Fire Hydrants

Local fire Brigades are urging residents who have a fire hydrant on or near their properties to ensure that they mow the lawn and maintain the area around the fire hydrant so that brigades can access the hydrant in an emergency.

Timeless access to a fire hydrant can mean the difference between the brigade being able to save a house and family, or not.

Advertise with News of The Area today.
It’s worth it for your business.
Message us.
Phone us – (02) 4981 8882.
Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au

Vitamin Gummies

NSW Poisons Information Centre regularly gets calls from worried carers who have found children helping themselves to vitamin or herbal supplements – especially ‘gummies’.

Many of the ‘gummy’ vitamins look and taste like lollies and children have been known to eat the whole bottle.

A representative from the NSW Poisons Information Centre says that too many vitamin or herbal supplements may cause a stomachache, vomiting or diarrhoea.

“Tablets containing iron or potassium are of particular concern – too much iron or potassium can be fatal in children.
“Keep all supplements – especially iron and potassium tablets – out of reach of children.

“Do not refer to them as lollies and remind children they must only have the dose given to them by an adult.”

Call the Poisons Centre on 131 126 for further advice following any excessive ingestion of any supplements.

Marine Rescue Port Stephens

Just after lunchtime on 30 July, the radio room from Marine Rescue Port Stephens received a call from a five-metre half-cab runabout that was experiencing engine issues at Piggy’s Beach.

In the radio room, Watch Officer Howard with Radio Operator Tony received all the information from the skipper of the broken-down vessel.

The base passed on the information to DCO Julian who contacted the Duty Skipper Robert and his crew.

Rescue vessel Port Stephens 30 arrived on the scene in no time and with slick line work from the crew, PS30 had the vessel heading towards North Arm Cove.

PS30 delivered the distressed vessel safely to North Arm Cove and the skipper thanked the crew of PS30 for their assistance.

Strike Force BASTE

Officers from the Port Stephens Hunter Police District and surrounding districts recently established Strike Force BASTE which has been looking into stolen motor vehicles and stealing from motor vehicles within the District.

These thefts have been occurring and broadcast on TikTok predominantly by juvenile offenders.

Currently, the crime team and property drug team have arrested 22 offenders, for a total of 244 charges with seven search warrants which have also been executed across the district.

Police allege that at this stage, there will be at least a further 20 charges.

By Tara CAMPBELL