SES volunteers to reach new heights during National SES Week
Western Australians showed their support today for the thousands of State Emergency Service (SES) Volunteers, after one of their busiest years in recent memory. SES volunteers have responded to more than 4,500 requests for assistance from the public, over the past year in Western Australia, including in the aftermath of devastating storms, tropical cyclones and communities cut off by flooding.
Deputy Commissioner Capability Steve Fewster said National SES Week, which runs from 12 – 18 November, provided the perfect opportunity to recognise and acknowledge the incredible efforts of SES volunteers across the State. “Without a second thought, SES volunteers leave their warm beds, loved ones and jobs to help others during emergency situations,” he said. “These volunteers make themselves available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and travel from every corner of the State to assist communities in need.
“It is timely that during National SES Week, the community gets behind our SES volunteers by wearing orange, the colour of the SES, and thanking them for everything they do during the year to keep us safe.” In the past year, volunteers spent almost 27,000 hours responding to cyclones, floods, storms and earthquakes, as well as rescues and searches for missing people on land and sea.
The skill of our SES volunteers will be showcased on Wear Orange Wednesday (WOW Day) as they scale 100 metres down the enex100 building in Perth, along with local celebrities. In addition to the Celebrity Abseil Challenge, people will be wearing orange to show their support for the SES and a series of events will be held at SES units throughout the week to thank the volunteers for the time they dedicate to community safety.
A 2012 National SES Week video has been produced by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services and is available at www.youtube.com/dfeswesternaustralia.
