How the PSN keeps a small town connected when it floods

A personal reflection  

For Senior Communications Advisor and NSW Rural Fire Service volunteer Kim Brownlie, that lifeline became personal. Kim and her husband moved to Wisemans Ferry in 2016, drawn to its natural beauty, quiet charm and close-knit community. Two years later, they joined their local NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) brigade to give back. Soon after, the Black Summer bushfires hit. After months battling flames and rugged terrain to protect their home and town, Kim thought she had seen the worst – until the floods came.

In 2021 and 2022, Wisemans Ferry endured three major flooding events. Roads were cut off, ferries stopped running and residents became stranded – often without power or communications for weeks. When the power failed, mobile and internet services disappeared too. Even homes with generators and satellite internet could only stay connected for so long. And when communication stops, so does the ability to coordinate help.

That’s where the Public Safety Network (PSN) made all the difference. Through the PSN, Kim’s brigade had a dedicated radio channel to stay connected, even when volunteers were 30 or 40 kilometres away by boat. They could share information, coordinate supply drop-offs, deliver essentials and evacuate residents to safety. For areas unreachable by water, they communicated directly with RFS helicopters, ensuring no one was left behind.

The PSN proved even more vital during one of the flooding events when a major Telstra outage left the already-isolated community without mobile connectivity for days. To bridge the gap, Kim’s team placed handheld PSN radios in central locations so residents could call for help. That decision saved lives: during two separate medical emergencies in the middle of the night, those radios allowed multiple agencies to work together and get patients to safety. 

Without the PSN, much of that would not have been possible. Its reliability and reach meant we could keep talking, keep coordinating and keep helping – even when everything else was cut off.

 

- Kim Brownlie

In the face of disaster, communication is more than a tool – it’s a lifeline. The PSN helps small communities like Wisemans Ferry stay connected when it matters most. And that connection can – and does – save lives.