Volunteering at the SES and Providing Emergency Relief to Our Communities

In Australia, State Emergency Services (SES) volunteers are the first responders to emergencies. They provide assistance to many emergency situations including flood, storm, bush search and rescue and give relief to those impacted. Each year, SES volunteers donate over two million hours of their time to help others in need and make a huge difference in their communities.

SES volunteers are trained to assist in a wide range of emergencies, and they can provide invaluable support during times of crisis. If you’re ever caught in an emergency situation, don’t hesitate to call on the SES in your State or Territory.

Australian Capital Territory SES
New South Wales SES
Northern Territory SES
Queensland SES
Tasmania SES
Victoria SES
Western Australia SES

Every year, there are thousands of SES volunteers who play a vital role in helping communities prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies. They give up their time to help others in need and dedicate their efforts to those most vulnerable in their communities. SES is volunteer based organisation that provides emergency assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. With over 44,000 volunteers spread throughout the country, the organisation is made possible by a diverse group of people that share the same desire to help, carry many different skill sets and come from all kinds of backgrounds.

SES volunteers are trained to assist in a wide range of emergencies, and they can provide invaluable support during times of crisis. With emergency incidents such as storm and flood emergencies becoming increasingly regular with more and more occurrences, SES are always on the lookout for volunteers and values people that can offer different skills and experiences to service a wide variety of community needs. Volunteering for the SES can be the most rewarding experience, knowing that the skills and training you’ve acquired can be used to help save someone’s life or assist them during their time of need. New volunteers will be invited to attend training at their local SES group where they will be provided with protective clothing and relevant equipment suitable to fulfil your role. You will be required to be committed to ongoing training and education as an SES volunteer and can expect to develop skills in first aid, radio operation, basic rescue, storm and water damage operations, land search operations and much more. Contact your nearest SES Area Office to apply.

Preparing For a Flood and What To Do After a Flood

Floods can happen with little to no warning. State emergency services recommend that everyone takes steps to prepare for a flood, especially if your town or suburb is known to have a history of severe flooding. The best place to start is to ask questions and learn about the risks where you live. Find out about what floods have occurred where you are living; you can ask local council or State Emergency Services questions to better prepare.

Some of the questions you may want to ask are:
-Which years were local floods recorded
-How quickly did flood level rise and how quickly
-How long did the flood last
-Is there a flood plan
-Is there an evacuation process and the possibility of being isolated
-How high does the water need to rise before my house is flooded
-where are the catchment areas where rainfall will cause flooding near my home

What should you do before a flood?
The best way to prepare for a flood is to have a clear action plan in place, learn about the history of flooding in your area and understand what information is available to help in your preparedness. The Bureau of Meteorology issue flood predictions and advice to notify the community to help forecast and manage floods. Your action plan needs to include where you would evacuate to should the need occur, you local council will be able to provide information on evacuation locations and centres in your area. It is a good idea to practise your evacuation process to ensure everyone in your family knows what to do and where to go.

In addition to an evacuation plan you should also prepare an emergency kit including a battery operated radio, spare batteries, torch, first aid kit, medicine, gloves, food and water for at least three days, warm clothing and blankets, keep important documents in a waterproof bag or container. You should also keep a list of important phone numbers near the phone which should include state emergency services, police, ambulance, hospital, gas and electricity numbers.

It is a good idea to move important possessions, including photos, documents, electrical goods to higher ground. If you live on a regional country, you may need to plan and considering moving livestock, machinery, irrigation equipment, pumps etc to higher ground. Be prepared that higher ground may become isolated during flood events with rising water, have emergency food available and emergency numbers handy.

What should you do during a flood?
If you are caught in a flash flood, stay inside and keep aware of rising waters. Stay calm and ensure doorways, drains, toilets are blocked with sandbags to prevent water from entering the property. Lift your valuables such as furniture and electrical equipment up high to prevent from water damage. Turn of gas and electricity and move to higher ground as quickly as possible. Do not attempt to drive through flash flooding as it can be extremely dangerous and life threatening. Ensure pets are restrained and kept safe, keep children close and avoid swimming in flood waters. Make your way to a safe destination as soon as possible; make contact with friends, family and neighbours and make them aware of the situation.

What should you do after a flood?
Upon entering flood affected areas, wait until authorities give the all clear and have declared the area safe. Ensure you wear rubber boots and gloves and check with utility providers to determine if your gas and electricity has been interrupted or whether it can be safely turned on. Every part of your electrical distribution system that has been covered in water must be check by a licensed electrician before it can be used. If water supply equipment have been flooded then you should assume water supply has been contaminated, only drink bottled or boiled water until safe water supply has been restored.

Begin the clean process up by removing mud, debris and dirt from your home. Use a hose and start from the upper limit of the flooding and work your way downward. Wash surfaces thoroughly that have been covered in flood waters to remove possible dangers of any flood carrying infections. Any items that have been inundated with flood water should be considered contaminated, these items such as bedding, mattresses and lounge sofas soaked with flood waters may be damaged beyond repair and should be removed from the property and disposed. Any furniture items that are salvageable should be cleaned and repaired, seek the services of removalists to help move items to temporary storage facilities if required whilst your home is being repaired. Lodge a claim with your home insurance company in the first instance so damage can be assessed and any emergency repairs can be carried out.