WINTER 202020 EDITION 11 WOW DAY 2020 VOLUNTEERVOLUNTEER YOUNG ACHIEVERS VICSES’ junior members rising up the ranks Responding during COVID-19 Neighbour Day 2020 CONTENTS Highlights from the winter edition What’s happening across our regions: CENTRAL 14 Communicating with our volunteers during COVID-19 EAST 16 New Regional Headquarters for East Region pg. 04 Wear Orange Wednesday: 18 MID WEST Celebrating our incredible volunteers Mid West Regions annual General Rescue training weekend 2020 NORTH EAST Responding 20 Volunteer spotlight: Lisa Wise during NORTH WEST COVID-19 22 Neighbour Day 2020 during COVID-19 SOUTH WEST pg. 08 24 Heywood Unit National pg. 10 Volunteer Award YOUNG ACHIEVERS: VICSES’ JUNIOR MEMBERS Neighbour Day Front Cover: Sunbury Unit junior members RISING UP THE RANKS 2020 pg. 12 Rachael White and Phoebe Hall WINTER 20202020 EDITION 1111 Celebrating Interested in WOW the women DAY 2020 contributing? VOLUNTEERVOLUNTEER YOUNG of VICSES ACHIEVERS Submit your article here: VICSES’ junior members rising up the ranks Responding [email protected] during pg. 13 COVID-19 Neighbour Day 2020 VICSES would like to respectfully Authorised and published by This magazine is printed on ecoStar 100% recycled, acknowledge the traditional Victoria State Emergency Service, an environmentally responsible paper made carbon custodians of the land throughout 168 Sturt Street, Southbank, neutral. It has been independently certified by the Forest Victoria and acknowledge their Victoria. © State of Victoria, Stewardship Council® (FSC ®). ecoStar is manufactured from ancestors and elders, both past Victoria State Emergency Service, 100% post consumer recycled paper in a Process Chlorine and present. June 2020. Free environment under the ISO 14001 environmental management system. MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER FOR POLICE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES Welcome to the second edition of Community Matters for 2020. The year is evolving in a way that none With these efforts in mind, it was of us could have ever predicted. In fantastic to see the well-deserved the face of bushfires and now the support VICSES received from coronavirus pandemic, VICSES units communities to mark Wear Orange have continued to provide outstanding Wednesday on 20 May. service to the community, right across the state. WOW Day is an annual celebration marking the outstanding work of Volunteers have been out in force thousands of our volunteers. responding to natural disasters, Welcome including significant events during Landmarks across Melbourne and April and May. VICSES units regional centres were again flooded Hello everyone, and welcome responded to over 4,000 requests in orange in a show of thanks, and for assistance during this busy time, Victorians were encouraged to show to the winter edition of including 391 flooding events, their support by dressing in orange 2448 trees down, and 560 cases of and posting messages to social media Community Matters. building damage. using the hashtags #ThankYouSES and #WOWDay. On Wednesday 20 May we celebrated Wear Orange This followed wild storms in January, Wednesday, an opportunity to say thank you for the hard work Many aspects of life in Victoria have when units responded to a huge and dedication of our incredible volunteers. Although we changed in 2020 as the coronavirus 3,300 requests for assistance in a weren’t able to celebrate in our usual way due to COVID-19, pandemic transforms how we live. single week. it was fantastic to see so many people still get involved right Despite this, VICSES has continued across the state. You can read more on page 4. Our VICSES volunteers also did an to provide outstanding service, incredible job searching tirelessly for supporting communities across the It has been challenging times during the recent pandemic missing teenager William Callaghan in state 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, environment, and I want to acknowledge each and every freezing and difficult terrain. 365 days a year. one of our members who have continued to work through and adapt to COVID-19 restrictions. This has included William became separated from his Leading by example, volunteers have staff working remotely and from home, and all of our units family on Mt Disappointment over the followed the Chief Health Officer’s maintaining physical distancing and hygienic cleaning during Queen’s Birthday weekend and thanks restrictions and guidelines when training and when responding to the community. I have also to the efforts of our volunteers, along responding to call-outs and supported been involved in weekly meetings with our unit management with others, he was reunited with them the ‘stay at home’ message on teams via Webex, which has been a fantastic tool in keeping safe and