Narre Warren SES urgently needs daytime volunteers to answer the …
DEDICATED members of the Narre Warren SES have braved storms and unfavourable conditions to assist Casey residents in need, but now they are the ones in need of help.
A volunteer-based organisation, the Victoria State Emergency Service (SES) provides emergency assistance to the community 24 hours a day, seven days a week. SES is the control agency during emergency responses to flood, storm, tsunami and earthquake in Victoria, and is the largest provider of road crash rescue in the state.
There are about 40 volunteers with the Narre Warren SES, but only 28 are fully operational. Crew leader Nicky Turner said that while the volunteers were able to attend evening and weekend jobs, there was a huge need for more volunteers who could attend call-outs during the day.
“Casey is a large area for only 28 operational people to look after. We have a team structure during evenings and weekends, but during the day is a struggle,” she said.
“If it is an emergency, we will never miss it – someone will go, but ideally we would have people (who were readily available).”
Current volunteers range from ages 25 to 65, and Ms Turner said that they would welcome any person of any age, but retirees would be ideal as they would be more readily available to work during the day.
She said all volunteers take a 10-week training program before they go on rescue operations and volunteers do not have to do anything they are not comfortable with.
“The majority of jobs we go to are storm related, or trees on roofs or to assist CFA or police,”
“We aren’t first responders to car accidents, but we provide lighting or help for CFA or police.”
Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer with the Victoria State Emergency Service (SES), or to find out more, can call 1300 VICSES (1300 842 737). Calls made during business hours will be connected to the local SES regional office.
