Tatura’s SES volunteers have been busier in the past two years than ever before, in a trend reflected across Victoria despite COVID-19 lockdowns.
Statewide the number of calls for help to the SES in the past two years jumped by 27 per cent from the previous two-year period.
In the Hume region, callouts were up by five per cent, with units responding to 6759 callouts.
VicSES chief executive Stephen Griffin visited the Tatura SES unit on Thursday, February 17, and said demand on volunteers had never been higher.
He said this was the result of intense weather events, such as floods and violent storms, as well as the impact of La Niña with more rain and water in storages.
“We’re also the control agency for tsunamis and earthquakes and normally they’re a bit to the side, but last year we got one of each, so it’s interesting times,” Mr Griffin said.
Tatura SES unit controller Bec Gould said as well as storm-related jobs, there had also been more requests to assist police and ambulance services with setting up crime scenes, searches and rescues.
After dealing with multiple callouts to the Waranga Basin in the past six months, Ms Gould said upskilling and training for that environment was also an ongoing priority.
Mr Griffin said being an SES volunteer was an almost full-time commitment and ensuring they were better supported was a challenge for the organisation.
On top of responding to callouts there is also the administration, finance, fundraising, work health and safety, skills and training for volunteers to keep on top of.
For volunteers like Ms Gould, she is also juggling full-time work and being a mother to twins.
“It’s about being able to manage yourself, but knowing it’s a big part of me to be there; to be able to help people in their time of need,” Ms Gould said.
While some situations SES members attend are entirely unpreventable, such as lightning strikes, other situations could often be avoided with a little thought and preparation by community members.
“There’s always steps you can take to minimise risk for yourself whether it’s driving, boating or weather events,” Ms Gould said.
Mr Griffin said it was important for people to “know their circumstances”.
“Are they in flood-prone areas? Do they check their spoutings and gutters for leaves? Do they have an evacuation plan for the environment they’re in?” he said.
“The classic case is everyone thought it was funny to drive through big floodwaters or you see on the news kids getting their boards out and playing in swift floodwater; in fact it’s quite dangerous.
“There’s some simple things that can be done so volunteers can go to situations that can’t be prevented, and that their pager isn’t going off at 2am when they’re trying to sleep.”
Tatura’s 15 members includes people from the wider area of Shepparton and Mooroopna.
The group is always open to more volunteers expressing interest in joining.
With so much on their plate, volunteers have a whole network of support behind them, which Ms Gould said they could not be more grateful for.
“It’s my parents, watching the children, that are helping us with the little things that might not seem like a big deal, but if it wasn’t for them helping us, we wouldn’t be able to help everybody else,” she said.
“Also, the employers — they’re releasing someone from work and often still paying them so they can go to a job.”