Police have issued a stark warning to motorists after officers were forced to put their own lives at risk in a number of floodwater rescues throughout the Darling Downs area earlier this week and over the weekend.
Just after 10.40 pm on Saturday 27 November, police and emergency services were called to the Cunningham Highway at Warwick where water had risen half a metre over Freestone Creek Bridge.
Police entered the fast-flowing waters to extract two women and an infant from a vehicle and bring them back to safety.
Around 10.50 pm officers were called out to Jack Smith Gully Road at Swan Creek where another vehicle had become inundated by floodwaters.
Police used rope to form a human chain and waded through strong, waist-high currents to retrieve a woman through the driver’s window and carry her back to dry land.
At around 3.20 am on Sunday 28 November, morning a man and a boy were rescued from a four-wheel-drive stranded in floodwaters along Forest Hill Fernvale Road at Glenore Grove.
Darling Downs District Superintendent Danny Shaw said with more rain predicted, now is not the time to be complacent and take chances around floodwaters.
“As we can see from these incidents overnight, flash flooding can occur very quickly and without any notice, even on roads that you usually travel on without any issues,” Superintendent Shaw said.
“This type of rain also causes significant structural damage to roads, so even if you think it looks safe, you can never be sure exactly what is underneath the water.
“It’s not worth risking the lives of yourself, your loved ones, and those of emergency services.”
“I’m urging residents to use common sense – back away from flooded roadways, delay your journey if necessary. If it’s flooded, forget it.”
On Monday 29 November, a truck was involved in a floodwater rescue at Goondiwindi.
Paramedics assessed a male patient after a truck rolled over into water flood water at the intersection of the Cunningham Highway and Kerimbilla Road at 3.25 am.
The driver self-extricated and was rescued by Queensland Fire and Rescue Service swift water technicians and did not require transport to the hospital.
