Training
Courses
The following are some of the courses that are available to SES Volunteers:
Induction
Every new member of an SES Unit starts with Induction, a course that introduces you to your unit, and covers the basics of Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S), teamwork, and effective communication. It also provides a broad overview of the skills that every volunteer should have.
First Aid
Volunteers are expected to maintain currency of their First Aid certificate.
Participate in a Rescue Operation (USAR Cat 1)
This course covers the knowledge and skills needed to assist in in a search and rescue operation involving damages structures. Specific skills include searching damaged and collapsed buildings, safely traversing rubble, warning signals and hazard marking systems.
Basic General Rescue
Basic General Rescue skills covers a range of skill areas including safety in operations, ropes and knots, ladders, stretchers and casualty handling, generators and lighting.
Undertake Storm and Water Damage Operations (the “Storm Damage Course”)
The Storm Damage course covers skills including roof system systems, temporary roof repairs, sandbagging, pumping and shoring.
Trim and Cut Felled Trees (the “Chainsaw Course”)
This course covers safe operation of chainsaws in emergency tree operations.
Navigate in Urban and Rural Environments (NURE, or the “Map and Nav Course”)
Participants learn to read and interpret maps, and to navigate on the ground using compass and map.
Search as a Member of a Land Search Team (LSTM)
On this course, members learn to search for and locate missing persons or items as a members of a land search team.
Drive Under Operational Conditions (DUOC)
The DUOC course teaches participate to drive safely, including managing hazardous situations.
Introduction to Bush Fire Fighting (IBFF)
Although SES volunteers to not fight fires, they may be called upon to perform various support roles on a fire ground. The IBFF course serves as a fire ground induction, teaching participants the basics of fire behaviour, suppression and safety.
Basic and Advanced WAERN
These courses provide training in use of the Western Australian Emergency Radio Network (WAERN).
Operate Communications Systems and Equipment (OCSE, or the “Communications Course”)
This covers equipment and voice procedures and communicating on UHF radios
Work in an Emergency Operations Centre (the “Ops Course”)
The “Ops Course” teaches participates to set up, run and close down an emergency operations centre. In includes the use of standard forms and workflows, tracking of information, and tasking of jobs.
AIIMS Awareness
This half-day course provides a brief introduction to the Australasian Inter-Service Incident Management System (AIIMS), the incident management system used in emergency operations in Western Australia.
Air Search Observer
The Air Observer course trains participants firstly to work safety in an aviation environment, and then to search from the air.
DFES Trainer and DFES Assessor
These are designed to train members to obtain the skills and knowledge to conduct competency-based training and assessment.
Leadership
The Leadership course trains participants to lead, manage and develop teams. Specific skills include conducting briefings and debriefings, preparing plans, and delivering orders.
Flood Boat Operations
This course covers the competency required to act as a member of a crew of a flood boat on inland waterways in low risk water environments, including in times of flood.
Vertical Rescue
This course covers the competency required to undertake vertical rescue in a range of emergency situations in natural and man-made environments.
