The State Emergency Service

The State Emergency Service is an emergency and rescue service dedicated to assisting the community. It is almost entirely volunteer, with over 200 units located throughout New South Wales, and comprising more than 9,000 volunteer members who are easily identified by their distinctive orange overalls.

Introduction

While the State Emergency Service's major responsibilities are for flood and storm operations, it also provides the majority of the general rescue effort in the rural parts of the state. This includes road accident rescue, vertical rescue, bush search and rescue and other forms of specialist rescue which may be required due to local threats. The Service also provides a major source of trained rescuers to support the full-time emergency services in the event of major disasters.

The State Emergency Services, as it was then known, was formed in April 1955, following disastrous floods throughout New South Wales which caused loss of life and massive damage to property. The Government of the day recognised the need for a body of trained and disciplined volunteers with good local knowledge to be available at short notice to assist the community in the event of such disasters.

Guarantee of Service

"Our mission is to provide immediate assistance to the community in time of natural or man-made incidents or emergencies"

The State Emergency Service provides the following services to the community:

Floods and Storms

• Prepares flood plans for communities at risk.
• Assists the Bureau of Meteorology to develop and disseminate official flood and storm warnings.
• Translates official flood warnings into likely effects and disseminates that information.
• Evacuates persons whose properties are threatened or uninhabitable due to floods or storms.
• Rescues persons who are endangered, trapped or injured due to floods or storms.
• Resupplies communities and individuals isolated due to flooding.
• Minimises damage to properties affected by floods or storms.
• Co-ordinates immediate welfare requirements for affected communities in conjunction with the Disaster Welfare Service.
• Undertakes public education to ensure that those at risk know what they should do to protect themselves and their property.

Rescue and Support

Units which are accredited for general rescue will respond in accordance with established policy.

Units will maintain a disaster rescue capability.

Units will assist, at their request, the Police Service, the NSW Fire Brigades, the Rural Fire Service and the Ambulance Service to deal with any incident or emergency.

Quality of Service

State Emergency Service Units are community based to provide timely local response. State Emergency Service Officers are available to provide emergency management advice at State, Division and Local Level.

As part of our commitment to providing a quality service to the people of New South Wales, the State Emergency Service has established the following procedures:

• State Headquarters and all 18 Division Headquarters will be contactable during normal office hours and have after hours duty systems operating to provide for 24 hour emergency contact.
• Wherever possible, all units which are accredited for general rescue are equipped with call-out systems.

Structure

The State Emergency Service consists of a headquarters located in Wollongong, staffed by 79 permanent officers, and 18 Divisions (three in the Sydney Metropolitan area and 15 elsewhere in the State). Divisions are groupings of units based on natural threat areas. There are over 230 units throughout NSW. Generally they are based on major river systems.

Control of each Division is exercised by a Division Controller, who is supported by a Division Executive Officer and an Administrative Officer who are full-time officers. There are also volunteers on the staff of each Division Headquarters who assist in running operations and conducting training.

State Emergency Service units are entirely volunteer. They are based on local government areas. Each unit has its own headquarters and is trained and equipped to meet the tasks it needs to perform in its area.

In accordance with its role as the combat agency for flood, storm and tempest, the State Emergency Service has a network of flood gauge readers throughout the State. These volunteers provide a valuable service by reading river and stream heights in their local areas to assist in the accurate prediction of flood levels.

Training

State Emergency Service volunteers are trained in a wide range of skills to national standards. There are two main streams: rescue and headquarters. Rescue personnel are trained in first aid and general rescue techniques, plus other skills required to deal with the threats in the local area. Headquarters personnel are trained to manage operations and run operations centres and in logistics.

Training within units is generally conducted by skilled volunteer instructors, who are supported as necessary by permanent officers. Most units train weekly and conduct weekend exercises several times each year.

For further information

Contact	:	State Headquarters
Address	:	Level 6, 6-8 Regent Street, Wollongong NSW 2500
Phone	:	02 4226 2444
Fax	:	02 4229 7109
Email	:	sesshq@ses.nsw.gov.au

WWW

:

http://www.ses.nsw.gov.au/