LATEST NEWS
At 930am this morning, 40 members from WA SES crews will meet VICSES CEO Mary Barry and VICSES Director of Operations Trevor White at the Knox Unit, after arriving in Melbourne last night. See attached VIC SES media release
.10 03 10 SES crews combine forces to tackle Melbournes largest ever hail storm.pdf
Two volunteers from the Gosnells State Emergency Service (SES) unit are among 30 who have volunteered to fly over to Melbourne to help the Victorian SES respond to requests for assistance from the community.
The volunteers will fly out today, and are expected to be away from their families for 3 or 4 days.
The link below is from the Victorian SES, stating that South Australia and New South Wales SES are already assisting the Victorian volunteers.
http://www.ses.vic.gov.au/CA256AEA002EBBF1/Lookup/Media_Releases_2010/$file/10%2003%2008%20VICSES%20Operational%20Stats%20Update.pdf
We can all be proud of the committment shown by these volunteers not only towards their local community, but the Australian community as a whole.
While this request involves two of our members, it should be recognised that all SES volunteers make themselves available to requests for assistance during the year, be it searching for missing people, responding to storm damage or supporting other fire and emergency services.
Q: How long does it take to build a replacement SES Unit HQs for Belmont SES Unit?
A: Don't know, its been 3 years so far and still no answer in sight.
The Belmont SES Unit services the areas of City of Belmont and Town of Victoria Park. Some years ago the City of Belmont sold the land on which the Belmont SES HQs was located.
Today the SES volunteers at Belmont SES unit are frustrated with with lack of progress from both FESA and City of Belmont for a replacement permanet HQs. The volunteers feel its a litany of broken promises, poor project management and shallow pockets.
Another year of leasing a tempory premises will see the unit into the future. Premises that is a factory unit, that has had to be fitted out at unit's expense and skills to operate from.
Photo: Amid the frustrations and loss of membership, the remaining volunteers at Belmont can still smile.
Phillip Petersen 8 March 2010
The Funeral service for the late Geoffrey Merrey will be held at 1030 hours on Thursday 11 March 2009 at Riverview Church, Hammond Road, Cockburn. SES Volunteers attending the service are requested to wear dress uniform as a mark of respect to Geoff. The family have requested, no flowers, and to consider a donation to Camp Quality.
It's with great sadness and regret we announce the death of our SES colleague Geoff Merrey who passed away at 10:55 am this Friday morning 5 March 2010. Geoff was a well known and respected volunteer member of the Communication Support Unit and a past committee member of the SESVA. Our deepest sympathy goes to Geoff's wife Rosslyn and family.
Flyer - National Emergency Management Volunteers Photographic Competition.pdf
Based on the adage that a ‘picture is worth a thousand words’, the Attorney-General’s
Department is searching for the best photographs to recognise emergency management
volunteers in action. The theme is ‘Emergency Management Volunteers – Thank You’.
In the past few months volunteers of many Perth metropolitan SES units have assisted the WA Police on several forensic searches. Some of these searches were conducted in heat wave conditions of Perth's longest driest and hottest summer for many years.
Sgt Kim Sadleir of Police Emergency Management Unit presented the Melville SES unit a Certificate of Appreciation on Tuesday 3 March 2010. Sgt Sadleir said that the Police appreciated that the SES were a well trained resource for missing people and searching for forensic evidence was beyond the normal call of duty. Local Manager Robyn Trainer accepted the certificate. Other SES units in Perth metropolitan area have also received Certificates of Appreciation.
Photo and story by Phillip Petersen SESVA Metro South Representative
One major Australian company reports that staff is losing 30 laptop computers per month.
Not only is the loss of a business computer inconvenient, it also means intellectual property is compromised.
Reasons given for laptops wandering
- “I locked my laptop in a cabinet that has since been removed from the floor. Cabinet has been relocated, but laptop can not be found.”
- “Laptop was left in the passenger back seat. While I was away, someone broke into my car.”
- “While having coffee in a local café on way to work, an unknown person switched the backpack located at my feet.”
