Mackay Rural Fire Service area director Andrew Houley said the rain was a welcome addition to take the edge off potential fire danger in the area.
Mr Houley said despite this month being particularly dry for March, he did not think residents should be alarmed.
“The monsoon trough is quite active, we won’t really need to be concerned til about April,” he said.
Mr Houley also warned of the unpredictability of these large systems.
“The systems are quite large, so they can be quite difficult for the bureau to predict,” he said.
“An isolated storm may be very heavy but won’t go for more than 10km”.
Premium Content Their experience could be the difference between road users dying or surviving in a crash. But it takes practising over and over again to confidently approach an emergency situation and have the knowhow to deal with a leaking car on its side or use the jaws of life . That is why about 50 first responders across the Mackay Isaac region were grateful to learn from each at an inter-agency training session in Nebo on Saturday. Queensland Fire and Emergency Service s Peter Carroll said the golden hour in an emergency was vital. When you have your accident, if we can have you in hospital within one hour, then that s your best chance of living through whatever it might be, the Mackay fire station chief said.
We have had some people injured on the Great Walk at Conway Park, Mr Connors said. To stretcher somebody out without this device would probably take 20 to 30 people over the distances we are talking about. This would allow one or two people to move the same distance with less effort. With many islands in the Whitsundays with lots of remote tracks, the stretcher and trolley can also be put on a VMR vessel to help with rescues and will also fit in the back of the SES s ATV vehicle. New equipment has been handed over to Whitsunday SES members at a ceremony in Proserpine. Pictured from left are Selina Neill, central region assistant commissioner Darryl King, Wendy Camm, Leigh Munro, Daniel Moss, Mark Connors, Christine Persello, Ergon Energy acting area manager Damian Pennisi, Barry Lake, Sue Connors, Dick Filewood, Douglas Connors and Chris Harvey. Photo: Elyse Wurm
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Across the 58,708 sq km of the Isaac mining and farming territories there are 83 State Emergency Service volunteers, or an average of one person per 1107sq km.
It is a daunting challenge for the orange army to protecting a regional area almost as big as Tasmania
Local controller Daniel Deal said while the district was ready for disaster, he was always keen to invite new members to join.
“At the moment we’re on good numbers, but we would like more,” he said.
“We’re scattered across the whole of Isaac.”
Mr Deal said the largest groups were at Moranbah, Nebo, Clermont and the recently reopened Carmila unit, with smaller units in Dysart, Middlemount and St Lawrence.
Ms Ringland had high hopes it would drop by this afternoon but urged residents not to bother trying to cross over to the hotel. The rain is set to continue across the Whitsundays into 2021 with up to 70mm of rain set for Collinsville on Wednesday, 60mm on Thursday and 35mm on Friday. Mackay region SES area controller Selina Neill urged residents to keep up to date with road closures at the Whitsunday Regional Council website. If it s flooded, forget it, she said. If you come across a flooded road, you need to back it up, turn around and maybe think of an alternate route.