THE Loddon’s only State Emergency Service unit again has a local controller.
Michael George, one of more than a dozen new members to join the Wedderburn unit after a crisis meeting in January to secure its future, was invested with the unit leader epaulettes on Monday night.
SES CEO Greg Leach, the former Rheola volunteer fireman who has become one of Australia’s top emergency service leader, and interim controller Mike Bagnall announced Michael as controller to members.
Mr George had spent Christmas Day at his Calder Highway, Glenalbyn home, watching the first of three destructive summer storm floods.
The SES had to bring volunteers from other parts of Victoria to deal with flooding around Wedderburn after the unit had dropped below operational strength,
“I wanted to help. Those floods were the big kick needed to step up and volunteer,” Mr George said.
Mr George and other recruits have spent the past six months being training in rescue techniques.
“There has been extra training to become co-ordinator - it’s exciting for the unit to be growing again,” he said.
But Mr George and Mr Leach said recruitment continued to see the unit strength reach 20 members.
Mr Leach said emergency services had in the past retained volunteers for 50 or more years. “Now, the stay is about five years,” he said.
“We invest a lot in training and equipment, skills ...then volunteers leave for many reasons. We hope that will return later or of they move from a town, join where they next live.
““We want the SES to be an organisation of choice.”
Mr Leach said a recent NSW study attributed shorter service spans of volunteers to modern life pressures, greater life mobility and career challenges.
In Victoria, there were currently 4500 volunteers in more than 150 units.
Mr Leach said the SES was recruiting 1000 new volunteers each year.
The Wedderburn unit earlier this month received a new rescue truck and members last week trained for accreditation using chainsaws.
Mr Leach said that while the unit was based in Wedderburn, new members could come from other communities to join the shire’s only SES unit. Mr Leach took up his role with the SES last December and was previously commissioner of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.