SES champion

By Kelly Yates
A NARRE Warren SES volunteer has won the Australia Post Community Champion award for providing valuable support to the community.
The award, which was launched in 2005, recognises Australia Post staff, contractors and licensees who actively devote their spare time to volunteer for a charity or community organisation.
Nicola Turner has spent the past two and a half years with the Narre Warren SES unit, saying she initially joined because she wanted to do something completely different to her normal job and everyday life.
As an SES volunteer, Ms Turner is on call every three weeks from 7pm to 5am Monday to Thursday and from 7pm on Friday through to 5am on Monday.
“We help out the CFA with car collisions on occasions and receive a lot of calls about building damage as a result of storms,” she said.
Ms Turner said Narre Warren was a busy area for the SES units because of the continuing growth in the City of Casey.
The Narre Warren resident assisted the CFA and the police during the Black Saturday bushfires.
“I spent time in Kinglake West and Healesville the Sunday after the fires,” she said.
“And I also volunteered at the St Andrews refuge centre.”
She described the period during the fires as a mixture of emotions.
“There were people who were looking for their neighbours, not knowing if they had survived the fires, and others looking for blame,” she said.
Australia Post spokeswoman Melanie Ward said Nicola was a great example of commitment, passion and community spirit.
“She is an inspiring and worthy winner,” Ms Ward said.
As part of Ms Turner’s prize, Australia Post will donate $1000 to the Narre Warren SES.