Sandbag Points

There are sandbags and sand available at NSW SES Port Stephens Unit (31 Rees James Road, Raymond Terrace) and Stuart Oval (17 Swan Street, Hinton) for those in need.

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You are required to bring your own shovel and if pre-filled sandbags are required, call 132 500.

Windsor Street Fire

Multiple crews from NSW Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue NSW attended a fire at Windsor Street, Raymond Terrace on 7 October.

Emergency services were called to the scene in the early hours of the morning.

There were no reported injuries.

Kitchen Fire

On 5 October, Raymond Terrace Fire & Rescue was called to a kitchen fire.

The fire started in an unattended grill.

Fortunately, the occupant was alerted by a working smoke alarm, and they quickly used a fire extinguisher and called 000.

A representative from the Brigade said this is a timely reminder to ‘Keep Looking When Cooking’ and have a working smoke alarm.

Flooding

Crews from the NSW SES Port Stephens Unit have been out and about in the Port Stephens area, assisting community members in Raymond Terrace and Hinton, performing local reconnaissance on roads, rivers and boat ramps.

They remind all residents of Port Stephens that if it is flooded, forget it.

“Every flood is different,” NSW SES said.

“Impacts from recent floods mean conditions and environments may have changed and future floods may be different than expected or experienced.

“People in the impact locations should keep clear of creeks, low lying rivers and storm drains, never enter flood water, stay vigilant and monitor conditions,” the service said.

Lemon Tree Passage Accident

In the early hours of 3 October, NSW SES Port Stephens Unit responded to a person trapped in a motor vehicle accident on Lemon Tree Passage Road in Salt Ash.

Rescue operators responded with the Heavy Rescue Vehicle (PTS48) and the Medium Rescue Vehicle (PTS46) to the job, with seven accredited Rescue Operators on board.

Upon arrival, a ute with a driver was found off the road.

The patient was treated for a suspected spinal injury, and a full side removal was performed to allow the safe removal of the patient.

Working with emergency services colleagues from NSW Police, NSW Ambulance and NSW Rural Fire Service, the patient was removed and transported to hospital for further treatment.

‘Hi Mum’ Scam

Scamwatch is urging the public to be wary of phone messages from a family member or friend claiming they need help, following a significant rise in “Hi Mum” scams in recent months.

More than 1,150 Australians fell victim to the so-called ‘Hi Mum’ scam in the first seven months of this year, with total reported losses of $2.6 million.

The vast majority of these scams were reported in June and July 2022.

Known as the ‘Hi Mum or ‘family impersonation’ scams, victims are contacted – most often through WhatsApp – by a scammer posing as a family member or friend.

The scammer will claim they have lost or damaged their phone and are making contact from a new number and once they have developed a rapport with their target, the scammer will ask for personal information such as photos for their social media profile or money to help urgently pay a bill, contractor or replace the phone.

These requests continue the ruse of a lost or broken phone with the justification that the funds are needed because they can’t access their online banking temporarily.

Some messages will simply say “it’s me”, while in other cases the scammers appear to have contact information and use the name of the person they are impersonating.

People who detect a scam, regardless of whether they have lost money, can report scams on the Scamwatch website at scamwatch.gov.au.

Soldiers Point Rescue

On 4 October, Port Stephens Marine Rescue crews on PS30 responded to calls of a vessel that had engine issues and was not able to make their way back to Soldiers Point boat ramp.

The disabled vessel was in very shallow waters off Piggy Beach and presented a small challenge to retrieve them out of the area.

PS30 established a nose-in tow to bring the vessel to deeper water and when all was clear, a normal tow was established and the disabled vessel was taken back to Soldiers Point boat ramp.

By Tara CAMPBELL