WENDY Witty fondly recalls her last 51 years volunteering with the SES, from its development as a civil defence unit repurposing army surplus supplies in the early 1970s to the statewide emergency service it now is.

Mrs Witty was the only woman out of the 16 people honoured for 50 years of service across Victoria as part of the SES milestone celebrations at the weekend.

She joined the Civil Defe...