Grantham flood survivor Gary Jibson fights for compensation Gary Jibson and his son Zach are undergoing counselling for their 2011 flood ordeal. Picture: David Kelly Source: The Courier-Mail A RURAL fire volunteer who lost his wife and two children in the 2011 Grantham floods is now in a legal battle for compensation to fund his treatment for post traumatic stress. Gary Jibson, then known as Danny McGuire, lost his wife Llync-Chainn Clarke-Jibson, 32, and children Garry, 12, and Jocelyn, five, when they were swept away in a fire truck as he was trying to save them. Mr Jibson and his son Zachary, now nine, survived by clinging to trees for hours. Their Grantham home was destroyed. Workcover and Q-Comp rejected Mr Jibson's claim for worker's compensation, finding that when he used the rural fire truck to try to rescue his family he was not performing duties as a brigade member. However Mr Jibson says records show he spoke to fire communications saying: "We've got about 35 to 40 people to get outta (sic) here in a hurry." He says the operator said: "I'll put you on the job." In an appeal to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission, Mr Jibson's lawyer Colin Patino said: "Within 15 minutes of that decision his wife and two children were dead. (Mr Jibson's) loss occurred while he was on duty in a work vehicle. The Department of Communities told Q-Comp no job was allocated by Queensland Fire and Rescue Service and Mr Jibson was unofficially using the fire truck kept in his yard to escape the floods with his family. The Department of Communities has rejected Mr Jibson's claim that he had been on duty for 72 hours before January 10, 2011. While he had been sand-bagging and doing patient transport as a volunteer, QFRS claims Mr Jibson also was performing "non-authorised rescues." "For the last six months I've only been sleeping one-and-a-half to two hours a night, that's it, because of the flashbacks," Mr Jibson said. He says he and Zach have gone backwards since recent flooding around Grantham and he has struggled to pay $600 a week for his son's counselling and $170 a week for his own counsellor. Mr Jibson is also trying to rebuild in Grantham. Mr Jibson, still a non-active member of Grantham Rural Fire Brigade, faces a five-day Queensland Industrial Relations Commission hearing in September to appeal the Q-Comp finding. "I really just need some help," he said.