When a major disaster hits, people wait for the sound of sirens or the sight of emergency vehicles to signal that help has arrived. But in the first hours of a crisis, it is almost always the local community that steps in first. This was made incredibly clear during the 2022 flood around Lismore and the wider Northern Rivers region, where neighbours, friends, and complete strangers jumped into action long before official help could reach everyone.
Locals are the first responders because they are already there. They know the streets, the rivers, the shortcuts, and the danger zones. They understand who lives where, who might need help, and who is most at risk. When the water rose faster than anyone expected, it wasn’t a planned rescue team that arrived first. It was ordinary people in tinnies, kayaks, four-wheel drives, or even on foot. These everyday heroes didn’t wait for instructions. They just acted.
Another reason locals respond so quickly is emotional connection. When your own community is in trouble, you don’t think twice. You want to protect the people you see at the shops, the parents of your children’s friends, the old man who waves from his porch, the young family who just moved in. This sense of belonging gives people the courage to step into dangerous situations to help others.
In big disasters, government services face limits. They may have too few boats, too little staff, or communication problems. Roads can collapse, phone towers can fail, and suddenly the official systems we rely on every day become overwhelmed. But the community does not wait for orders or permission. It moves quickly and with great heart. People find a way because they must.
We saw this clearly in the Northern Rivers. The “tinny army,” volunteer groups, and countless quiet helpers saved lives and supported each other long before outside help arrived. Their actions showed that a community working together can be incredibly powerful, even in the worst moments.
These stories are told beautifully in STORIES FROM THE FLOOD by Yagia Gentle. A collection of firsthand accounts from people affected by the 2022 flood around Lismore, Australia. The book highlights exactly why locals make the strongest first responders: because they care deeply, they act quickly, and they refuse to give up on each other. It is a moving reminder of the strength that lives inside every community when disaster strikes.