The Victorian Liberals and Nationals are pushing for more support for local SES volunteers following increased callouts after recent extreme weather.
On Monday, September 2, extreme wind gusts of up to 146 km/h hit Victoria, resulting in damage across the state.
More than 180,000 homes reported power outages and 4300 emergency calls for fallen trees, damage to property and other disruptions were made.
Benalla SES volunteers worked tirelessly to resolve issues in the area, attending to a spike in callouts.
More broadly, controller Ailsa McMillan said Benalla SES received 507 requests for assistance in the 2022/23 financial year, and 258 RFAs in the 2023/24 financial year.
The annual average over the past 15 years is 211.
“During the storm event on Monday, September 2, we had two crews responding to requests for assistance. These were mainly calls for trees over the road,” she said.
Ms McMillan also encouraged anybody interested in becoming a volunteer to reach out.
“We’re always keen to hear from anyone in the community who is interested in volunteering with us,” she said.
“People are welcome to visit one of our training nights at 1 Samaria Rd on Wednesday, at 7.30pm to learn more.”
State Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland has called for more funding for the essential volunteer groups.
“In the past year leading up to this most recent weather event, SES volunteers responded to over 33,000 requests for assistance; however, their annual funding covers less than half of their operating expenses,” she said.
Ms Cleeland said that as the clean-up continued, and with the prospect of more extreme weather in the near future, SES volunteers must be supported by the Victorian Government and all operational costs should be fully funded.
“The dedicated volunteers of our SES are crucial for our regional communities, and it is imperative that they receive funding that allows them to continue delivering their essential service,” she said.