- “I left my laptop on my desk at 5.45pm. When I got back to my desk, the laptop was gone.”
- “Accidentally left laptop beside my vehicle in shopping centre car park. When I returned to the vehicle, laptop was gone.”
- “Laptop was stolen from an unlocked drawer in office.”
How to keep yours secure
- Use a locking cable to secure your laptop to your desk.
- Store laptops in a lockable drawer or cabinet (and remember to lock it).
- If you leave your laptop in a vehicle, make sure it is secured in the boot, or a laptop locker or cargo storage area, so that it is not visible from outside the vehicle.
Remain vigilant and ensure your laptop is always secure.
SES VA committee person, Phillip Petersen, visited the Kalamunda SES Unit last night, Monday 22 February 2010.
There were 40+ of their 60 registered volunteers in attendance. Kalamunda have been successfully recruiting new volunteers by using roadside signs, “Recruiting Now”, on main roads in their district. This simple idea has had some of the best recruiting results ever experienced by the unit.
Phillip reminded the volunteers about the SESVA and EMA photographic competitions.
The unit is planning on participating in two ANZAC Day activities, an opportunity for volunteers to wear their new dress uniform in public.
The unit is equipped with three Toyota Personal Carrier vehicles, each towing an equipped response trailer. They are able to use a local government owned Toyota Coaster Bus for additional transport. There are plans for an emergency power plant for the unit HQs to be fitted in near future.
Phillip Petersen ESM past President of the SESVA attended the funeral of long serving Mandurah SES volunteer Lynne Hutch on Tuesday 16th 2010 . Lynne and her husband Bill were active members of Mandurah SES when he joined in 1982.
Bill is a Life member of the Mandurah SES. Lynne was 54 and her death from pneumonia and complications is a shock to Bill and Lynnes’ family, friends and Mandurah SES.
Phillip said he was privileged to be part of the guard of honour at the unit’s request. Phillip would like to thank Blue ( SESVA Committee Member) & Gerry Renehan who are close friends of Bill & Lynne, for keeping us informed.
The purpose of this newsletter (MUN) is to keep our members informed of courses, events, weekly training, callouts and general happenings around the unit and its members. MUN will hopefully be informative. But like most things, for this to succeed, I require information from you the members. Your opinions, observations, events you attended, anything, if you wish to let the other members know, drop me a line.
While this MUN will contain a fair bit of information as it will cover from December 2009, the future issues of MUN will be sent out on a irregular basis – as information comes to hand.
The SES Volunteers Association (SESVA) has a new website! It's been many months in the making and has taken a great deal of time from many people. We chose Drupal as our content management system and have transitioned all the data from our old website over to a shiny, new extremely fast server. In time your unit will be given its own user name and password so you can log into the “SES Units” section of the site. Please provide input and make suggestions so the SESVA can further improve the site.
The President of the SESVA Mr David Price said “This new site will greatly enhance our ability to disseminate news and information the SES Volunteers in WA”.
The State Emergency Service (SES) celebrated 50 years service to the community, 1959 to 2009.
The State Emergency Service Volunteers Association (SESVA) is conducting a photographic competition in an attempt collect photographic images of SES in an operation or training over the past 50 years.
The competition will run for several months to allow entrants opportunity to participate.
The competition is open ONLY to SES volunteers.
Read on if you wish to participate.
Photos Wanted
Conditions of Entry
Instructions on how to enter form part of these ‘Conditions of Entry’. Participation in this Competition is deemed acceptance of these Conditions of Entry.
Eligibility
The Competition is open ONLY to SES volunteers within Western Australia.
Dates of Competition
The competition commences on 1 November 2009 and close on 30th March 2010.
Where to send entries ?
All entries must be mailed to State Emergency Service Volunteers Association at PO Box 530, Belmont WA 6984. It is intended that all entries will be acknowledged by email and will not be returned. Early entries sent in before November 2009 may be selected and shown at the SES Volunteers Conference.
Entry Method & Details to be included
Photographic images should be sent on a CD/DVD in JPEG format.
The CD/DVD should have name of entrant on it.
