During this National Volunteer Week both the CFA and SES have publicly thanked their members for their dedication and selflessness.
In the Upper Murray, the local CFA and SES units go “above and beyond” for their communities and have a long history of service however, similar to other volunteer organisations, their numbers have been dwindling.
The CFA is asking regional Victorians to ‘Give Us a Hand’ in an effort to recruit new volunteers to join its 52,000 community-minded members in protecting lives and property across the state.
The call out is part of a new volunteer recruitment campaign, which aims to encourage selfless Victorians to take up a firefighting or support role with their local CFA brigade.
Whether you’re looking to make the most of your spare time, are new to your community or just want to be part of a group made up of like-minded people, CFA brigades have flexible volunteering arrangements and diverse roles to suit anyone’s skills and needs.
Chief Officer, Jason Heffernan, said the CFA is a great place to volunteer, meet new people and learn new skills.
“Volunteers are the backbone of the firefighting and emergency response network across Victoria,” he said.
“We are calling on all community-minded individuals who are looking for a new challenge to consider joining their local brigade and apply their expertise and knowledge to CFA.
“Whether you want to jump on the truck and respond to incidents or take up a brigade support position, we’ll find a role that suits you and your brigade.”
Brigades are most commonly looking for people from all backgrounds who have the capacity to take up roles as daytime responders and Emergency numbersare particularly interested in hearing from young people who want to make a difference within their community.
If you’re interested in joining or learning more, visit www.cfa.vic.gov.au/volunteer.
Once you’ve submitted your expression of interest form online, your local brigade will contact you regarding the next steps.
Yesterday was Wear Orange Wednesday (WOW), a national day of thanks dedicated to SES volunteers across the country.
Held annually during National Volunteer Week, WOW Day encourages the public to thank and acknowledge SES volunteers, for the invaluable contribution and commitment they make to local communities.
Over the last 12 months, VICSES volunteers have responded to over 35,000 requests for assistance – generously donating their time in support of their communities.
Volunteers also responded to more than 1600 ‘Assist Police’ jobs every year. This includes assistance at searches for missing people, searches for evidence at crime scenes as well as scene preservation and assistance with lighting towers and marquees.
In addition, volunteers respond to on average just over 1,300 road crash rescues each year and are highly trained to meet national standards and participate in regular capability assessments to ensure they continue to meet these standards.
SES CEO, Stephen Griffin, said “I continue to admire the remarkable and relentless efforts of our volunteers and thank them for their time and dedication.
“Many of you go over and beyond and it is truly inspiring.”
If you want to be a part of the action, learn new skills and serve your community visit ses.vic.gov.au/volunteer.
Community members can also support their local ambulance service by becoming First Responders, Ambulance Community Officers (ACOs) or members of Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs).
They provide timely response to medical emergencies in rural areas through early life saving intervention and care of patients as well as participating in community engagement.
For more informtion visit www.ambulance.vic.gov.au/careers/become-a-first-responder/
This article appeared in the Corryong Courier, 18 May 2023.
