Phoenix Journal December 2020 by Countrywide Austral

PRODUCED BY AND FOR THE VICTORIAN SES VOLUNTEERS

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ISSUE 201 DECEMBER 2020 Printpost Approved PP 100001634

NEW BOATS FOR SOUTH WEST REGION SEVEN LITTLE DUCKS â&#x20AC;¢ WEST GATE BRIDGE DISASTER

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JANS CONTRACTING PTY LTDÂ

Jans Contracting Pty Ltd is a family owned and operated earthmoving business with generations of experience in the construction industry. Jans Contracting specialise in a range of services from detailed earthworks to bulk excavations.

proudly supporting our local ses VOLUNTEERS CONTACT US o415 496 863 admin@janscontracting.com.au

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www.vicsesva.org.au

Send all articles to:

Email: phoenix@vicsesva.org.au

VicSESVA CONTACTS VicSESVA Phoenix Editor & Mailing List Enquiries To add, edit or delete members to mail list or password and technical support contact: helpdesk@vicsesva.org.au

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Contents 3 From the Board

Content for Phoenix Photography should only be supplied digitally or as original prints (please supply stamped, self-addressed envelope for returning). Please avoid scanning of any type. Text should be supplied electronically as a Microsoft Word document.

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Letters to the editor If you have a point of view you feel would be of benefit to VicSESVA, or a request for any article which other members may be able to help source, mail it to PHOENIX. If your Unit has a need to publicise an event or Unit activity, send it to PHOENIX.

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CONTRIBUTIONS

4 The expertise, adaptability and creativity of volunteers 6 Team building outside the comfort zone

24 South West Region benefits from new boats 26 Seven little ducks went out one day… 29 Letting people fend for themselves

8 Walking for mental health

31 Stimulus Grant update

11 Remote IMTS

33 Australasian Women in Emergencies Network

13 CFA District 14 Incident Control Centre (ICC) online training 16 Social Media engagement strategies 19 Marysville SES has risen to the COVID-19 challenge 20 West Gate Bridge disaster 50 year anniversary

34 The value of volunteers, volunteering and volunteerism (3Vs) 34 Online working from home 35 Five things you didn’t know about ambulances 36 A Quick Guide to VicSESVA

VicSESVA STATE BOARD EXECUTIVE & STATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIR Mr David Rowlands

PRESIDENT Dr Faye Bendrups

M: 0423 777 633 E: chair@vicsesva.org.au

M: 0435 964 455 E: fayebendrups@hotmail.com

SECRETARY AND DIRECTOR SOUTH WEST REGION John McKenzie

TREASURER Sue Davidson E: treasurer@vicsesva.org.au

E: secretary@vicsesva.org.au

DIRECTOR NORTH EAST REGION Mr Chris Brown

DIRECTOR EAST REGION Mr Ray Desem

M: 0417 550 076 E: nerc@vicsesva.org.au

E: erc@vicsesva.org.au

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E: mwrc@vicsesva.org.au

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DIRECTOR MID WEST REGION Vacant

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E: cwrc@vicsesva.org.au

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E: nwrc@vicsesva.org.au

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DIRECTOR CENTRAL WEST REGION In progress

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DIRECTOR NORTH WEST REGION In progress

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M: 0407 310 555 E: shop@vicsesva.org.au

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Advertisers Alert Countrywide Austral is appointed by the Victoria Emergency Service Association as the authorised publisher of PHOENIX. For enquiries re advertising in this magazine, please contact the printers and publishers:

SHOP MANAGER AND TASK FORCE DELEGATE Mr Chris Patton

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VICSES PEER SUPPORT Peer Support can be accessed at any time by ringing 1800 899 927 and asking for SES Peer Support (EAS Paging). The Clinical Director can be contacted on mobile 0417 565 927 or by ringing 1800 899 927 (EAS Paging).

COUNTRYWIDE AUSTRAL Level 2, 310 King St, Melbourne GPO Box 2466, Melbourne 3001 Ph: (03) 9937 0200 Fax: (03) 9937 0201 E-mail: admin@cwaustral.com.au ACN: 30 086 202 093

CHAPLAINS CONTACT DETAILS CENTRAL REGION Major Arthur Ford M: 0416 085 634

EAST REGION Rev Judy McLeod M: 0417 347 821

NORTH WEST REGION Rev David Mills M: 0425 708 730

Major Eddy Holman M: 0412 014 557

Disclaimer Countrywide Austral (“Publisher”) advises that the contents of this publication are at the sole discretion of the Victoria State Emergency Service Volunteers Association (VicSESVA) and the publication is offered for background information purposes only. The publication has been formulated in good faith and the Publisher believes its contents to be accurate, however, the contents do not amount to a recommendation (either expressly or by implication) and should not be relied upon in lieu of specific professional advice. The Publisher disclaims all responsibility for any loss or damage which may be incurred by any reader relying upon the information contained in the publication whether that loss or damage is caused by any fault or negligence on the part of the publisher, its directors and employees. Copyright All advertisements appearing in this publication are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced except with the consent of the owner of the copyright. Advertising Advertisements in this journal are solicited from organisations and businesses on the understanding that no special considerations other than those normally accepted in respect of commercial dealings, will be given to any advertiser.

The data that VicSESVA holds for its members is solely used for the production and distribution of Phoenix and associated products.

Minister for Police and Emergency Services Lisa Neville This year has been unlike any other most of us have experienced, and our VICSES volunteers have continued to stand by their communities with the grit and dedication we’ve come to recognise them by. Through bushfires, wild storms, huge search and rescue efforts and the coronavirus pandemic, VICSES volunteers have continued to do what they do best, responding to incidents 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through – quite literally – rain, hail or shine. I want to sincerely thank each and every one of our VICSES volunteers for their exemplary efforts in 2020. You work every day to create a stronger and safer state and your efforts have made a huge difference throughout the community. Thank you for all you do.

C.BUILT Carpentry • Frame • Fix • Lock up • Decking • External Cladding

Please call Ben on Mob: 0451 013 134 Email: bcarver80@gmail.com Find us on Instagram: c.built_carpentry Servicing Melbourne Wide Proudly Supporting our VIC SES Volunteers

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from the

BOARD

“Volunteering can be an enriching and fulfilling experience, providing an opportunity to learn new skills and develop close friendships while contributing to your local community”

his final edition of Phoenix for 2020 showcases exactly what Sarah has identified: volunteering is both a community service and a social experience. The articles in this edition are from a diverse range of contributors and describe the enormous range of benefits of volunteering. See for example, the EMV report 3Vs Final Report: Uncovering the hidden value. The report is a Volunteer Consultative Forum (VCF) initiative designed, developed and delivered in partnership with EMV. It uses contemporary evidence to capture, quantify and communicate the value of volunteers, volunteering and volunteerism (the 3Vs), represented in three layers of value: • volunteer personal value • emergency management value, and • community strengthening value. These layers of value can be measured in economic, physical, social, cultural, human and environmental terms. All of those layers of value were highlighted at this year’s Emergency Management Conference, held over two weeks and for the first time online, in September-October. VicSESVA President/ NSESVA Vice Chair Dr Faye Bendrups

Sarah Coomber, VICSES Marysville presented a paper on Volunteer Initiatives: the Expertise, Adaptability and Creativity of Volunteers, with case studies from SES and CFA volunteers (reprinted in this edition). The case studies cover team building, community engagement, mental health and wellbeing, operating remote IMTs, a comprehensive training programme of ICC roles and functions, and social media strategies. In a year like no other, it is a testament to volunteers’ expertise, adaptability and creativity that they have continued to serve their communities without pause, they have been able to recruit and train new volunteers (see Marysville SES has Risen to the COVID-19 Challenge), have taken on new resources and run courses (see South West Region Benefits from New Boats), have endeared themselves to the public with animal rescues (see Seven Little Ducks Went Out One Day) and have contributed to policy and strategy development and debates (see Volunteer Initiatives, etc.). However, the threat of COVID-19 is not over and we will be living with it into the foreseeable future. In the public domain, views vary about the level of risk and consequence. One view which prevails among many volunteers – exemplified

by their actions – is that the social good is of greater value than material wealth. Matters of mental health and wellbeing, contributing to social capital and cohesion, working collaboratively, and putting others before yourself are the kinds of values that may not be written in corporate statements but are lived every day by volunteers, in the field, on the ground, at the front line. And SES volunteers are resilient, understanding that we have been here before; challenge is part of ‘business as usual’ (see From the Archive: West Gate Bridge Disaster 50 Year Anniversary). As the coming end of year approaches, the Board of VicSESVA wishes all our members a safe and healthy season, however you may be experiencing it this year. We know there are many whose circumstances have been significantly affected by COVID-19. You are not alone. If you need assistance, be assured you have colleagues who will help. As VICSES volunteers, we spend our lives helping others; that includes each other. In unpredictable times, the spirit of volunteerism rises to meet the challenge. VicSESVA Board of Directors

Chairperson chair@vicsesva.org.au

Phoenix Editor phoenix@vicsesva.org.au

North East Regional Council nerc@vicsesva.org.au

Treasurer treasurer@vicsesva.org.au

South West Regional Council swrc@vicsesva.org.au

East Regional Council erc@vicsesva.org.au

Secretary secretary@vicsesva.org.au

Mid-West Regional Council mwrc@vicsesva.org.au

Central East Regional Council cerc@vicsesva.org.au

Volunteer Shop shop@vicsesva.org.au

North West Regional Council nwrc@vicsesva.org.au

Central West Regional Council cwrc@vicsesva.org.au

vicsesva.org.au

December 2020

PHOENIX 3

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FEATURE

Volunteer Initiatives:

THE EXPERTISE, ADAPTABILITY AND CREATIVITY OF VOLUNTEERS THIS RESEARCH PAPER WITH THE CASE EXAMPLES WHICH FOLLOW WAS PRESENTED BY DR FAYE BENDRUPS AT THE 2020 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE, OCT 6, 2020. DR BENDRUPS WAS FURTHER ENGAGED AS A PANELLIST WITH TONY PEARCE, INSPECTOR GENERAL OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT VICTORIA AND MARK SWINEY, ASSISTANT CHIEF FIRE OFFICER, FIRE RESCUE VICTORIA.

