FOR small communities, the ability to quickly respond to life-threatening situations often relies on hardworking volunteers.
That is why NSW SES held a community risk awareness session at the Balranald Club on Friday night.
Members from Balranald SES, NSW Fire Rescue and Balranald Shire Council were on hand to speak to community members about the need for a strong SES squad in the town.
NSW SES deputy zone commander Shane Hargraves said the event was about speaking to those wanting to give back to their communities.
“Community involvement is critical for the SES, especially for towns like Balranald where there are a lot of different skillsets around,” he said.
“It gives the community a way to give back, especially when people are in a time of need.
“That’s what we are here for, to be there to provide these services whenever the community needs assistance.
“Since the Balranald Rescue Squad closed their doors a few years ago, there has been a bit of a gap in rescue services. Fire Rescue NSW continue to respond to road accidents, but their numbers have lowered as well.”
Mr Hargraves said the SES did more than just rescues and that their teams are made of up of all kinds of people.
“We get all walks of life,” he said.
“Even if rescue isn’t your thing, at NSW SES we focus on floods, storms and even tsunamis, although that’s not too much of a problem out this far.
“We also have a lot of admin roles and communications roles that need to be filled. There are a lot of jobs that need to be done.
“I think that how much you put in, that is how much we are able to give back out to the community.
“It’s also a great avenue for meeting new people and learning new skills, and developing those skills that can help you every day or in other parts of gaining employment later in life.”
Mr Hargraves said anyone who wanted to join the SES would be taught potentially life-saving skills, free of charge.
“We need to be able to get rescue services out in a timely fashion,” he said.
“Our call to arms is that we need volunteers. We need people to put their hands up and get that initial training, so they can address those risks that exist in the community.
“We cover all costs. There’s no joining fees and we provide absolutely everything. Even if we send you away, we make sure all costs are covered.
“It’s very important for us to be able to provide that skillset so the communities themselves are resilient.”
