-year-old son Will.
Sgt Huisman and Mr Roberts were waist-deep in water. “And it was flowing,” Sgt Huisman said.
“Andrew and I carried the man out of the water.”