Winter starts with a bang—WOW in more ways than one!
What a WA Day long weekend it was for many SES volunteers across the state. Perhaps that’s why we are called the State Emergency Service.
Our strength lies in the geographical and skill diversity we bring to our communities. While I respect the dedication of all emergency service volunteers, it goes without saying that I am humbled by the SES. They train often, weekly, to achieve a high level of readiness for low-likelihood, high-consequence operations that have widespread impacts on the places where we live and work.
People are our principal responsibility those within our units and those in the broader community. It is, after all, the backbone of community-recruited, equipped, and trained volunteers that sustains our capabilities.
The long weekend storm certainly kept us busy. I was delivering off-road driving training at Mandurah SES when, of course, plans changed on Sunday to assist with fallen trees, chainsaw operations, and structural damage repairs. It was truly rewarding to be part of a team working directly in the community. My day off on Monday saw me delivering supplies, in my role with the SES Logistics Unit, to Belmont SES. A very busy weekend indeed!
I would like to thank my wife, Pha, who did not see much of me over the weekend. We must all remember our families, partners, children, and employers when we are busy doing what we do.
WOW Day was a great experience for many. We would love to hear how you celebrated this national day—please send us a few words and photos so we can recognise what you did and where it took place. I attended the Cockburn SES event, with seven metro units in attendance. Special thanks to Alex for his efforts, and to our hosts, Cockburn SES. Thank you also to Kevin, Acting Unit Manager
Lastly, and importantly, it is a great privilege to host a Local Manager Course that contributes to the professional development of future service leaders. There is much to learn, and delivering this at the right time helps ensure more prepared individuals are
ready to lead and manage our volunteer service. Thank you to my co-presenters, Alan Hawke and Phil Bresser. Enjoy the time we have together, and take care of one another.
Greg Cook ESM
President, WA SESVA