“What I have learned is that people become motivated when you guide them to the source of their own power and when you make heroes out of employees who personify what you want to see in the organisation” Anita Roddick

Introduction Volunteering in emergency services requires a sustained investment of time and energy. Recruitment and retention are paramount and it is a constant challenge to keep volunteers engaged and enthusiastic so they stay long term. Many volunteers bring with them existing skills and experience which they can contribute to their emergency volunteering. This is an asset of enormous potential value, hiding in plain sight. This asset can be exploited to engage volunteers and to improve education, development and retention. Agencies may not collect or utilise information on their volunteers’ professional and life experience, but Units, Brigades and Teams are hidden talent pools; with mathematicians, IT specialists, CEOs, tradespeople, bilingual and bi-cultural members, doctors, hobbyists, carers, craftspeople, entertainers, solicitors, truck drivers, teachers, students and others anonymised behind standardised procedures and uniforms. This paper refers to case examples of volunteer initiatives that add value to their individual members, the community and the EM sector. There are many more

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than those explored here. Volunteers regularly undertake ‘unofficial’ activities and initiatives that are developed to match their circumstances and context, and which result in improved recognition, respect, engagement and retention of members. These might include social events, sports, health programmes, through to improving aspects of their operational, technical, logistical or systems-based emergency response. The challenge to the sector is: how to harness the skills and knowledge that already exist in the volunteer cohort and maximise them to increase the sector’s capability? Volunteer associations continually advocate for the value of volunteers, and it is shared imperative with EM volunteer-involving agencies to recognise and acknowledge that value. What then? A next step might be to systematically identify and record the range of interests, skills, resources and competencies among volunteers in an accessible yet ethically appropriate way. A further step might be to develop a system for understanding, evaluating and replicating new initiatives developed from the ground up; by volunteers, for volunteers.

The Case Studies and Contributors This paper will highlight 5 case studies from Victorian SES and CFA volunteers: 1. Team building outside the comfort zone: a programme of extension training and development activities by Faye Bendrups, VICSES Footscray 2. Walking for Mental Health: community engagement and awareness by the ‘Forrest Gump’ of Melbourne by Rob Olifiers, VICSES Whitehorse 3. Remote IMTs: the successful implementation of COVID-safe incident management processes by Doug Hammerton, VICSES Whitehorse 4. District 14 Online ICC Training by John Cowan, with Mark Gravell and the Planning Team, CFA District 14 5. Social media engagement strategies: bringing the community with us to the field by Phil Wall, VICSES Chelsea Engagement and Retention Volunteer-involving organisations are often in competition with each other for the available pool of volunteers, and potential volunteers are discerning about where they will commit their energies and vicsesva.org.au

time. People want volunteering to provide them with a meaningful and rewarding experience, and need to believe their efforts will make a tangible difference to the collective good. Many begin their volunteering thinking their abilities and talents will be useful to the organisation. If their experience does not match this expectation, they are less likely to continue. Although EM volunteers accept the mantra “hurry up and wait” (especially in regard to the unpredictability of actual operational events), there is a limit to repeated frustrations and barriers to meaningful contribution. Some examples: Volunteer ‘A’ joined EM agency ‘A’ after serving several years in community policing in the UK. It took 8 months to complete basic training, after courses were scheduled then cancelled. In the first year of their operational duty, their crew was only called to three minor incidents, where Volunteer ‘A’, as the least experienced member, did little other than place traffic cones on roadways. Nearly two years had passed and they felt whatever they had to offer was not being utilised, and they left the service. Volunteer ‘B’ joined EM agency ‘B’ and had been a volunteer for 6 years. They were a qualified boat crewperson and saw the operational need for gaining a 4 wheel drive endorsement. They had applied for successive course offerings 3 times but, as course numbers were limited, were unsuccessful. They were successful on their 4th application, but due to staff being redeployed to a weather event in another region, the course was postponed. When it was finally rescheduled, they were unable to attend because they could not get time off work. They left and joined a different EM agency. Volunteer ‘C’ joined EM agency ‘C’ and was an experienced trauma doctor working in a busy emergency department. The EM agency required all members to undertake a basic First Aid certificate course. Volunteer ‘C’’s qualifications and experience were not recognised and they were advised to do the first aid course. They applied for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), but after a maze of bureaucratic emails and forms, including being asked to summarise and have verified the content of all the subjects they had completed as part of their medical degree, they gave up and left. Volunteer ‘D’ joined EM agency ‘D’ and was an educator with 4 undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications, as well as experience in coaching sport at elite (Olympic) level. They were not permitted to train other members in their EM team as the stated qualification for being a trainer was a certificate IV qualification in Training and Assessment (TAE). At the tertiary institution they worked for, vicsesva.org.au

Volunteer ‘D’ was already a course advisor and examiner for students undertaking the Cert IV TAE, and had marked the work of many students who were undertaking the course to satisfy the EM agency requirement. None of Volunteer ‘D’’s experience was recognised as equivalent (although it was superior) and they were advised by their EM agency to do the TAE course; they declined. The above examples illustrate the lost opportunities in the EM agencies by failing to recognise skills and abilities that those EM volunteers brought with them. In recent years, much of the time spent in volunteer teams/units/brigades has become more bureaucratic, with a focus on paperwork and compliance, and less focused on the causal factors related to recruitment and retention, such as individual motivations, responsibilities to civic or faith beliefs, or prosocial values. Many social researchers refer to human motivation as based on people seeking fulfilment and change. If volunteers can use their creative skills to develop new initiatives, they will be keeping stimulated and engaged, feeling purposeful and empowered. A Framework: PEP and the Four ‘I’s Engagement and empowerment lead to increased competence and commitment. A framework for policies which support empowerment is articulated in the European Union’s Public Empowerment Policies for Crisis Management, (FP7-284927 www.projectPEP.eu) which refers to public empowerment policies as “initiatives and activities that aim at increasing the awareness and preparedness of citizens. They create resilience, self-efficacy and preparedness for risks and crises on the part of the public and specific groups. Public empowerment policies include joint exercises involving citizens, starting preparedness education at an early stage, including in schools, and formulating a clear communication strategy involving online communication”. While the PEP is aimed at agencies involving communities, their framework is relevant to volunteers who, just as much as the local citizenry (a group of which the volunteers are also a part), need to be empowered to build awareness, preparation, resilience and be able to engage, educate, and – especially in the age of COVID-19 – employ online digital strategies. The advantage of volunteerinvolving organisations is that activities are performed by and occur in, the level of society where people actually live their lives; the responders are insiders not outsiders. The case studies outlined in this paper have produced effective outcomes and could

be replicated, adapted or systematised. They all align with the PEP four ‘I’s, which are a useful framework against which initiatives can be measured; Inclusive, Interested, Insistent, and Inventive. Activities/actions/policies that are Inclusive reflect the value of diversity within groups, and that collaboration and social experiences are foundational to developing community cohesion. Interested: we can recognise that people bring with them existing motivations and knowledges, along with a willingness to experiment and learn. Insistent: plans can be formulated for the long term, and repeated and refined over time. Inventive: there are creative ways to communicate and engage, and allow for new and unexpected possibilities. Conclusion The Three ‘R’s Perhaps a basic approach of discovering the expertise, adaptability and creativity within the ranks of volunteers could be implemented following a simple ‘Three R’s: 1. Recognise: acknowledge and understand the range of skills and abilities that already exist in volunteers and that add value to the sector 2. Record: develop a systematic way of recording those skills in an accessible and appropriate way 3. Replicate: identify, develop, reproduce and share volunteer-driven initiatives that are relevant across the EM sector Volunteer Value Developing collaborative and participatory leadership for an organisation depends crucially on context. That context may be best understood by those on the ground, who live the experiences of the local community they serve and who deliver the response committed by their agency. Such leadership – demonstrated in this paper by the following case examples – is likely to be best done from the ground up, in place, with those who are involved and motivated. Bottom-up leaders can directly support the mission of their agency, fill an operational gap, or build internal capacities. Their drive delivers a unique contribution which strengthens and adds value to organisations. By Dr Faye Bendrups Vice Chair, National SES Volunteers Association (NSESVA) www.nsesva.org.au President, Victoria SES Volunteers Association (VicSESVA) www.vicesva.org.au Chair, ESF Alumni Network www.esf.com.au December 2020

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Volunteer Initiatives Case Study #1

