For the past two weeks, torrential rain has been wreaking havoc across the eastern coast of Australia, killing 20 people and flooding thousands of homes. Authorities ordered thousands of Sydney residents to evacuate as heavy rain continued to swell rivers and increase the risk of flash floods.
Digital paymentA transfer of funds which discharges an obligation on the part of a payer vis-à-vis a payee. More systems are down in many flood-hit communities throughout Queensland and New South Wales, leaving businesses and consumers unable to buy and sell food and essential goods. ATM deployers and cash management companiesCompanies specialized in the logistical handling of cash including several of the following operations: transportation, storage, counting and processing, packaging, replenishment and servicing of ATMs. See Cash-in-Transit. More are making extraordinary efforts to get additional ATMs and more cashMoney in physical form such as banknotes and coins. More to affected areas to ensure that shops remain open and people can make purchases.
Prosegur chartered a helicopter to deliver cash to northern NSW towns after roads were all closed. “Casino and Byron Bay needed cash for ATMs, and financial institutions had no internet,” said Andrew Nathan, ProsegurAustralia’s Commercial Director. “All road routes to these sites from were closed so we secured a helicopter charter from Gold Coast late Wednesday afternoon.”
“We worked with all parties to secure resources for the flight, process an emergency order for both branches and liaised with a major financial institution to provide escorts from helipads to branches for delivery.”
The local cash managementManagement and control of cash in circulation. More Company Armaguard has gone above and beyond normal duties to get cash quickly to flooded towns. “I’m proud of our team who ensured communities were supported even in the midst of a natural disaster,” said CEO of Linfox Armaguard Group Mick Cronin. “One example is the swift transportation of cash from our Brisbane branch to Byron Bay,” he added.
“Working closely with the authorities to ensure our team was safeSecure container for storing money and valuables, with high resistance to breaking and entering. More, our staff traversed the devastated countryside to ensure businesses could operate, and residents had access to cash.”
“We have implemented a Business Continuity Plan in impacted areas, we are working with banks, fuel distributors and retailers to support communities, and I’m pleased to confirm that the vast majority of services have been provided as planned.”
“Though many of our team have been personally impacted, we’ll continue to do whatever is needed to provide essential cash services,” said Mick Cronin.
NCR Payments and ATM deployer Allpoint have worked with Summerland Credit Union to mobilise temporary banking services at Southern Cross University (SCU) in flood-devastated Lismore in northern NSW. The ATM will be free-to-use for all cardholders linked to an Australian Financial Institution NCR is also working with Prosegur to arrange extra cash deliveries to ATMs and provide assistance to local businesses where ATMs are located.
Independent ATM Deployer Next Payments has sent sixty Automatic Teller Machines to Brisbane for rapid deployment throughout flood-hit communities in southeast Queensland. “We have acted quickly to ensure that ATMs are deployed in communities that need access to cash now,” said Tim Wildash, CEO of Next Payments.
“In times of crisis, cash is reliable and we want to ensure that businesses and residents in flood affected communities can make purchases and get the goods and services they need.”