General News
27 October, 2024
We threw in the rope: SES now acknowledges locals
VICTORIA’S State Emergency Service on Tuesday acknowledged for the first time Wedderburn people had been part of the Nardoo Creek rescue 10 months ago. The SES said its crew had been “integral in getting a rope” out to the man trapped in his...
VICTORIA’S State Emergency Service on Tuesday acknowledged for the first time Wedderburn people had been part of the Nardoo Creek rescue 10 months ago.
The SES said its crew had been “integral in getting a rope” out to the man trapped in his vehicle.
As the national award furore continued, a spokesperson said: “We understand that the award issued to VICSES volunteers as part of the Australian Search and Rescue Awards has triggered a range of emotions and discussion in the local community.
“VICSES wants to acknowledge the significant role that several local members of the public also played in the rescue. We thank them for their response at a difficult and dangerous scene.
“The award-class in which our volunteers were nominated, was within the Professional Volunteer Award category for volunteers from a trained rescue organisation.
“The intervention of the SES land-based swift water rescue crew was integral in getting the rope to the individual and saving the man’s life.”
Witness and former Wedderburn SES unit deputy controller Reg Holt said he remained disgusted with the SES’s response on January 2 and its promotion of the award without acknowledgement of local heroes.
“They (SES) created the danger and do not deserve the award,” he said. “The man could have been rescued within 10 minutes of the man driving his vehicle into the creek. But the SES stopped people from taking swift action.
“They put other people in danger. SES command stopped an earlier rescue and belatedly acknowledge that all they did was throw in a rope after the man’s vehicle was swept down the creek.”
Mr Holt said the national award raised questions about a Federal Government authority administering and checking nominations “that came from a first party”.
“They need to have better practices for verifying information in a nomination when deciding these awards that carry so much kudos,” Mr Holt said.
“There’s more to what is on a nomination form. Talk to people who saw what was happening and they will either back up a nomination or not.
“At the end of the day, local people did the rescue and in the community, we know they are the real heroes.”