TEAM BUILDING OUTSIDE THE COMFORT ZONE VICSES FOOTSCRAY IS A DIVERSE INNER-URBAN SES UNIT, WITH MEMBERS FROM DIFFERENT LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL GROUPS, LGBTIQ, AGES AND BACKGROUNDS. WE ARE MINDFUL OF HEALTH AND WELLBEING; OUR WHS OFFICER IS PROACTIVE WITH PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH INFORMATION, WE DO A YEARLY HEALTHWATCH CHECK, ‘STEPTEMBER’, AND OTHER CHALLENGES THAT ARE OFFERED.

s former Controller of VICSES Footscray, I found a common interest with other members who also had extensive experience in areas such as recreation leadership, mountaineering, remote area trekking and rock climbing. Out of this mutual interest, we began to organise (non-SES) weekends and trips away. It started with 3 people going on one bushwalk, but soon expanded. The core team of organisers included myself, Andrew Martin, Jen Chivilo and Joe Frisby, who I thank for their support and inspiration. All Unit members were included, with the objective of: • Team building • Working outside the comfort zone (as is common in EM events) • Continuous improvement of skills and experience • Developing physical and mental wellbeing • Adaptability and preparedness The initiative enabled Unit leaders to gain a more nuanced understanding of individual members’ capabilities, their strengths and weaknesses when operating under pressure. This could be critical when determining suitability for activities such as deployments, prolonged remote area searches, or fire and IMT support roles in major events. From 2012 to 2019 we have been on 25 camps/treks/hikes/snow trips. The Unit invested in camping and hiking equipment so that members were able to utilise this if they did not have their own. We climbed Bogong and Feathertop for winter snow camps; explored the Trog Dip cave; camped, hiked and climbed at Cathedral Range (by chance, one of the hikes in the Cathedral Range State Park resulted in the members effectively co-ordinating a rescue of a bushwalker who had become trapped in a narrow passage of Wells Cave), the Arapiles and Wilson’s Prom; walked the 2 Bays track and the Surf Coast walk. We’ve gone 4 wheel driving, abseiling, rogaining, done high ropes and low ropes. In the city, we were the first SES crew to enter the Stadium Stomp and Eureka Tower climbs. Still on the ‘to-do’ list are the South Coast Wilderness Track in Tasmania and the Kokoda Track in PNG.

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Caving at Trog Dip.

Eureka Tower Climb.

Engaging New Recruits: Experiential Education As Controller, I heard from new members of their frustration at having to wait for extended periods of time before they could be operational, as the required training for fundamental skills and other general rescue capabilities might be offered over a prolonged time period. For some Units this could mean it took 6-12 months to train new recruits; people who had signed up with enthusiasm to participate and make a difference, and who were eager to become a first responder. Failing to capitalise on their commitment can lead to significant churn of new recruits,

as one of the highest risk periods for people leaving the service is after one year; before they really have an opportunity to contribute. A common comment is that being as SES volunteer “did not meet their expectations”, part of which (in further conversations) might reflect on their not being active sooner. In order to keep new recruits engaged and fast-track them through the initial training, I proposed the idea to do a 2-3 day whole of Unit intensive bush training camp at the beginning of each year, where the new intake of recruits would complete their basic fundamental skills, so they would be immediately ready for vicsesva.org.au

Mt Feathertop Camp.

Mt Bogong Hike.

Wells Cave Track.

Cathedral Range Hike.

operational participation, and experienced members would practise their existing skills. The immersion training camps were held in different locations, and were built around scenario training, allowing for chainsaw, casualty handling, bush search and rescue, building improvised river crossings, first aid, evidence searches, pumping, tirfor/hauling/4WD recovery, with campfires and catering shared by the members. New recruits would experience first hand and in situ the activities and techniques they were learning about. They would receive guidance and mentoring from existing members. They would become part of the team in record time:

relationships built and cemented; new recruits and older members working seamlessly together.

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Outcomes The extra curricular activities • helped to make the members more confident • increased competencies • built cohesion in the teams and • provided a safe place where people are supported in learning new things and taking on challenges. Even though digging a snow cave on Mt Bogong or hiking 43km straight might not be among the core SES competencies

required for response in downtown Melbourne CBD, such lateral skills give members a sense of personal achievement working outside their comfort zone, a sense that can be recalled when faced with confronting scenarios in their emergency response. And along the way, we have had fun, shared our interests, gotten to know and accept each other better, understood the value of teamwork, and significantly improved retention. By Faye Bendrups Deputy Controller, Partnerships and Community Engagement, VICSES Footscray December 2020

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Rob Olifiers maps out his journey with support from his fellow SES volunteers. Picture Yuri Kouzmin.

Volunteer Initiatives Case Study #2

WALKING FOR MENTAL HEALTH: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND AWARENESS BY THE ‘FORREST GUMP’ OF MELBOURNE IN 2014 ROB OLIFIERS STARTED WALKING ALL THE STREETS OF HIS LOCAL SES UNIT RESPONSE AREA – WHITEHORSE AND BOORONDARA – AND COVERED AN AREA OF 64 SQKM AND ABOUT 9,000 STREETS.

e finished walking Knox Council earlier this year and was halfway through Dandenong and Hobson’s Bay Councils when COVID-19 hit, which prevented him from venturing out of the Whitehorse Council area where he lives. Over the last 6 years, Rob had already completed walking 13 other Melbourne councils, a total of over 7,500km. Rob’s next challenge is to walk the remaining 7 councils he has left in Metropolitan Melbourne. The Herald Sun declared him “the Forrest Gump of Melbourne”, exploring suburban streets on foot. Rob maps out what terrain he’ll cover the night before, with the objective of covering every street, every court, every lane and every path, and, says Rob: I’m glad I have because some of the things I’ve seen”. Rob takes photos

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Rob Olifiers, the ‘Forrest Gump’ of Melbourne.

on his travels of the varying landscapes and neighbourhoods he walks: “I saw and took photos of some amazing sights, met lovely people, flora and fauna, walked through some beautiful areas and asked

and answered so many questions about the community we all live in. I love this diverse community”. Rob said he walked with purpose: “looking forward, backward, up and down, just like I was in a search with the SES for a missing person or crime scene”. Each day he walks approximately 8km. Every single day, while on holidays, after work or on weekends, he walks the streets for over an hour in a methodical fashion, marking off the streets from a map of the current council that he has prominently displayed on his wall. Rob is a committed community-minded person as he is a primary school teacher at Kingswood College in Box Hill and a 15 year volunteer for Whitehorse State Emergency Service. He is undertaking this challenge for a number of reasons. Rob describes his motivation: vicsesva.org.au

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so all members of the community can assist the SES by checking their gutters, roof tiles and trees to ensure that members such as Rob are not called out in the middle of the night unnecessarily. Rob regularly drops in to visit the SES Unit in the locality he’s walking in and talks to them about his project; its aims, community engagement and mental health. He has set a great example to others of the power of positive action in the face of personal challenges, of the benefits of staying fit and active, of getting to know neighbours and neighbourhoods, of passing knowledge on to the next generation, and of sharing his story and inspiring dozens of other SES volunteers in the Units he visits. 7,500km walked by Rob Olifiers.

“Recently, I completed a Counselling course and I firmly believe that everyone should take up a challenge or a healthy pursuit to assist with their own personal wellbeing of the mind and the body. This was very relevant for me, particularly when I ended a 25 year marriage and struggled on my own for a while. When you go through something like that, you can really forget yourself and things can spiral. I was really able to reflect on things when I was out walking. Secondly, I am currently writing a

children’s book about our community, which I hope will be an insight into what councils around Melbourne encompass. Thirdly, I love diversity and each council I visit offers this in spades as each day is an adventure and different to the previous day”. When walking, Rob wears his SES Community Education uniform to spread the word about what an important organisation the SES is. The State Emergency Service is a service whose volunteers only respond to emergencies,

By Rob Olifiers Deputy Controller Members, Leader of Operations of Groups and Leaders, Lead Member of Peer Support, VICSES Whitehorse facebook.com/WhitehorseSES www.whitehorseses.org.au http://www.9news.com.au/ national/2016/08/09/19/31/ school-teacher-on-a-mission-towalk-every-melbourne-street

Thank you Volunteering is a cornerstone of our community. I know 2020 has been especially challenging as our nation deals with disaster after disaster. More than ever, when Victorians are in times of trouble, we rely on the wonderful men and women in orange to be there when it matters most. Like you, both my dad and brother wore the uniform with pride. My message to our SES volunteers is this: We can never say thank you enough, but always be assured that our love, respect and our gratitude for you will always be strong. We’re here for you because you’re here for us. Thank you and please stay safe.

Authorised by R Mitchell ALP, 57-59 High Street, Wallan.

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WE THANK YOU We would like to sincerely thank all our SES Volunteers for their dedication, hard work and commitment to our local communities.

