From the SESVA President
Dear SES Volunteers and Friends,
It is with great enthusiasm that I extend a warm welcome to all our volunteers. Your dedication and support are the backbone of the State Emergency Service, and we are truly grateful for your ongoing commitment. I also welcome and thank our readers who support our volunteers.
Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting Mount Barker for their SES Awards Night, an inspiring event that celebrated the outstanding contributions of our SES volunteers in the local community. It was wonderful to witness the passion and teamwork on display, including support from sponsors and thoughtful words from the President of Plantagenet Shire. Thank you to everyone involved in making it such a memorable evening, and for the continued support from Lo-cal Government.
Looking ahead, we are turning our focus to the upcoming DFES Fit for Role initiative. As some of you may be aware, Western Australia is currently the only state or territory not participating in this AFAC program. We are actively working to better understand the reasons behind this and exploring ways to foster a broader understanding of SES volunteer roles among DFES workers. Our aim is to ensure that all regions have the opportunity to benefit from the value this training and development initiative may offer.
We acknowledge and appreciate the feedback we’ve received so far on several key concerns:
• The need for a national SES training package to promote safe and consistent work practices.
• Ongoing inequities faced by SES volunteers compared to the other volunteer services.
• Concerns over who will manage the initiative, especially with local managers already at capacity.
• Questions regarding the financial support DFES will provide to implement the program e.g. who pays for the supporting fitness program?
• Uncertainty about whether participation is mandatory to remain operationally active in SES WA.
• Insufficient information at the unit level to make informed decisions.
Thank you once again for your continued support. Together, we are making a real difference, and I look forward to sharing more up-dates and achievements with you in the months ahead.
Warm regards, Greg Cook, President
