Today, the Bendigo Advertiser singles out a group of people often taken for granted.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
They are the men and women who make up the State Emergency Service. And their families.
As today’s reports by journalist Mark Kearney and images by photographer Glenn Daniels show, the work of SES volunteers is demanding, difficult, often distressing … and deeply rewarding.
Volunteers are called away from their homes, workplaces or leisure activities several times a week without notice to respond to a range of emergency situations.
Some of those are critical situations when the response time could mean the difference between life or death.
Not only are they doing this in their own time, but they are witnessing scenes many would find confronting and traumatic.
SES volunteers are not immune to vicarious trauma and the impact of giving their time can live with them forever.
But they continue to turn out to critical incidents, knowing the work they do saves lives.
Yet, the SES receives a tiny portion of funds from the state government – and local government is asked to match that figure dollar for dollar. The shortfall in operational costs is made up by each unit through fundraising efforts.
In some areas across central Victoria, local government has withdrawn its support for this critical service.
We are fortunate in Bendigo that is not the case and our council remains supportive.
But the question needs to be asked, why is it the role of local government to be funding such a critical service when the state is responsible for funding police, ambulance and fire services? The SES plays a crucial role in many events involving those other services.
The Bendigo SES unit is rapidly outgrowing its home and needs to expand; the number of trained members needs to increase and it is trying to establish satellite offices to improve response times in emergency situations.
Each of those commitments cost money.
Today, we ask you to support their fundraising efforts – and we ask the state government to consider the impact on our communities if it does not start addressing the financial needs of State Emergency Service units across the state.
It could cost lives.
Nicole Ferrie, editor