well after two nights missing. social media. our organisation connected. As always, we have continued I speak for all Victorians when I say we to deliver our services to the highest standard, demonstrating are so grateful for the work you did to Looking out for one another will help our vision: Safer Communities – Together. More information ensure this amazing outcome. ensure we can continue to create stronger and safer communities about our response during COVID-19 is located on page 8. So far this year, units have responded through this difficult period, and the In exciting news, a construction firm has now been appointed to almost 35,000 requests for dedication our VICSES volunteers for the new build of the Wangaratta Unit, and building has assistance. have shown so far this year is a perfect now commenced. I look forward to keeping you updated on example of that community spirit. this project as it progresses. I want to extend my sincere thanks As always, thank you all for your contributions in making this to all volunteers for your outstanding another fantastic edition of Community Matters. work, helping Victorians endure one of the most challenging years in Kind regards, living memory. With your continued service and dedication, I know we will Stephen Griffin overcome these challenges together. CEO Victoria State Emergency Service Hon Lisa Neville MP Minister for Police and Emergency Services 03 FEATURES Wear Orange Wednesday 2020 By Gabi Barkmeyer, Corporate Communications Officer, VHO On Wednesday 20 May we came together to celebrate Wear Orange Wednesday (WOW Day), an annual event to say thank you to our thousands of volunteers for their incredible contributions. 04 VOLUNTEER Wear Orange ue to COVID-19 and physical Victoria The Hon. Daniel Andrews, distancing things looked a Australian actor Shane Jacobson, and D little a different this year. But Meteorologist and Channel 7 weather that didn’t stop the community and our presenter Jane Bunn. Chelsea Unit were members rallying together to thank our even able to get well-known Australian Wednesday volunteers for one of VICSES’ busiest singer Dannii Minogue on board! years yet. Landmarks in Melbourne were lit up Community members were encouraged in orange to help recognise WOW to support WOW Day by dressing in Day, including the Melbourne Cricket 2020 orange, holding an orange themed event Ground, AAMI Park, Bolte Bridge and at home or online, or sending a message the State Theatre. Across regional By Gabi Barkmeyer, Corporate Communications Officer, VHO of thanks via social media to their Victoria we had more landmarks lit in local VICSES unit for their hard work. orange than ever before, including the Facebook users were able to change Giant Koala in Dadswell Bridge, the their profile picture to include a WOW Catenary Lights in Geelong, water towers Day frame, and people participating in in Mooroopna, Wodonga and Swan Hill, online meetings could use an orange and the McCrae Lighthouse. themed WOW Day background. Thank you to everyone that participated Special thank you videos were also in celebrating our amazing volunteers. shared on social media, including Until next year! n messages from the Premier of 05 FEATURES WOW Day photo competition OWEN STEVENS In celebration of Wear Orange Wednesday, an internal photo competition was held for our volunteers to find the best dressed pet in orange. With over 50 entrants, choosing a winner not an easy task! Congratulations to the following volunteers, who each ST won one of five $100 Coles Express petrol vouchers, courtesy of our Principle Community Partner AAMI. A big thank you to everyone that entered this competition. Here’s a look at some of our other fantastic entrants: 06 DAYNA WALLIKER SHANLEIGH MELDRUM GOLDIE PERGL BRUCE HUMPHRIES 07 COVID19 Responding during COVID-19 As an integral part of Victoria’s emergency services, VICSES has continued to provide high quality assistance to communities across the state during COVID-19. ur continued impact and consequences Although this pandemic response throughout of VICSES’ ability to safely environment has been unfamiliar Statement of Intent – COVID19 this time has deliver services to communities and presented many significant This intent is designed to complement the information available via the single source of VICSES information and advice on the VICSES Hub: https://hub.ses.vic.gov.au/coronavirus-covid-19- O The health, safety and well-being of all our members and their families is the absolute priority at this Safety drives our prioritised the health and safety across Victoria. impacts, VICSES has remained decisions time. It underpins all of our decisions and actions. Everyone has a responsibility to act in accordance with VICSES advice and doctrine and that of the Government and relevant health authorities.