Hon Michael

Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;BRIEN mp

Member for Malvern Leader of the Opposition Leader of the Liberal Party Shadow Minister for Small Business

Hon Nick

WAKELING mp

Cindy

McLEISH mp

Member for Ferntree Gully Shadow Minister for Emergency Services

Member for Eildon Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party

nick.wakeling@parliament.vic.gov.au

cindy.mcleish@parliament.vic.gov.au

Neale

Hon Kim

michael.obrien@parliament.vic.gov.au

Bridget

VALLENCE mp

BURGESS mp

WELLS mp

bridget.vallence@parliament.vic.gov.au

neale.burgess@parliament.vic.gov.au

kim.wells@parliament.vic.gov.au

Brad

Hon Wendy

Georgie

Member for Evelyn

ROWSWELL mp

Member for Hastings

LOVELL mp

Member for Rowville

CROZIER mp

Member for Sandringham

Member for Northern Victoria Region

Member for Southern Metropolitan Region

brad.rowswell@parliament.vic.gov.au

wendy.lovell@parliament.vic.gov.au

georgie.crozier@parliament.vic.gov.au

Authorised by Nick Wakeling MP, Unit 4, 91 Dorset Road, Ferntree Gully 3156. Funded from Parliamentary Budget.

Doug Hammerton running remote IMTs from home.

Volunteer Initiatives Case Study #3

REMOTE IMTS: THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF COVIDSAFE INCIDENT MANAGEMENT PROCESSES

THE OPERATIONAL AREA FOR THE WHITEHORSE UNIT SPANS 15KM ACROSS PART OF METROPOLITAN MELBOURNE WITH A POPULATION OF APPROXIMATELY OF 360,000 ENCOMPASSING MANY WELL TREED, LEAFY SUBURBS. THE UNIT IS ONE OF VICTORIA’S BUSIEST UNITS IN TERMS OF THE ANNUAL NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE (RFA).

ormally, whenever a storm creates multiple RFAs (that in the past have ranged up to 800 RFAs), the Unit’s Incident Management team (IMT) of three to six members operates from the Unit’s Operations Centre. In March 2020 the need for COVID-19 social distancing caused the Unit to successfully develop systems and procedures whereby IMT members could operate from their homes with no necessity for anyone attending the Unit’s Operations Centre. A storm on 27 August 2020 provided 270 RFAs and the Remote IMT operated very successfully for 45 hours managing up to seven crews simultaneously. Key to the Remote IMT is a multisheet spreadsheet system developed by Unit members. It operates on a Microsoft vicsesva.org.au

365 SharePoint system and is used by all IMT members simultaneously. It is the central information hub where IMT members insert RFA information from VICSES’s Information Management System (IMS), others triage and update RFA information after phoning the callers, others prioritise the RFAs, and the Sector Commanders select and dispatch jobs to crews. All information is retained for later reporting. The IMT uses Webex Teams to facilitate excellent continuous video and audio communications between IMT members. The Sector Commanders and Incident Controller use VICSES portable digital radios to communicate with crews and SES Dispatch. VICSES’s IMS is used throughout to obtain RFA data and to update RFA statuses.

The Unit has 70 operational members with 16 available for Remote IMT roles. To assist the training of the IMT, the Unit developed a 16-page remote IMT procedures document. The Remote IMT systems and procedures are expected to provide ongoing benefits to the Unit post COVID-19. The systems are scaleable and could be adopted by other Units. By Doug Hammerton Operational Readiness Officer, VICSES Whitehorse

facebook.com/WhitehorseSES www.whitehorseses.org.au December 2020

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Tania Maxwell MP Member for Northern Victoria

T H A N K

Y O U

TO ALL

SES MEMBERS & VOLUNTEERS

I would like to express my sincere appreciation for your tireless efforts and ongoing support to assist our communities. Your commitment and dedication is outstanding, and I commend you for your selfless contributions particularly in times of adversity.

Phone

(03) 4700 1787

tania.maxwell@parliament.vic.gov.au

website

taniamaxwell.com.au

Authorised by Tania Maxwell MP, 2/27-29 Faithfull Street, Wangaratta Funded from Parliamentary Budget

D14 usual Incident Control Centre.

Volunteer Initiatives Case Study #4

CFA DISTRICT 14 INCIDENT CONTROL CENTRE (ICC) ONLINE TRAINING

The Challenge Australians have a proud history of innovation and making the most of adversity. Rather than complaining about the COVID-19 pandemic situation, I was keen to make the most of the situation and wanted to provide some leadership to our potential future incident control staff. I saw this a unique opportunity to harness the skills of our own experienced emergency managers and pass on this information in a volunteer-friendly way. Personally, the training developed from several areas of significant organisational frustration: • When one walks into an Incident Control Centre (ICC) anywhere in the State one is reasonably expected to be able to operate even though you haven’t had any training in the latest systems, or that your login has been inexplicably changed. Most professional organisations have ongoing Continuous Development Programs (CDP) for those vicsesva.org.au

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who are qualified in the various roles, CFA has none for volunteers. There is an increasing, and – whether by commission or omission – professional divide and knowledge gap between those who are paid to undertake emergency operations functions and volunteers. There is an increasing and persistent attitude that volunteers are unreliable and are not suitably experienced, especially when called in at short notice to fill roles that paid staff are unwilling to undertake. There is an embarrassing organisational disregard for volunteer experience even though they may have industry experience in emergency operations management, communications and even tertiary qualifications in emergency management, fire ecology etc. For example, in our wider group we have professionals with PhDs in

fire ecology, scientists, specialists in children’s fire education, civil aviation pilots, MBAs, accountants and senior business managers. In the spirit of innovation and getting the job done I started on the training and development journey. The aim of the initiative is to provide emergency management training focused on the activities within the ICC to anyone who performs roles within, or is interested in performing roles in the ICC. It is not a pre-summer training exercise; it is about building capability over a number of years. It is also about using and developing technology that potentially opens up a new virtual ICC operating environment. No longer do we need everyone to be in Cann River ICC. We don’t need to travel for hours to attend training sessions. We can use our resources more effectively in a virtual environment. In essence we believe that any training is better than no training! December 2020

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FEATURE The Initiative • In November 2019 John Cowan, with many IMT personnel moving to FRV, saw a need to build volunteer capacity for Incident Management Team roles, and to provide more training opportunities for current IMT members. • The Training was based around Planning Unit activities • The Training started in December 2019 on Sunday mornings at the Kangaroo Ground ICC with 5-7 members. • Once COVID-19 hit and face to face training was no longer possible we decided to take the training online. • John Cowan built a team and they researched and planned how it would happen and put the plan into place. • The project became District 14 ICC online training, delivered via internet conferencing software. • The flexibility of online training also allowed us to do weeknight training and we settled on 2 sessions per week, Sunday morning and Wednesday night. • The team also broadened the focus from Planning to all levels of Incident Management, from Crew Leader to Level 3 Incident Controller, and other topics that may not be directly involved in but may interact with ICC roles and functions, such as MERO, MERC, Recovery, and Community Education. • The project is a modern take on training, now reaching far beyond the Brigade. It serves a growing group of participants with members from across the state and from a range of Emergency Services. How’s it Going? • It is all about the collective training aim and the team. Without the team the initiative will not survive. The team members not only bring personal experience to the team but are also on the lookout for training initiatives. • It started as a local solution to a local problem, but is now beyond the Brigade and has worked better than expected with 72 sessions and more than 650 individuals attending sessions. • The sessions are popular with volunteers. We started with 30 participants at most sessions and are now averaging around 100, with 138 being the current highest attendance. There’s a large group of regulars who attend most sessions and the rest come and go depending on the topic and other commitments in their lives. • The online sessions started with ICC training for District 14 HQ Brigade East and the Nillumbik & Whittlesea/ Diamond Valley Groups and quickly expanded with participants drawn from a range of volunteers and staff statewide from CFA, SES, DELWP and other agencies.

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Online planning meeting to set up D14 Online ICC training.

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The expansion/adaptation of a good idea is typical of CFA and the other agencies as a network, not just a list of separate Brigades/Units/Groups etc. It has built a statewide network of support, and has spawned teams of people from various groups and agencies to work together. As an example the Planning Group for these sessions is now multi district with CFA members from D14, D12, D13, D16 and D9 The agencies include: SES, DELWP/ FFMV, Ambulance Victoria, VicPol, FRV, St John Ambulance, Local Councils, other NGOs, EPA and DES (QLD). The format has some advantages over face to face training: • Sessions can be tailored to suit participants and give members a chance to connect with a wider range of colleagues from CFA and other agencies. • Sessions offer something for both ICC and operational members • The online format saves travel time, and offers the option of sampling a session to see if it meets your needs • The wider audience has brought a wider selection of presenters. There has been a total of 72 presentations so far. The presentation cover a wide range of topics: • A tour of the Bureau of Meteorology’s METEYE

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A firefighting exercise, that highlighted a gap in members’ understanding of the transfer of control and led to a complete session on that topic • Dealing with a pandemic – based on the SARS virus experience in Southeast Asia. • The Safety Officer role at a level three fire • DELWP fire fighting techniques • The needs of the urban fringe • An earthquake exercise • Recovery and Resilience • Community based bushfire engagement • The MERO • The use of aircraft • Logistics • Communications planning • Giving evidence The sessions run from 45 to 75 minutes with Q&A then continue with a more informal discussion. • It’s also a way to get members together and support welfare. Early on we noticed people didn’t leave and the chat went on for a while following the formal presentation and Q&A. We now encourage this, while making it clear that it’s fine for those who want or need to leave to do so. Sessions have gone on for up to 4 hours giving those people that social interaction they might need and be missing. • As an example recently we weren’t sure what to do for Father’s Day, many would not be able to attend but many still needed vicsesva.org.au

