Orange's SES Swift water techs Callum Cope, Ryan Bruin and Tyler Johnson head north to help out with floods

SES Orange City unit commander, Inspector Rob Stevens said swift-water rescue technicians Callum Cope, Ryan Bruin and Tyler Johnson had been joined by two SES members from Bathurst heading north earlier this week.

Unable to drive into flood-affected areas, the group camped on the floor at Grafton SES headquarters before being airlifted into Lismore the follow morning.

"They literally hit the ground running," Mr Stevens said.

The flooding crisis in Lismore has escalated, with a third body found on Wednesday and concerns more people may be trapped by the record-level flood waters in northern NSW.

Just after midnight yesterday morning an evacuation order was issued for Ballina Island with the SES warning half a metre of flooding was expected, with the CBD expected to be inundated

Mr Stevens said his volunteers were expected to be involved in swift water rescues, as per their level of expertise.

"They could be being tasked with anything from breaking into roofs and checking roof cavities through to being airlifted into locations to perform rescues from vehicles [in flood water], or whatever the case may be.

"There isn't a standard thing these guys are doing.

"But people with this particular skills set are generally at the pointy end. These guys are generally tasked to the more dangerous contact rescues, basically where you need to be in the water, swimming out to somebody and grabbing on to them."

Emergency services are warning severe flooding could become more widespread as the rain event continues south with significant storms predicted down the east coast of NSW.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued several flood warnings for the Greater Sydney area, including the Upper Nepean at Menangle, the Hawkesbury River at Richmond and Windsor as well as the Colo River at Upper Colo.

Mr Stevens said Orange SES was still well-staffed should they be needed. He also thanked the Orange trio in Lismore and their employers.

"They were happy for them to go. It's good to see that sort of support from the community here as well. These employers, the floods aren't affecting them, yet they were happy for these guys to drop and run."

For emergency help in floods or storms, call the SES on 132 500. If the situation is life threatening, please call 000 immediately and the nearest rescue resource will be dispatched.

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