By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
THE name Keith Grant is synonymous with the Narre Warren SES.
Keith is the unit’s longest serving member since he joined the group in 2006, after noticing an ad in the paper.
And it is community-minded people like Keith who are vital to the SES and a main reason why the Victorian State Emergency Service (VICSES) has existed for so long, celebrating its 40th birthday this week.
To recognise the milestone, VICSES is releasing a documentary film on Wednesday entitled ’40 Years Young’.
The documentary is being launched to coincide with Wear Orange Wednesday, a national day of recognition to thank more than 40,000 SES volunteers from all over Australia who dedicate their time to help communities plan, prepare and respond to emergencies.
Speaking to Star News back in August in the lead-up to the Narre Warren unit celebrating its 10th anniversary, Keith Grant said as he got older, he found he had more time to give back to the community and return to his volunteering roots.
“Basically, years earlier when I was living at home with my parents I was part of the Ferntree Gully Lions Club,” the 60-year-old said.
“And years later I saw an ad for the SES open day … one of my colleagues at work was in an SES unit on the other side of town and I thought – yeah, that’s probably something I can do.
“I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to get into – I just wanted to get into something community minded.”
After all this time, it’s the Wednesday training sessions followed by a catch-up coffee that are highlights for Keith.
He envisages himself staying a member of the Narre Warren SES for a long time yet.
“I get a lot of satisfaction from my role, talking to kids, getting down to Rotary and Lions clubs,” Keith said.
“I’m quite happy to stay for as long as they want me for.
“It’s almost become like a second family.”
