As previously advised, DFES combined all Volunteer Award functions into one function for this year only – due to AFAC being held in Perth that week. Normally the SES require 250 seats for their Awards Night. It has been decided to limit the number of seats to 150 and there are 70 seats still available.
There will be no charge to SES Volunteers who wish to attend (SES Volunteers who have already paid will have their money refunded). If not already registered, please register for your SES Awards Night tickets as soon as possible.
Land Search and Rescue Operation – Karijini National Park
A 72 year old woman was rescued from the Kalamina Gorge area of the Karijini National Park after she fell over and injured herself yesterday, Sunday 12 August 2018.
Just before 2:00pm the AMSA Rescue Coordination Centre in Canberra advised Western Australia Police Force that a Personal Locator Beacon had been activated in the vicinity of the Kalamina Gorge.
Parks and Wildlife Service Rangers, State Emergency Service volunteers and Tom Price Police were advised of the emergency situation and AMSA engaged the services of a nearby rescue helicopter to assist.
Emergency crews arrived at the scene and it was confirmed a 72 year old woman had fallen and received a hip injury in the Kalamina Gorge. She was unable to walk. The SES volunteers carried the woman to safety and she was flown by helicopter to Hedland Health Campus for medical treatment.
The woman is believed to be from Victoria and was with her husband at the time of the incident.
Statistics indicate you’ll be rescued within 72 hours of authorities becoming aware that you’re missing. Reduce that period to 24 hours (and usually less than 12 hours) if you activate a GPS-equipped and registered Personal Location Beacon (PLB).
If we’re planning remote travel, these odds should make the decision to buy an emergency location device easy – particularly as prices have reduced considerably in recent years. But the choice between PLB, EPIRB or SEND can be daunting.
Essentially, a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) is an Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) for land lovers. PLB generally refers to a distress beacon operating on a 406 MHz frequency supported by a government satellite network, whereas devices using commercial satellite systems are referred to as SEND (Satellite Emergency Notification Device).
If you can only afford one device, we’d make it a PLB – because your life may depend on it. If you’re cashed up, buy both a PLB and a SEND.
On Saturday afternoon Police were called regarding a 74 year old man who had not returned from a short walk in bush land earlier in the morning. The man and his wife had parked in a rest stop about 57km south of Leonora and the man intended on having a brief walk, however it has since been established he became disoriented and could not find his way back to his vehicle.
Leonora Police attended the scene and commenced a search, with officers in Kalgoorlie providing coordination support. The AMSA Challenger search and rescue jet conducted a search of the area. The man spent the night in bush land.
Kambalda Police, State Emergency Service volunteers, and a local plane from Kalgoorlie were deployed to assist with the search yesterday (Sunday) and the man was located by searchers. He did not suffer any injuries.
Here are some photos including the missing man and some of the search team, and a couple of photos showing the local terrain.
What a great way to celebrate WOW and a big effort made by an SES Volunteer. Ms Cassidy Kempster, a current Northshore member, who organised for 1,000 pupils at Mercedes College to wear orange, especially orange ribbons in their hair, on WOW Day on 22 May this year.
SESVA Newsletter August 2018 The newsletter has important information for SES Volunteers in WA including:
DFES Says NO to SES Chief Officer In a letter to the SESVA dated 28 June Commissioner Klemm has refused to support a Chief Officer for the SES. This is very interesting, as all other States and Territories have a Chief Officer. These meet on a regular basis as part of the Australian Council of SES's and discuss many strategic matters of common interest, including training. WA is not a part of that group, which is very disappointing. Experience over the past years has shown that many of the issues that are bought to the Association by Volunteers and DFES, is due to a lack of understanding and empathy of the SES and the legislation that applies to the SES Volunteers, or how they should be treated. No one individual can represent all DFES Services at both the tactical and strategic level, given the differences in Acts, Regulations, Operational Doctrine and Training.
SES volunteers play an integral part in the safety of our communities and these awards help recognise outstanding individuals, and teams who have shown dedication above the call of duty. DFES advise that the registrations for the SES Awards night are now open Registrations to the ceremony are essential – please register to reserve your tickets. Registrations Close on 3 August. This year the Awards Night is combined with all other services. Winners will be announced at a joint evening ceremony to be held in September at Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre (PCEC).
Date: Friday 7 September 2018 Time: 7.00pm – 11.30pm Venue: BelleVue Ballroom, Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre Dress: Smart casual Cost: SES Volunteers and partners – $50.00 per person Registrations close: 3 August
The SES Volunteers Association was asked to be involved in the testing of the new Matagarup Footbridge Bridge connecting East Perth to the Stadium area in Burswood. As a result of the large movement in the Millennium Bridge in London, the Italian builders of the Matagarup Footbridge Bridge requested fifty SES Volunteers to run and jump in a special sequence that would be synchronised. The day started off with the SES Volunteers being addressed by Charlie WilsonClark, a Manager from the SRPB Alliance, on what the day would entail, the Engineers about the Bridge and Ilario Spagnolo, the Main Roads Project Director, thanking the SES Volunteers for their involvement. The SES Volunteers did a walk over the bridge first to familiarise themselves before getting into the business part of the day. Sensors were placed in predetermined locations on the bridge to enable a team of engineers to monitor bridge behaviour as the SES Volunteers jumped, walked and ran in a predetermined and synchronised manner.
The movement of the bridge could be easily felt at times and as the engineers adjusted the movement damping devices, the decrease in bridge movement became obvious. The wave motion of the bridge could be felt quite strongly as the fifty Volunteers jumped from side to side. This equated to a weight in excess of 3000 kgs landing left then right at 2 second, 1 second, twice a second, and four times a second interval.
The Volunteers covered more than 7.5 kms in their running, jumping and walking of the bridge.
The SRPB Alliance provided a what appeared to be an “all you can eat” lunch at the Camfield Restaurant.
It was a day enjoyed by all and very different to the routine searches and rescues performed by SES Volunteers.
There are many videos on the SESVA Facebook page which show the Channel Nine news report, Main Roads drone video and many pictures taken by the Volunteers on the day.