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that social interaction. We ended up having just an open chat session talking about how the presentations are prepared and developed that lasted for over 2 hours and covered a range of really interesting topics, all generated from the attendees. The Initiative can be adapted to other districts and organisations It’s a lot of work, we have 7 people working on it, 2 planning meetings a week and a challenge in briefing and providing session direction. • Challenges include accessing the most suitable technology. The team looked at Zoom and Webex before settling on Microsoft Teams, provided by CFA IT. • We have had enquiries and discussions with others looking to do something similar, and we are happy to offer our advice and help. • We have been asked to record the sessions so that people who missed the sessions can review later. We have resisted the move as we feel that it may restrict the relaxed conversational style of presentation we are looking for. vicsesva.org.au

Recognition • The team is led by John Cowan with Neil Marshall, Adrian Birch, Stephanie McCall, Mark Gravell and Michael Chapman from D14 HQ Brigade East, Greg Taylor D16 and Bruce Jewel D9. All the team members have spent a great deal of time and a huge amount of work getting these sessions online twice a week, every week. • Our audience also deserves a great deal of thanks, they bear with us when we experiment and push the boundaries of the technology and provide an amazing amount of active participation in each session. The discussion following the presentation is as valuable as the presentation, thank you. • Our presenters have been awesome. Everyone we’ve approached has agreed to present. There are too many to name but we’ve had great support from presenters from CFA Volunteers, FFMV/ DELWP, CFA, FRV, local councils, industry and a legend of Emergency Management who have all given up their free time to make presentations for us. We thank them all.

We’ve also had great support from a number of unknown champions who have seen the value of what we are doing and have spread the word in their networks. Thank you. The success and acceptance of the sessions is undertaken through a rigorous feedback process undertaken by Mark Gravell. We seek critical feedback on all our sessions to verify and validate the effectiveness of the sessions. Several initiatives from the feedback include tightly running the session to a fixed time and the continuation of the conversation post-presentation in a more relaxed conversational environment. The issue of managing questions was initially undertaken in real time using the chat function but we found that it generated a significant number of distracting side chat conversations and we have reverted to managing question time at the end of the sessions.

Future • The plan is to continue post COVID-19, we may change some things but we see the value of this program continuing into the future. • Post COVID-19 the program may change to one online session per week, and some face to face sessions on Sunday with the possibility of streaming some of the Sunday sessions. • The benefits of this program are far reaching and hard to quantity. It has given a wide range of Emergency Service personnel a greater understanding of how each agency works and thinks, also an understanding about what all the people in different roles are doing. It’s also building relationships with Emergency Service members across the state which will facilitate better working relationships and the welfare benefits during the current situation. • Leading up to the 2020/21 fire season we plan to review and repeat the more interesting and relevant sessions. By John Cowan, with Mark Gravell and the Planning Team

facebook.com/CFADistrict14/ https://news.cfa.vic. gov.au/-/district-14vlunteers-take-trainingonline?redirect=%2Fnewshome%2Fnorthwest%2Fdistrict-14

Join the training: http://register.d14hqe.com.au/ December 2020

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Volunteer Initiatives Case Study #5

SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES: BRINGING THE COMMUNITY WITH US TO THE FIELD

IT IS OFTEN THE CASE THAT THE WORK OF THE THOUSANDS OF SES VOLUNTEERS AROUND VICTORIA IS ONLY VISIBLE THROUGH 30 SECOND GRABS ON THE NIGHTLY TV NEWS. WITH THIS IN MIND, AT CHELSEA UNIT, WE MADE A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO DO WHAT WE COULD TO CHANGE THIS, AND TO BRING OUR COMMUNITY WITH US AND TO SHOW THEM WHAT HAPPENS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BARRIER TAPE AND THE REALITY OF THE DAY TO DAY ROLE OF THE SES.

ith the recent demise of free delivery to homes of local newspapers, namely the Leader group, and the introduction of online, paywall editions, we decided to expand our Facebook content from simply SES related issues, to include other related community issues, and this has been very well received. Monitoring the numbers of hits to our page has shown us what works and what works less, and allows us a greater insight into the type of content that brings the maximum engagement. As the Unit Media Liaison Officer, in conjunction with our Unit Controller, we developed a plan to make what we are doing as a Unit, more readily accessible to the community through our social media platforms, specifically Facebook. The first decision was to get rid of jargon, we get it, most others don’t, it’s like a bad in-joke; good if you’re on the inside, but worthless if you’re not, so use real language. Next was time; we needed to publish our social media as close to real time as possible. Posting about an event that happened a week ago has no impact and no engagement to our followers, they want to know what is happening, when it’s happening. Pictures are probably our most important resource for communication, and so we spoke to all Team Leaders and asked them, where appropriate, to try to get pictures of jobs they were called out to. This, along with the pictures I take, gives us both great content for Facebook, as well as a wonderful visual history of our unit. Go Live Facebook videos, directly from an incident, again where appropriate, have also worked very well for us, both to show what is happening, plus as a warning to local residents of issues in their area, including trees down on roads, road closures, or other critical events that may have a direct impact on them. Recently, in combination with VICSES Head Office, Chelsea was heavily involved in a video for local hotspot flooding. This

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included local locations, tips to minimise flood and storm impact on residents, as well as the where, why, and how floods happen. I truly believe that the engagement gained by this video was due to its concentration on local understanding,

local content and local knowledge, not simply a corporate style, one size fits all approach. Between January 1 and December 31, 2020, the Chelsea SES Facebook page is on track to attract around one million hits; vicsesva.org.au

this compared to a total for 2018 of 255,000 hits. The massive upside to these numbers is not so much about the day to day interaction we have with our followers, but for when the time comes that we have an important, or even potentially critical message, to get out to our community. Then, we know they are there, ready to listen and to respond, and surely that must be a truly valuable tool to have. As an organisation, VICSES has an amazing resource in their pool of volunteers. Not simply to respond to calls for assistance,

but as a wealth of knowledge, expertise and experience, in every possible aspect of life, their lives, out of orange, and they need to understand and utilise that resource to maximise the potential. Every unit can achieve what Chelsea has done, it is not difficult, it is a matter of wanting to do it. It is a small amount of work, for a vast, ongoing reward. By Phil Wall Police and Media Liaison Officer, VICSES Chelsea

facebook.com/ChelseaSES/

On the road with Chelsea SES facebook.com/227410467274176/ videos/1032446517207799

Are You in a Flood Hotspot facebook.com/227410467274176/ videos/269181751001529

WOW day 2020 facebook.com/ChelseaSES/ videos/?ref=page_internal

Dear SES team, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to pay tribute to one of our community’s most loved and appreciated volunteer organisations. It has been a year of enormous challenges and we are grateful for your constant support to our entire community. Team AC truly loves your work. Keep it up.

vicsesva.org.au

Yours sincerely,

December 2020

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Overhaul Property Solutions All Aspects of Property Maintenance, Renovations & Extensions Domestic & Commercial Based Find us on Instagram: overhaul_property_solutions

Email: overhaulpropertysolutions@gmail.com Statewide Services Jason on

Mob: 0414 694 020 Steve on

Mob: 0423 084 763 Proudly Supporting our VIC SES Volunteers

MARYSVILLE SES HAS RISEN TO THE COVID-19 CHALLENGE THE VICTORIA STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE MARYSVILLE UNIT HAS SEEN A SURGE OF NEW RECRUITS SINCE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS HIT.

olunteering can be an enriching and fulfilling experience, providing an opportunity to learn new skills and develop close friendships while contributing to your local community. While some Community groups have been forced to scale back volunteer numbers temporarily, the SES Marysville Unit are experiencing a surge. Marysville’s SES Unit Controller Josephine Hunter said the organisation had managed to attract interest from prospective new members during the pandemic. Jo says the organisation had, toward the end of June-July, received 8 new member inquiries. Normally, SES as an organisation would bring in prospective volunteers, but in light of social distancing, the new members conducted online learning modules instead, as well as recently being able to conduct outside, face to face training. “It shows that local residents are still keen to be involved and with online technology allowing us to offer online training, COVID-19 has not kept us down”. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March, the Marysville SES Unit has responded to over 68 requests for assistance, around 19 of those were for trees down blocking the road, with the others made up of road rescue and search and rescue events. SES Marysville Unit regularly supports Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria at these types of incidents, as well as travelling out of area to support several large search events. vicsesva.org.au

Six of our latest recruits with our Unit Controller Josephine Hunter at training on Saturday the 17th of October.

