News from Kalbarri SES for July 2017
Training:
Kalbarri SES volunteers have attended the following training courses over the last month:
Search as a Team Member:
Six Kalbarri SES volunteers headed to Carnarvon on the 26th to the 28th of May and joined other volunteers from the Mid West-Gascoyne District to complete training in searching as a team member. This course included searching for missing persons and forensic searches and covered search formations, search methods and logistics.
Rope Rescue Systems:
Kalbarri SES volunteers and volunteers from across the Mid West-Gascoyne converged on Kalbarri on June 2nd to 5th to complete a rope rescue systems course. This course equips members with the skills and knowledge to set up systems to complete vertical rescues. Training was held at the Kalbarri SES Unit building, Gregory Rock and Hawks Head. While this course involves hard work and long hours over 4 days, culminating in a rigorous assessment, the skills learned are well worth the effort and particularly important in this area due to the proximity to cliffs and gorges.
Vertical Rescue Continuation Training:
On June 23 to June 25th, Kalbarri SES volunteers attended a Vertical Rescue Continuation Training course held at Eneabba. This course enabled volunteers to practise skills learned in Single Rope Rescue and Rope Rescue Systems courses. Over the weekend 6 simulated rescues were successfully completed from caves and cliffs in the Stockyard Gully National Park.
Fortnightly training nights: Regular training is an important component of all SES units. Due to the diverse situations that volunteers attend and the wide range of equipment used members need to be up to date with information and skills. Training includes topics such as life support, navigation, rescue techniques, ropes and knots, cliff rescue, storm damage, flood operations, flood boats, searches, communications and numerous other tasks. Volunteers also learn to use and maintain a large range of equipment from vehicles and boats to chainsaws and ropes. Kalbarri SES holds training at Unit headquarters every 2nd Monday from 1845hrs to 2100hrs. The training is interactive with volunteers responding to various scenarios and developing and practising various responses. All training is accredited and provided at no financial cost to volunteers.
Community Involvement:
Kalbarri SES has been heavily involved in organising and running the Kalbarri Canoe and Cray Carnival. Members assisted with conveying equipment to the site, setting up marquees, lighting, fires etc. SES vehicles and boats were used to provide safety and marshalling for the associated Adventurethon and Murchison Dash run, canoe and cycle events. Several SES volunteers became pirates on the Sunday and managed to capture a local schoolteacher. When he refused to divulge the location of Kylie Cray’s treasure trove, he was forced to “walk the plank” from the pirate lugger ( SES flood boat sporting a sail and flying the jolly roger). Volunteers were busy again on Monday public holiday packing up the event. Overall the weekends events were an enormous success and SES looks forward to being involved in next years event.
 Kalbarri SES Volunteers Training |
 Kalbarri SES Volunteers Training |
 Kalbarri SES Volunteers Training |
