New chapter begins for Murray Bridge’s SES brigade
The local State Emergency Service unit has launched an appeal for volunteers after a $110,000 facilities upgrade and a bit of a culture shift.
This story is now free to read. Help Murray Bridge News tell more stories like this by subscribing today.
Murray Bridge’s State Emergency Service brigade is appealing for more volunteers to join after completing a $110,000 station upgrade.
Gone are the daggy blue walls and the old furniture, replaced with clean, modern facilities and enthusiasm about the future.
Acting unit manager Mark Gloster has overseen the transformation, having come across from Strathalbyn to help revitalise the brigade.
“The whole unit is very excited to have the works completed,” he said.
“We’re on the up.”
New shed doors which are actually tall enough to fit the unit’s rescue boat, the Mulyawongk, will help volunteers deploy much more quickly in the event of a marine emergency.
Also included in the upgrade were:
- Better lighting and security throughout the station
- An interior revamp, including new furniture, appliances and paintwork
- Car park improvements and rubbish removal
“It makes it more inviting for volunteers,” district officer Chris Shaw said.
“No-one wants to come to a tired old place.”
Murray Bridge SES responded to more than 200 requests for help during the past 12 months, including with flooding, car crashes, fallen trees and weather damage.
Volunteers meet for training at 7pm every Tuesday.
Mr Gloster would love to see more people there, no matter what their background or capacity to help.
Volunteering might mean dragging tree branches off a road, coming in once a week to clean the station, or providing admin or logistical support.
“You don’t need to get involved necessarily in high-stress, high-trauma areas,” he said.
“It may only be one or two hours of work, but that work can benefit the community hugely.
“We turn up sometimes on the worst day of a member of the public’s life, and it’s good (for them) to have someone there who’s friendly and ready to render assistance.”
Volunteers benefit from the training they receive, the life experience they gain and the strength they discover within themselves.
“The understanding that you’ve helped somebody is your payment,” he says.
“There’s a certain amount of satisfaction in being able to walk away from an incident and say, ‘That person’s there today because of what I did’.”
- Express an interest in volunteering with the SES: Attend training at the Murray Bridge SES station on Thomas Street from 7-9pm on Tuesdays or visit www.ses.sa.gov.au.
