Lighting up the Holidays: Colpak was Santa this Christmas

On 22 December 2015, a dangerous and powerful Supercell moved through Bowenville and the Darling Downs. The storm severely affected homes and damaged farms throughout the region. According to the Brisbane Times, 700 properties were without power and crops were destroyed. Buildings in Bowenville lost their roofs and power poles were snapped and twisted. According to Higgins Stormchasing, the Supercell may have produced a tornado. For the community members affected, it would not be the holidays they were hoping for.

At two o’clock on Christmas Eve, Colpak was preparing for a Christmas holiday BBQ for the drivers. Colin, the director of Colpak, received a call from Cat Energy. The Supercell had taken down 16 km of power lines and hundreds of homes needed access to electricity fast, but it would take days before all of the power lines were repaired. Generators would need to be sent to give power to homes in the interim. CAT Energy requested that Colpak deliver their generators. According to the Queensland State Manager of CAT Energy, Colpak was his first choice due to Colpak’s reliability and proven track record.

Colin and his drivers knew they would have to postpone their festivities to transport dozens of generators to homes in need of light and electricity. Immediately after receiving the phone call on Christmas Eve, Colpak sent out five tilt tray trucks and semi-trucks to give homes energy for Christmas. It was a 2.5-hour drive one way, and by the time the drivers made it back to the Colpak depot, it was 11 pm. On Christmas Day and Boxing Day, more trucks left the Colpak Brisbane Depot to head to Bowenville, Dalby and Oakey to deliver generators.

Despite wanting to celebrate Christmas with their families, Colpak’s drivers made the choice to deliver generators brightened Christmas for other families across Queensland. It was Colpak’s chance to give the Bowenville, Dalby and Oakey regions a more cheerful and brighter Christmas.