Tamworth Rural Fire Service volunteers deployed to Newcastle to help Varroa mite operation

Rural Fire Service crews have now been deployed to Newcastle three times to help the NSW Department of Primary Industries respond to the biosecurity risk which has left the state's beekeeping industry at a standstill.

Tamworth RFS Superintendent Allyn Purkiss said the crews had been using their logistical and emergency management skills to help transport scientists and department officers to infested properties.

"We're fairly multiskilled and multifaceted, we can pull together an army of helpers to do a bit of lifting, travelling, moving and shifting pretty quickly," he said.

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The Tamworth crews have been instrumental in getting results back to the labs for testing as fast as possible to ease the burden on scientists.

"They're doing all they can and we'll do everything that's asked of us to help support this operation."

The mite has predominantly been wreaking havoc for beekeepers in Newcastle but it has also been detected in Narrabri which led to the destruction of 300 hives and a ban on bringing new hives to the town for the next three years.

Volunteers are used to helping with fires and floods, but Superintendent Purkiss said it was the crew's emergency operation skills which were transferable to the Varroa situation.

"We can run operations, we can bang stuff out really quickly and we're good at planning," he said.

Superintendent Purkiss said the situation had been "very upsetting" for beekeepers who had seen their businesses been destroyed due to the detection of the mite.

"No one wants to see this sort of thing in Australia," he said.

"There are a lot of mental health checks that the DPI are doing to make sure they cover the beekeepers as best they can.

"But these beekeepers also fully understand that if they don't get rid of this now it is going to be an issue for a lot more beekeepers than themselves."

Crews are expected to be deployed until the end of July to assist the operation.

"We're thankful to all the volunteers that have put their hands up to go down and help," Superintendent Purkiss said.

"The work they are doing is 100 per cent vital to eradicate this biosecurity risk which will affect all of Australia."

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