Central Coast Council and the Central Coast NSW State Emergency Service (SES) held a press conference in Wyong today to update the community on clean up and recovery efforts following the severe wet weather that has seen the region impacted with significant rainfall and king tides.

Residents are being urged to contact Disaster Welfare on 1800 018 444 for any assistance if you require support.

Over 650 trees and branches have fallen on public land or required maintenance and pruning due to structural defects, nearly 1,600 calls have been logged with the SES and thousands of people were left without power, with many people still impacted.

Central Coast Council Mayor Lisa Matthews said Council is coordinating assistance and working closely with the NSW SES, Ausgrid and other agencies to support our community in our time of need.

“It has been a tough few months for our community. First the bush fires where our residents fought for weeks alongside the Rural Fire Service to protect their properties, and now we have closed roads, downed powerlines and trees, and flooded homes and businesses. Nature has not been kind to us,” Mayor Matthews said.

If residents are cleaning up around their property note that where possible, weekly kerbside bin collections are continuing as normal. If residents are impacted by flood waters and have had waste collection services missed, kerbside services will resume as soon as the roads are reopened. Council is monitoring areas where normal bin collection services are impacted daily and will advise when we can service the streets again. Council will make additional rounds to collect these bins.

If residents have fridges and freezers with spoiled food due to power outages that won’t fit in their red-lidded bin, spoiled food waste can be disposed for free at Council’s waste management facilities. Residents are also reminded that they can book a kerbside collection for excess trees and garden waste that is too large for their green waste bin. You can also dispose of tree or garden waste at one of Council’s waste management facilities for free up until 29 February 2020.

For information on personal protection when cleaning up around your property, NSW Health and Red Cross provide information for general public health and this is available on Council’s website.

On the Coast there are two evacuation centres currently open for impacted residents – Diggers @ The Entrance (315 The Entrance Road) which is open 24 hours 7 days and Central Coast Leagues Club (1 Dane Drive, Gosford), which is open 8am to 8pm. Both centres have contacts and assistance onsite from a number of agencies to offer support including Department Justice, Community and Welfare, Red Cross, Disaster Welfare Assistance, Salvation Army, Uniting Church Chaplin and the Department of Primary Industries.

Mayor Matthews further clarified that Council’s role in any emergency was to support the lead agency, the SES, to get key information out to the community and support with staff and other resources.

“Council immediately went into action to help with recovery on our roads, waterways and to impacted water and sewer infrastructure and are helping support our residents where we can,” Mayor Matthews added.

“Our libraries are open for anyone needing to recharge phones and other devices, or use the computers or wifi. Umina Beach Library is also helping fill flasks of hot water for residents still out of power in that area.

“Free access to the shower facilities at our Peninsula Leisure Centre and Lake Haven Recreation Centre will continue today until 8pm. Also, the shower facilities will be open at Niagara Park Stadium, Toukley Aquatic Centre, Gosford and Wyong Pools.

“I thank our Council staff who are out there on the ground helping our community recover, many of who also live on the Coast and have been impacted by this severe weather event themselves.

“I commend them for putting the community first as they support us by opening roadways, removing trees and organic green waste, clearing debris, putting on extra services to collect bins, and ensuring our water and sewer network can function properly.

“We are all in this as a community, together! And we must pull together, be kind to nature and to each other and work together to rebuild a strong resilient community.”

Things to remember:

• Please take time to check in on your neighbours, particularly elderly residents, to ensure that they are safe.
• Please drive to the conditions and carefully follow traffic control directions to ensure your safety and the safety of others.
• For an emergency that is life-threatening call 000 immediately.
• For emergency help regarding direct flooding or trees down on private property call the NSW SES on 132 500 or visit their website www.ses.nsw.gov.au for information on how to plan and prepare for storm or flooding emergencies.
• For fallen powerlines or trees on powerlines please call AUSGRID on 13 13 88. Please DO NOT GO ANYWHERE NEAR FALLEN TREES, they are often tangled with powerlines and can be extremely dangerous.
• For the latest weather warnings refer to the BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY at www.bom.gov.au/nsw/warnings
• Report an issue to us any time day or night. Log your concern online by clicking the 'Report an Issue' icon at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au. For water and sewer emergencies please call 1300 463 954.
• Only accept financial assistance from registered charities, volunteers and government organisations.

For information visit www.centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/news