RELEASE: Windstorms hit Strathfield: “Check for damage before the next one”, says SES

The Strathfield State Emergency Service (NSW SES) unit was active last night (Tuesday) after the Strathfield area was hit by severe winds that have caused damage throughout the southern half of the state.

Three trees were down in the Strathfield area near the Hume Highway, and local SES volunteers were active late into the night.

Strathfield SES Local Controller Darrin Parkin said that the Strathfield area is at significant risk from high winds, and that now that the worst of the danger has passed, locals should safely check their properties for damage.

“Do yourself a favour – safely check your property now when it is safe to do so. Don’t put your family and the community at risk by leaving it to get worse at the next downpour or windstorm”, Mr Parkin said.

“The tiled roofs and older trees throughout Strathfield make our local area susceptible to windstorms.”

“Often it’s the case that locals won’t realise they have damage to their properties until after the initial storm has hit, or during the next downpour.”

“Many of the requests for assistance we receive at the SES could easily be avoided by regular maintenance or locals checking their property for damage after a major storm.”

“If locals do find damage to their property after a storm hits, we recommend they contact their insurance company or contractor to fix the problem immediately.”

“Strathfield locals can check the NSW SES StormSafe website www.stormsafe.com.au for more information on how to keep their property safe.

Common areas Strathfield locals should check include:

• Fallen branches from trees

• Trees with an unsteady root base or that have moved from their usual position

• Loose or missing roof tiles

• Debris caught in guttering and downpipes

• Stay clear of any damage you find.

Mr Parkin also paid tribute to the Strathfield SES volunteers who gave up their time to assist the community.

“I’d like to pay tribute to pour local volunteers who answered the call to help their community – most of whom have full-time jobs they work at during the day,” Mr Parkin said.

“This goes to show that local area was not immune to the windstorms that buffeted much of Sydney, and the rest of NSW.”

The situation was downgraded earlier today. As of 4:00pm today, the NSW SES had received 1,280 requests for assistance from across the state since Tuesday, with up to 400 volunteers responding to damage.

While the weather warnings have been downgraded, Strathfield locals are urged to stay up to date with weather forecasts from the Bureau of Meteorology (www.bom.gov.au) or local news services.

For assistance in floods and storms, please call the State Emergency Service on 132 500. For assistance in life-threatening emergencies, please call 000 (triple zero).