Tom Hogg Harden SES Unit Commander.
Tom Hogg of Harden’s SES has been on the front lines since the catastrophic hailstorm hit Harden-Murrumburrah and surrounds last Monday, February 10th. The storm left significant damage across the region.
Tom Hogg, a local SES member, shared his insights into the scale of the storm and the extensive response efforts that followed.
“We started very early in the morning, before sunrise, and worked into the night. It was a massive day more than 14 hours for many of our crews. Some didn’t finish until 11:30 pm,” Hogg said.
The SES had crews out on the ground again by Tuesday morning, continuing their work to help the community recover. He highlighted the astounding response from surrounding communities, with several different groups moving out to offer their assistance.
Crews from Bungendore, Wagga, Yass, Sutton, Cootamundra, Goulburn, and Young were mobilised, along with Fire and Rescue teams from Harden and Young, as well as multiple RFS units. In total, 14 teams were working throughout the day.
“The SES focuses on tasks like roof repairs, where we need harnesses, ropes, and lights to get onto damaged roofs. Other agencies have different strengths. For example, the RFS excels at ground-level tasks, like moving debris or securing larger areas, while our crews handle more specialised storm-related tasks,” Hogg explained.
Reflecting on the severity of the storm, Hogg said, “This is certainly the largest event I’ve personally seen. From an SES perspective, it’s double the size of our previous record in terms of the number of jobs we’ve had to respond to.” Although the hail wasn’t exceptionally large in size, the sheer volume of it was unprecedented. “The most remarkable part was seeing the hail sit on the ground from sunrise to sunset. Usually, it melts away by midday,” Hogg noted.
The SES’s primary focus during the cleanup has been to prevent further damage.
“We concentrate on things like securing roofs and windows to stop rain from entering homes.
“While farmers and property owners are often very resilient, it’s important for them to know we’re here to help. No one has to face this alone.”
Fortunately, there have been no reports of injuries related to the storm’s hailstones or broken glass. However, with some businesses, like the local Supabarn and the Council office, Supabarn it was temporarily closed due to damage, the recovery process is expected to be gradual.
“It will take some time to return to normality, the community has shown incredible resilience, with many people looking out for one another.”
Despite knowing a storm was likely, Hogg admitted that predicting its exact path is always difficult. “We were aware the storm was coming, but it wasn’t until just before it hit that we realised the full extent of its impact. The unpredictability is part of the challenge, especially in rural areas.”
Looking ahead, Hogg stressed the importance of acting quickly if residents discover damage.
“If you find damage, contact the SES at 132 500. We can help with temporary repairs, and this also assists with your insurance claims.”
Hogg, who joined the SES three and a half years ago, has been an integral part of the local response efforts.
“I’ve always been driven to help my community,” Hogg explained.
“It’s never easy to see people go through something like this, but knowing we’re making a difference, even if it’s just offering someone a listening ear or helping them with the next steps, is incredibly rewarding.”
By day he works as a Civil Engineer at CGRC and when needed the high vis is put on to help people out in their darkest hours and even rescue them and save lives when needed. It’s great to have people such as Tom Hogg in our community.
Nyssa Stadtmiller
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