SES Marysville Unit now has 20 volunteers, from all walks of life and all ages located across the Buxton, Taggerty, Narbethong and Marysville region who are highly trained and dedicated to their mission of making our community safer – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Our volunteers make a real difference in the Marysville community. By Sarah Coomber Community Engagement VICSES Marysville

Get in touch To learn more about the ways you can volunteer at the SES Marysville Unit and to register your interest, please visit the SES website: www.ses.vic.gov.au/volunteer. Contact Josephine Hunter, our Unit Controller at Marysville on 0409 180 653 or Marysville@ses.vic.gov.au

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FROM THE ARCHIVES

WEST GATE BRIDGE DISASTER 50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

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vicsesva.org.au

ON OCTOBER 15 1970, AUSTRALIA’S WORST INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN THE WEST GATE BRIDGE COLLAPSED, KILLING 35 PEOPLE.

t 11.50am, a 112-metre span between two piers, weighing 2,000 tonnes, plummeted 50 metres into the mud of the Yarra River. Some workers ‘rode’ the bridge down and, miraculously, survived. All those who survived were traumatised, as were many people living in the working-class suburbs surrounding it. Ambulances rushed to the site from all over the city and volunteers soon arrived to assist. Members of Footscray Civil Defence, the forerunner of VICSES Footscray, were among the first on scene and commenced rescue operations. Mr Jack Smith, Administration Officer, who quickly dispatched 6 of the Footscray Civil Defence’s most experienced members, with an additional 15 joining later, was quoted in The Mail: “We had been training for years to cope with such a disaster. I dreaded the day for it to come. When it did hit us I never in my wildest dreams thought it could be so horrible”. Survivors with injuries had to be restrained from trying to locate their fallen co-workers. In total, 35 construction workers were killed and 18 injured. Many who died were on their lunch break underneath the bridge in workers’ huts, which were crushed by the falling span.

Others were working on the span when it fell. The noise of the impact was heard 20 kilometres away and buildings hundreds of metres from the disaster were shaken and sprayed with mud. Jack Smith described the CD work: “When our civil defence squad arrived at the scene of the disaster they began an immediate search for the men imprisoned in the tangled mass of crumpled steel. Working sometimes over their knees in mud and slush, they burrowed at great personal risk into the massive pile of wreckage and vicsesva.org.au

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FROM THE ARCHIVES recovered five bodies. The work was such a strain on body and nerves that the men worked in groups of three or four at a time and then pulled out for a spell while others took their places. They began the rescue work about 12.30pm and it was not until 9.30pm that they temporarily abandoned the search”. The Civil Defence volunteers were coordinated by their Controller Kevin Shorten, who set up radio communications from a radio control site at the base of the bridge. Two other radio control points were established; at the Footscray and District Hospital and at the Civil Defence LHQ in Buckley St. The resources available to them in 1970 were far from what we are used to today, and the Civil Defence received invaluable assistance from local electricians G. J. Pearce and Sons of Hopkins St., who offered the Civil Defence three radio-equipped vehicles. Jack Smith said “The highly efficient radio control set up would not have been possible but for their praiseworthy action”. Controller Kevin Shorten’s log entry for the October 15th reads: “Lower Yarra Bridge collapse. Footscray CD organisation rallied its members to the tragic scene. 21 members dug with pick and shovels to release bodies of dead workmen. (Williamstown City Electric Supply). Toilets from MMTB, Bruntan Steel, offices, phones, women’s toilets, also tea room and the assistance of ACI in use of their canteen”. October 16th his entry is “Remained all day at site office in case assistance required. Able to advise Police that bridge over Stoney Creek unable to sustain the weight of the cranes being brought into the disaster area. Mobile cranes re-routed around through Williamstown Road. Another disaster prevented”. The disaster also led to changes in training and use of technology. A later diary entry of Kevin Shorten’s includes “Re-think on training, having learned from the bridge disaster… Training continued but with added classes in use of radio for time of disaster. We now have our first radio, we are very excited”. The Footscray CD volunteers were praised for their work by G.R Warfe, Coordinator for Civil Defence in the Premier’s Department: “It is obvious that the skilled techniques which were employed are the result of long and careful training and the City of Footscray Civil Defence Controller Cr K. Shorten deserves commendation for his enthusiasm and leadership”. Media headlines included: “Civil Defence Was Prepared” and “Defence Body Praised by Footscray Council” and Footscray Civil Defence was reported as being a “model example” at a federal level. As is common with major events, interest in and awareness of Civil Defence was increased. VICSES Footscray has a direct link back to the disaster as member Denis Brain was motivated to join because of the bridge collapse. Denis is still an active member of the Unit, having dedicated the greater part of his life to community service, including almost half a century in various leadership positions with Civil Defence and SES. Denis still trains new recruits and sets an example for others to follow. The West Gate bridge tragedy was widely reported overseas and bridges of similar design in Europe were closed temporarily and tested for safety. A royal commission was held and concluded in 1971. Its findings paved the way for strengthening occupational health and safety laws in Australian workplaces. Work recommenced on the bridge project in 1972, and many of the surviving workers returned to finish the job. The West Gate Bridge opened in 1978. Today, six fragments of the collapsed bridge are located in Monash University’s Clayton campus engineering faculty grounds to remind students of the potentially tragic consequences that can result from errors in engineering. A West Gate Bridge Memorial Park, dedicated to the victims of the disaster, opened at Spotswood in 2004 and a memorial website is found at www.westgatebridge.org.

Footscray Civil Defence letter of thanks, 6 days after the tragedy.

From the VICSES Footscray Archive

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vicsesva.org.au

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SOUTH WEST REGION BENEFITS FROM NEW BOATS IN EARLY OCTOBER, THE BALMORAL, DARTMOOR AND HAMILTON UNITS WERE FORTUNATE TO RECEIVE NEW BOATS, REPLACING THEIR EXISTING VESSELS THAT WERE OVER 15 YEARS OLD.

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elivery had been delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions, but the assets and communications teams were able to facilitate delivery, radio exchange and induction in a COVID‑safe manner. The three new boats are a significant boost for Spring preparedness in the far-west of the South West Region. Numbers attending the inductions were limited, but details regarding features, functional operation and new technologies were passed on to other boat crew members within each unit.

This additional resource capability was quickly tested and utilised to support competency maintenance and deck-hand courses held at Rocklands Reservoir on Saturday 17th October, and Lake Hamilton on Sunday 18th October. Resources and members from Balmoral, Dartmoor, Hamilton and Warrnambool attended the boating sessions. This was a great opportunity to become familiar with the new vessels, continue to strengthen our boating capacity and introduce more members into the boating pathway. Five members attained the vicsesva.org.au

Deck Hand competency, while two Crew Members and seven Coxswains gained valuable competency maintenance and experience with the new vessels. While members are hoping the new vessels will not be needed for emergency response this Spring, they are better resourced and prepared, should a rescue boat response be required. By Bruce Humphries Community Engagement Officer, VICSES Hamilton Unit vicsesva.org.au

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vicsesva.org.au

SEVEN LITTLE DUCKS WENT OUT ONE DAY…

TO SAY THAT EVERY DAY IS AN ADVENTURE WITH THE SES IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

e never know what we are going to get when our pager goes off, and this day was no exception. Just after 1.30pm on 19 October, we received a request for assistance from a gentleman who had heard baby ducks in distress, in a large drain on the bike path between the Edithvale Golf Club and the Edithvale Wetlands. Once we arrived it became clear that there were 7 baby ducks stuck in the drain and Mum and Dad were keeping a very close eye on them, and us. We decided on a plan of action to try to allow the ducklings to literally walk out, by removing a set of bars at the back of the drain and then making a ramp from some corflute and then see what happens. Well, right on cue, the babies seemed to understand what we were trying to do, and that we were there to help, and very happily marched in a line, up the ramp and out of the drain. Once they were out, they quickly made there way to Mum and Dad and were reunited in a close by pond. Just another day in the life of Chelsea SES. By Phil Wall VICSES Chelsea vicsesva.org.au

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Thank you for supporting our communities in their time of need

Danny Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;BRIEN

Melina BATH

Tim BULL

Member for Gippsland South

Member for Eastern Victoria

Member for Gippsland East

danny.obrien@parliament. vic.gov.au

melina.bath@parliament. vic.gov.au

tim.bull@parliament. vic.gov.au

5144 1987

5174 7066

5152 3491

A: Suite 1A, 12 Hall Street, Moonee Ponds VIC 3039 P: PO Box 214, Moonee Ponds VIC 3039 T: 9326 1300 E: bill.shorten.mp@aph.gov.au BillShorten @billshortenmp @billshortenmp Authorised by Bill Shorten, Australian Labor Party, Suite 1A, 12 Hall Street Moonee Ponds, VIC, 3039.