Included in CD/DVD should attached some text (preferably in MS Word or PDF) that gives the entrants name and address, email address and details of the photos. We would like to know who or what is in the photo, name of activity and when it occurred. Include any names of any people in photo if known.
Judgement
The Competition will be judged by a panel of independent judges arranged by the State Emergency Service Volunteers Association. Each entry will be individually judged based on originality, creative merit and appeal. The judges’ decision in relation to all aspects of this Competition is final and binding on all who enter and no correspondence will be entered into.
Number of Entries per category
Participants may only enter three (3) images per category. The categories are:
• Photo/s of an SES Operation in past 18 months;
• Photo/s of an SES exercise or training activity in past 18 months;
• Photo/s of an SES Operation in older than 18 months ago;
• Photo/s of an SES exercise or training activity in older than 18 months ago;
• The oldest SES photo. We are looking for old SES photos.
• SES Unit entry. This is to allow a SES unit who may have a photo/s in their records, but the original photographer is not known. The State Emergency Service Volunteers Association or independent judges will not be involved in any copyright issues associated with this entry should that occur.
Incomplete, Illegible or Incomprehensible Entries
Any entries, which at the sole discretion of the State Emergency Service Volunteers Association or independent judges are deemed incomplete, illegible or incomprehensible will be invalid and will not be included in the judging. Participants will not be notified if their photos have been rejected and therefore from the competition.
Verification and Disqualification
The State Emergency Service Volunteers Association or independent judges reserves the right, at any time, to verify the validity of entries and participants (including a participant’s identity & place of residence) and to disqualify any participant who submits an entry that is not in accordance with these Conditions of Entry or who tampers with the entry process. Failure by the State Emergency Service Volunteers Association or independent judges to enforce any of its rights at any stage does not constitute a waiver of those rights.
Committee members of State Emergency Service Volunteers Association or any other SES volunteers co-opted to assist with running of competition will not be barred from participation of competition as a method of “no identity” will provided to independent judges.
Prize Winners and Prizes
The best entry as determined by the judges in the final judging will be deemed the prize winner. The judge’s decision will be final.
All category winners will be acknowledged in an edition of State Emergency Services Volunteer Association Journal and production of 1st prize image of each section. Prizes are to be sought winners for each category. To be advised.
Contacting Winners
The winners will be contacted by email, using the contact details provided in their entry. Details of winners will be published in an edition of the State Emergency Service Volunteers Association Journal.
The State Emergency Service Volunteers Association or independent judges accepts no responsibility for late, lost or misdirected mail.
Warranty
By entering the Competition, each participant warrants to the State Emergency Service Volunteers Association or independent judges that the individual’s entry is an original photographic work of the participant, has not been wholly or partially copied, and does not infringe the intellectual property rights of any third party. The participant agrees to indemnify the State Emergency Service Volunteers Association or independent judges against all claims and costs by third parties arising from a breach of the warranty set out in this condition.
Ownership of Entries
The copyright of all images remains that of the photographer. However participation in this competition will permit the State Emergency Service Volunteers Association (SESVA) and Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) to freely use the image for promotional purposes such as on posters, journals, reports, educational or recruitment material.
Questions
Any questions can be directed to:
Phillip Petersen phillip.petersen@bigpond.com
or
John Capes jcapes@bigpond.net.au
Operation Hydro is a campaign that provides ‘premium grade bottled drinking water’ to SES units throughout Western Australia. Typically each unit will receive 1 pallet (1680 X 600ml bottles) of water to use at its discretion.
Being classed as ‘premium grade’, the bottled water tastes like water is meant to taste and provides a hygienic method of re-hydrating SES volunteers whilst at emergency scenes and training sessions. The water is delivered in boxes of 24 so it is easy to store and is ready to go when there is an emergency call-out.
If you require additional information about Operation Hydro please contact the SES Volunteer Assn. of WA, John Capes on 04047 429 554 and he will happily answer any questions.
If you are interested in supporting the campaign, please contact Operation Hydro (The Established Bottled Water Company Pty Ltd) on 1300 170 520 or email admin@operationhydro.com.au