There’s never a dull moment being a volunteer – just ask one of our local SES units who respond to ten emergencies on average per day.
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The south-west region has 24 units comprising of 654 volunteers that continuously support the community during floods, fire and road rescues.
In Warnambool, there are 50 volunteers who have responded to more than 211 call outs in the past 12 months.
During the fires the unit responded to more than 30 call outs, mainly involving trees on roads but also supporting neighboring units to provide road rescue response.
- Giorgio Palmeri
And the numbers are equally proportionate – with just as many female volunteers tending to emergencies as men.
A spokesman for VICSES said about 35 per cent of the state's volunteers were female.
Warrnambool SES unit controller Giorgio Palmeri said recent major responses included the numerous call outs during the St Patrick’s Day bushfires in March and the region’s severe weather damage in May.
“During the fires the unit responded to more than 30 call outs, mainly involving trees on roads but also supporting neighboring units to provide road rescue response,” he said.
“The biggest event I have been involved in is the south-west floods in 2011 and 2016.
“And every single rescue where our contribution has helped save a life.”
In 2017 south-west units responded to 3,640 emergencies.
This includes units from Hamilton (216 call outs), Portland (111), Dartmoor (73), Heywood (76), Terang (78), Cobden (67), Port Fairy (78), Port Campbell (37), Camperdown (38) and Mortlake (24).
Minister for Emergency Services James Merlino thanked all Victorian SES volunteers for their tireless efforts
“VICSES volunteers are here to serve the community 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” he said.
““Thanks to the thousands of people who donate their time with their local SES unit, Victoria is a much safer place.”
Victoria’s SES has been operating since 1950, with 149 units located across six regions.