By Derek Schlennstedt
It’s been known for some time but now it’s official. The Emerald SES unit has been recognised as the hardest-working team in Victoria, after receiving an award for attending the most call-outs for assistance for the 2016-’17 period.
Due largely to the 9 October windstorm in 2016, during which the unit attended about 600 call-outs, the crews racked up an incredible 1276 call-outs, putting them well above the 900 call-outs of their nearest rival, Frankston.
The Emerald unit was competing against 30 other SES units and won the Storm Award for the central region of Victoria at the annual central region award dinner in Mulgrave.
For a team of around 30 volunteers, each member attends on average 150 incidents, but many more incidents are not recorded in paperwork due to time constraints or it already being cleaned up when they get there.
Emerald SES controller Ben Owen attributed the win to the October storms, but also said the Dandenongs were a disaster prone area.
“We’re one of the most disaster prone areas in the world. Fires, storms, flash flooding are some of the incidents we attend.”
“People live under trees and it’s a high risk area.”
“We got over 600 calls on the week of 9 October – it was a struggle but we had CFA, Parks Victoria, and other SES units who came in and helped us,” he said.
The unit has one of the largest areas to cover in the state spanning the majority of the Dandenong ranges, from Ferntree Gully to Gembrook – an area that has over 20 CFA units.
What makes their award all the more incredible is the unit’s substandard and antiquated facilities they have, with the unit working out of a 30-year-old tin shed and using a 15-year-old storm truck to attend incidents.
In April Victorian Emergency Services Minister James Merlino announced a $1.8 million election promise to help upgrade the site and facilities, but Owen told the Mail they were still “waiting on planning and permits and architectural drawings” and it would be a few months until any construction took place.
Presently, the unit has raised $71,941 and is trying to reach $118,000 to replace the old storm truck which was not included in the funding pledge.
But fund-raising has proven difficult, due to problems raising funds in outer areas such as Gembrook and Ferntree Gully, despite the unit covering these towns.
These outer reach locations also pose travel difficulties for the unit and Owen said he would eventually like to see another SES station near the base of the Dandenongs to help keep up with the increase of population.
“More and more people are moving up to the hills,” he said.
“We’re having conversations with our own region about getting some more SES units out this side of Melbourne.”
Owen said he was pleased that the unit received the award to recognise the dedication of the Emerald SES volunteer who often get call-outs in the middle of the night.
“It’s great recognition for the volunteer hours that have been put in.”
Donations to help the unit raise funds for a new storm truck can be made at: https://www.everydayhero.com.au/event/EmeraldSESRescueTruck
