Tara Murray
Broadmeadows SES members have been kept busy with callouts to damage caused by heavy winds.
Members had attended 20 calls up to 3.30pm on Wednesday.
Unit controller Connie Lapworth said they had attended calls for fallen trees, building damage, fallen trees on power lines and downed fences.
She said they were expecting more calls the next 24 hours with wind warnings still in place.
Craigieburn SES attended two calls on Wednesday morning, while Whittlesea SES hadn’t received any calls as off Wednesday morning.
It’s the second time within a week, SES members have been on high alert due to storms and weather warnings.
Broadmeadows SES attended 61 jobs between Thursday and Monday morning.
They included building damage, trees down, traffic hazards and a few trees on cars.
Whittlesea SES attended 60 jobs last Thursday and Friday. Most were in the Bundoora and Mill Park area, with Bundoora hardest hit.
Whittlesea controller Gary Doorbar said 76 houses in Bundoora were left without power until Monday after a tree fell on power lines.
Many also didn’t have water due to the storms causing electrical damage which resulted in water contamination.
“Most were eldery people, so they were calling the COVID-19 hot line as they weren’t allowed to leave,” he said.
“They couldn’t drink their water and they didn’t have electricity to boil it. Council provided a barbecue and we got called back to set up generators so people could charge phones and other devices.”