Funded from Parliamentary Budget

Senator

KIMBERLEY KITCHING Senator for Victoria

Thank you to all SES volunteers for your tireless contribution and dedication to the Victorian community. We couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be more proud and grateful. who keep our community safe

Get in touch 219 Barkly Street St Kilda VIC 3182

Tenancy 3, 6 English Street, Essendon Fields VIC 3041 P: 03 9374 1640 E: senator.kitching@aph.gov.au www.kimberleykitching.com.au

T: (03) 9534 8126 E: josh.burns.mp@aph.gov.au W: joshburns.com.au

Authorised by Josh Burns ALP, St Kilda

Authorised by Senator K Kitching, ALP, Tenancy 3, 6 English Street, Essendon Fields VIC 3041

LETTING PEOPLE FEND FOR THEMSELVES Today’s question is: How does the law relate to emergency service personnel witnessing/watching members of the public performing tasks instead of doing it themselves? Examples might include: SES watching members of the public cut trees on roads, members of a fire service watching a member of the public evacuate people from a burning building, members of a rescue service watching a member of the public wade through water to ‘rescue’ a person etc. I’m thinking there would be two main areas: 1. 1) Safety – What if the person injures themselves? Would the person still be a member of the public? or would the Emergency Service be responsible? (either through duty of care OR once they arrive, it’s now their “workplace”) 2. 2) Liability – What if the person damages something? and/or someone else? (similar philosophy to above) That question raises far too many scenarios to a complete answer; it all depends. First the emergency services don’t have to do everything for everyone (see Coordinating firefighting with NSW RFS, FC and NPWS (February 29, 2020). Remember that the emergency services are never the first responders, first responders are always local and will start dealing with emergencies. People complain about a lack of resilience in communities so it would be perverse to stop people doing what they are doing if they are doing a good job. The SES may see a person on their own roof patching a whole and offer to assist but if the person says ‘no, I’ve got it’ the SES don’t have to step in. vicsesva.org.au

Allowing people to continue may bring them within the compensation laws. The laws generally extend to anyone who places themselves under the control or direction of the emergency services. If the SES or fire service commander says ‘you’re doing a great job – you keep doing that and we’ll do some other task’ that may be sufficient to bring the person ‘into’ the emergency service. This is the classic ‘spontaneous volunteer’ where someone has stepped up out of need and may be bringing exactly the right skills to the task. Equally if a person is tasked by the agency (even if the tasking is ‘you’re doing a great job, keep going’) then depending on the legislation in each state/territory that may also mean the agency is liable, or what is much more likely, that the volunteer and the agency is protected from liability for the actions of that spontaneous volunteer. If the person is injured there could be liability on the agency if in fact the person was not doing a great job, or did not have the right skills, and the agency did not step in. There is generally no duty to rescue so there is no duty to stop people harming themselves but there may be a duty in particular cases. In Stuart v KirklandVeenstra [2009] HCA 15, Crennan and Kiefel JJ said (at [127] & [129]): The common law generally does not impose a duty upon a person to take affirmative action to protect another from harm… In principle a public authority exercising statutory powers should not be regarded by the common law any differently from a citizen. It should not

be considered to have an obligation to act. But the position of a public authority is not the same as that of a citizen and the rule of equality is not regarded as wholly applicable. It has public functions and it has statutory powers which the citizen does not. Some powers might be effective to avert or minimise a risk of harm to particular persons or their property, but the statute might not oblige their use. The relevant concern of the common law is whether a public authority might nevertheless be considered to be under a duty of care which obliges it to exercise its powers in a particular way. Where an agency established for, and with statutory power to manage the response to a flood, fire or other emergency turns up and simply observes those affected try to manage the response themselves, without stopping to think ‘are they doing a good job?’ ‘are they competent?’ etc. could well find itself liable for its inaction. So for example watching ‘a member of the public wade through water to ‘rescue’ a person’ could well be negligent for the flood rescue team equipped with a boat, flotation devices and where the person doing the rescue appears to be struggling. By Michael Eburn PhD and Barrister This article originally appeared in his blog Australian Emergency Law, 29 February 2020: https://emergencylaw. wordpress.com. It is reproduced with the author’s permission. December 2020

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A huge thank you to all our SES volunteers forr their tireless efforts in this yearr like no other 426 Wyndham Street, Shepparton, hepparton, VIC 3630 03 5821 5371 damian.drum.mp@aph.gov.au gov.au damiandrum.com.au

Authorised by D. Drum, National Party of Australia, Shepparton.

Authorised by J McColl, Australian Greens, Canberra ACT 2600

Damian DRUM MP FEDERAL MEMBER ER FOR NICHOLLS

Tha nk you to the volunteers and staff working to protect us

— Adam, Janet & Lidia MP FOR MELBOURNE • SENATORS FOR VIC

Andrew Giles MP Federal Member for Scullin

Mark Gepp

standing up for scullin Shop 23-25 The Stables Shopping Centre 314-360 Childs Road, Mill Park

State Member for Northern Victoria

(03) 9404 1911 andrew.giles.mp@aph.gov.au

1300 122 905

www.andrewgiles.com.au

mark.gepp@parliament.vic.gov.au

Jaclyn Symes State Member for Northern Victoria

5783 2000 Jaclyn.Symes@parliament.vic.gov.au

www.tjdinstallations.com P: 03 8456 7459 M: 0423 102 400

To all emergency volunteers:

Authorised by Senator R Ciccone, 1A Blackburn Road, Blackburn VIC 3130

Authorised by M Gepp, 3/80 High St. Woodend 3442. Funded from Parliamentary budget

TJD Installations comprises a team of experienced shopfitters that deliver exceptional quality fitouts for retail, office, hospitality and event sectors. We offer Project Management, qualified tradespeople and joinery solutions. We work closely with clients to ensure each project is completed on-time and meets the highest quality standards. Proudly Supporting our Local SES Volunteers

Katie Hall MP Labor MP for Footscray

Thank you to all SES volunteers for keeping our community safe with your dedication and lifesaving work. A: 204 Nicholson St Footscray, 3011 | P: 9689 4283 E: katie.hall@parliament.vic.gov.au facebook.com/KatieHallMP Authorised by K Hall. Funded from Parliamentary Budget.

An anonymous sponsor is proud to support the local SES volunteers.

Authorised by A. Giles, ALP, Shop 23 The Stables Shopping Centre, Childs Rd, Mill Park 3082.

“Thank you to the amazing SES Volunteers who give tirelessly to the community.”

“Thank you to all SES volunteers for your contribution to our community – including the local Whittlesea Unit.”

STIMULUS GRANT UPDATE

THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT HAS ALLOCATED $20 MILLION FOR CRITICAL REPAIRS, MAINTENANCE AND UPGRADES TO EXISTING COUNTRY FIRE AUTHORITY, VICTORIA STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE, LIFE SAVING VICTORIA AND MARINE SEARCH AND RESCUE FACILITIES AND ASSETS. THIS IS PART OF THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT’S $2.7 BILLION BUILDING WORKS ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE.

he Emergency Services Critical Maintenance and Repairs Program will provide brigades, units, clubs and flotillas with up to $300,000 (GST inclusive) to carry out repairs, maintenance and upgrades to their existing facilities and assets. A VICSES Panel including volunteer representatives was formed to assess and prioritise projects submitted by Regions on behalf of their respective Units. The high level summary of the final submission includes the following statistics: The amount endorsed by the VICSES Panel to be funded is $8.2M, which includes 90 projects across all regions. vicsesva.org.au

Projects were classified into the following 3 groups: 1. Work Health & Safety Regulatory Compliance $4M 2. Building Improvement – Structural elements $1.9M 3. Building Improvement – Improvement of Volunteer Experience $2.3M A big thank you goes out to volunteers and regions, and also the State Operations, Business Services and Facilities and Capital Works teams for finalising the VICSES submission within the tight timeframe. By John Casey Director Corporate Services December 2020

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Bernie Finn MP thanks you all for your wonderful work!

Bernie Finn

“Thank you Craigieburn and Broadmeadows SES Volunteers for the invaluable service you provide to the Calwell community in times of crises. I wish you a heart felt safe and prosperous Christmas.“

Member for Western Metropolitan Region

Suite 101 / 19 Lacy Street, Braybrook VIC 3019 Ph (03) 9317 5900 www.berniefinn.com Funded from Parliament Budget

PROUD SUPPORTER OF THE SES.

“

Thank you to all the volunteers for their tireless hard work and dedication to the community.

”

MARK DREYFUS MP

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR ISAACS

CONTACT

mark.dreyfus.mp@aph.gov.au

566 Main Street Mordialloc, VIC, 3195 (03) 9580 4651

Shadow Attorney-General | Shadow Minister for Constitutional Reform Authorised by Mark Dreyfus, 566 Main Street Mordialloc, 3195.

Untitled-2 1

A: Town Hall Broadmeadows Precinct, Level 2, Office 1, 14 Dimboola Road Broadmeadows VIC 3047 P: PO Box 3218, Broadmeadows VIC 3047 T: 03 9367 5216 Canberra: 02 6277 4219 E: maria.vamvakinou.mp@aph.gov.au MariaVamvakinou Authorised by M. Vamvakinou, Australian Labor Party, Level 2, Office 1, 14 Dimboola Road, Broadmeadows VIC 3047

STUART GRIMLEY MP Member for Western Victoria State Leader of Derryn Hinch's Justice Party

As a former frontline worker, I send my thanks and best wishes to our emergency services. If I can be of any assistance to you or your family during this time, please reach out.

ding n a m e D ustice! J

Contact: E: stuart.grimley@parliament.vic.gov.au W: stuartgrimley.com P: (03) 5218 5001

Funded by Parliamentary Budget

25/09/2020 2:16:26 PM “Thank you to the SES Volunteers and their families for their unyielding dedication to the local community. On behalf of my local community, I extend a big thank you to all SES Volunteers and their families for their outstanding contribution across our great state of Victoria.”

Rod Barton MP

Member for Eastern Metropolitan Region Authorised by Rod Barton MP, 128 Ayr Street, Doncaster 3108. Funded from Parliamentary Budget

THA K YOU ADVERTISEMENT

THANK YOU! To all our SES Volunteers, Last summer was one of our toughest fire seasons on record, but it was the hard work and dedication of you, our volunteers, that got us through it. As we approach another fire season, in a year of new challenges, it is important all Victorians take a moment to recognise and appreciate your efforts. Your sacrifices have not gone unnoticed. It is your willingness to step up during our times of greatest need and your dedication to our community that brings us together, makes our State stronger, and will get us through the challenges we face. On behalf of all Victorians, we sincerely thank you for everything you do for our community – at all times and especially now. Martin Foley MP & Nina Taylor MP Authorised by M Foley, 46 Rouse St, Port Melbourne VIC 3207. Funded by Parliament electorate office and communications budget.

