Altona SES volunteers say last week’s windstorm was the worst in the unit’s 30-year history.
Unit controller Craig McCallum said emergency crews worked around the clock until midnight on Thursday, responding to more than 325 calls for help since Tuesday.
There were 125 calls from Altona Meadows, 50 from Altona, 40 from Laverton and the rest from across the municipality. Most calls related to fallen trees and building damage, with Christchurch Newport Anglican church losing part of its facade.
“I reckon it would probably have to be our biggest [operation] in our 30 years,” Mr McCallum said. “They [council workers] reckon they’ll spend two-three weeks going around the municipality cleaning up trees.”
He said the Altona crew was helped by the MFB, CFA and the Department of Environment and Primary Industries, with personnel coming from as far as Ballarat to help. Altona SES was formed after two people died and 20 were injured during a 1982 storm.
