By ANEEKA SIMONIS
AN EMERGENCY service crew in Emerald has made an urgent plea for a station upgrade amid fears the outdated and cramped facility is driving away volunteer rescuers in the high-risk area.
Emerald’s State Emergency Service (SES) crew are called out to more than 1000 emergencies each year, yet their volunteer numbers are dropping.
Unit Controller Ben Owen said their 30-year-old station had next to no storage and poor facilities, which meant volunteers were forced to carry their overalls and boots in their car with them at all times.
He said six female volunteers have pulled out of the service in the past year or so due to the poor conditions – including a single unisex toilet and no showering facilities.
Like all other units, Emerald SES is required to be on scene at an emergency eight minutes after they receive a call-out, but the clunky site presents many hold-ups that make it difficult for volunteers to meet their target.
Mr Owen called on the government to step up and fund their much-needed upgrade, including two new training rooms, added storage and bathroom facilities.
“We need it to operate properly,” he said.
The cramped station also limits their ability to store new-model trucks, with volunteers having to rely on a 15-year-old model without air-bags or required safety features.
“The current model won’t fit in our shed,” Mr Owen said.
Emerald SES is one of the state’s busiest rescue units, flagged as a top priority for upgrade.
State Emergency Services Minister Jane Garrett was contacted, to ask if she would commit funds to the station upgrade but did not respond.
However, a ministerial spokesperson said Ms Garrett would look into visiting the Emerald site in the future.
“The government understand the demands that are placed on SES units across Victoria and it is working with the SES and councils to help it meet these challenges,” the spokesperson said.
SES units across the state are expected to benefit from a $2.05 million State grant as part of the 2015/16 Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program.
The funding is expected to be used to purchase additional operational equipment, vehicles, trucks, tankers, watercraft, trailers and to support minor facility improvements.
Gembrook MP and Shadow Minister for Emergency Services Brad Battin has helped the station collect more than 900 signatures in support of the station upgrade.
“This is one of the most disaster-stricken parts of the state. The SES have said it’s a number on priority for a building upgrade,” he said.
It is due to be submitted to Parliament in the next fortnight.
The Coalition pledged to commit $1.8 million to upgrade the facility if re-elected to government in the lead-up to last year’s State Election.