Thanking all our SES Volunteers for their hard work, dedication and commitment to communities in Ripon.

Louise

STALEY mp LIBERAL MEMBER FOR RIPON LouiseStaley.com.au LouiseStaleyRipon Authorised by Louise Staley MP, 177 High St, Maryborough. Funded from Parliamentary Budget

Have you joined? Go to: awenetwork.org.au What We Do Australians are encouraged to work collaboratively to build the resilience of communities to emergencies and disasters. The National Strategy for Disaster Resilience states:

Working together and drawing on the expertise and capacity of various partners produces far greater results than individual efforts alone. Partnerships across and within governments, businesses, the not-for-profit sector and the community, will create a well-informed, integrated and coordinated approach to increasing disaster resilience. The result will be a more resilient nation. Women bring unique skills and strengths to all areas of disaster resilience and emergency management, and their unique insights and expertise are already enhancing resilience across communities and organisations. AWE has created a platform for women to connect with, support and learn from each other, and to build social connections and relationships between and within organisations, sectors and communities.

vicsesva.org.au

AWE provides a range of services for its members, including • • • • •

Monthly Newsletters Networking Events Mentoring Program Scholarships Access to news, job opportunities, sector updates

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THE VALUE OF VOLUNTEERS, VOLUNTEERING AND VOLUNTEERISM (3VS) A VOLUNTEER CONSULTATIVE FORUM (VCF) INITIATIVE DESIGNED, DEVELOPED AND DELIVERED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EMV.

he 3Vs Final Report: Uncovering the hidden value provides a fresh perspective and advanced way of thinking about the value created by Victoria’s volunteers (the people), volunteering (the activities) and volunteerism (the culture) referred to as the 3Vs. This report is a product of an innovative project which uses contemporary evidence to capture, quantify and communicate the value of Victoria’s 3Vs, represented in three layers of value: • volunteer personal value • emergency management value, and • community strengthening value. These layers of value can be measured in economic, physical, social, cultural, human and environmental terms. The contribution of the 3Vs and each value is significant and widely distributed across Victorian communities. A conservative estimate in the report indicates the annual economic contribution is valued between $1.9 to $2.5 billion.

An evolved narrative in the report also describes other measures of value including the incidental ‘hidden value’ which may otherwise remain unknown and therefore unappreciated. Learning to understand these different perspectives is important to develop an advanced way of thinking to inform emergency management thinking, decision making and investment for the future. Most important is to sustain and strengthen the culture of volunteering in Victoria by promoting a shared understanding and respect for the critical role that volunteers contribute to building safer and more resilient communities. The 3Vs Interim Report: The value hidden in plain sight was developed and released in August 2017 as part of this project. This was an important first step in creating a strategic framework to better understand the breadth, depth and importance of the 3Vs as they were developed. This report highlights the broad range of value created and identifies

a gap between what is easily seen and understood and what is hidden and not appreciated. This work was instrumental in developing a new way of thinking and talking about volunteers, together with their activities and their impact on society.

Download the report at: https://www.emv.vic.gov.au/ how-we-help/volunteers/the-valueof-volunteers-volunteering-andvolunteerism-3vs

OIMS ON YOUR PC OR MAC: ONLINE WORKING FROM HOME VICSESVA GUIDES ASSIST MEMBERS PERFORMING UNIT WORK WHILE AT HOME, OR WHO FORM PART OF A REMOTE IMT OR A UDO.

any members who perform admin or IMT roles in their units use IMS, IRS & RMS or OIMS as these suite of apps are collectively known. Many members either access these apps by logging in via the VICSES Hub or browsing directly to connect.ses.vic.gov.au, logging in and downloading the access file. Citrix Workspace allows members to access OIMS avoiding these extra steps and allow you to pin app icons. VicSESVA has written two guides for Windows and MacOS users. The how-to guides can be accessed via the VicSESVA website, selecting documents from the main menu then selecting guides vicsesva.org.au/login. Members should be aware that VICSES IS will not be able to provide help if you get stuck as this falls outside their scope of support. However for members who may benefit from quick and easy access to these critical apps, whether performing unit work while at home, forming part of a remote IMT or as a UDO, we hope this will make getting access easier for members. By John MacKenzie VicSESVA Secretary, Director South West Region

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vicsesva.org.au

FIVE THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT AMBULANCES THE RETIRED AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION OF VICTORIA HAS SOME INTERESTING FACTS ON AMBULANCES IN THEIR NEWSLETTER.

1 2 3

The term ambulance comes from the Latin word ‘ambulare’ which means ‘to walk’, which is a reference to early medical care where injured patients on the battlefield were moved by wheeling a cart.

Ambulances don’t need to be too fast, since their sirens should clear the road ahead of them.

Although the manufacturing of ambulances is based on an affordable vehicle, the finished product is in fact VERY expensive. Prices for a brand new ambulance can cost upwards of $100,000 all the way up to $200,000.

4 5

Ambulances don’t just come in the form of a large van … Ambulances can be in the form of a car, train, truck, van, bicycle, trailer, motorbike, car, bus, helicopter, wing aircraft, boat, and hospital ships.

Qld and Tas ambulance fees are covered by the government, however residents of other states are not so fortunate. An emergency ambulance trip by road costs about $1,174 in the metropolitan area of Victoria. It can cost up to $4,898 for an air ambulance, and up to $10,475 for a helicopter, with prices set by the Department of Health. In comparison, residents of South Australia are charged $934 for an emergency callout and Western Australians $932 for life threatening or urgent related incidents.

Are you a member of Ambulance Victoria? Emergency medical transport services are not free and not covered by Medicare. The cost of one emergency road trip is in excess of $1,200. Become an Ambulance Victoria member and be protected against the cost of transport and treatment by paramedics: https://www.ambulance.vic.gov.au/membership/

vicsesva.org.au

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VicSESVA

A QUICK GUIDE Victoria State Emergency Service Volunteers Association WHAT IS VicSESVA? VicSESVA works to represent and advocate for VICSES volunteers, actively supporting members and engaging cooperatively with VICSES management, EM sector agencies and governing bodies, and State Government. • VicSESVA is a non-profit organisation which exists to further the interests of VICSES volunteer members. • VicSESVA uses its dedicated focus on volunteers to select and drive the resolution of issues that impact on skills, safety and how VICSES volunteers undertake their duties. It is important to note that VicSESVA is an Association not a Union. VicSESVA does not engage in adversarial campaigns but it does seek to further the interests of VICSES volunteers, and the public they serve, by promoting appropriate standards in training, equipment and ethics in VICSES.

WHO IS VicSESVA? VicSESVA is wholly staffed by VICSES volunteers who provide their time and expertise gratis and is funded by a small fee from VICSES Units, used to subsidise costs such as publishing, website, minimal office admin support and VA delegates travel. VicSESVA is comprised of all VICSES Units (two delegates may represent each Unit), Regional Councils and a State Board.

VicSESVA’s MISSION To be pro-active in the pursuit of excellence in service delivery for VicSESVA members and to maintain an effective communication and interaction with all emergency and support agencies.

VicSESVA’s VISION To ensure that the highest level of skills training is available to the volunteers of VICSES. To ensure that the resources available to volunteers are applicable to the respective operational requirements.

VicSESVA’s STRUCTURE VicSESVA is broken up into 7 Regions: South West, Central West, Central East, North West, North East, Mid-West and East. Each Region has a Regional Council which seeks input from local Units, meets and discusses the issues identified and selects issues for escalation to the VicSESVA State Board. Unit Delegates Each member Unit of VicSESVA may elect two delegates who convey the thoughts and feelings of their Unit and its members to the Regional Council or State Board.

Regional Councils The elected delegates of the Units from within the region form their Regional Council. The Regional Councils raise issues relevant to VICSES volunteers to be presented to the VicSESVA State Board for the formulation of policy on the issues they perceive need to be addressed, and to further advocate an outcome with the VICSES CEO or VICSES Board for action. Regional Council Positions Each Council may elect members to undertake the following roles: • President • Secretary

• Director • Alternate Director

VicSESVA Board The VicSESVA State Board is comprised of Regional Council Directors. Matters raised at Regional Councils are brought to the State Board so that the Board can recognise and monitor any wide ranging issues as they develop. If appropriate, the board will present them to the respective VICSES Management stream for resolution. VicSESVA Board Positions • Chairperson • Board Member • Vice Chairperson • Board Member • Secretary • Board Member • Treasurer

PHOENIX MAGAZINE VicSESVA publishes the Phoenix Journal for VICSES volunteers. Phoenix is published four times a year and features articles and photos of interest, submitted by volunteers and staff. To register to receive your electronic copy of Phoenix, go to https://vicsesva.org.au/how-to-subscribe/

WANT TO GET INVOLVED? As a VICSES volunteer, you are welcome to participate in a VicSESVA Regional Council. Depending on the region, meetings may be held once a quarter at local Unit LHQs. The discussion is very informative and presents a great opportunity to network and share best practices across Units. VicSESVA Board meetings are also open to individual members to attend.

HISTORY For more information about the history of VicSESVA, go to https://vicsesva.org.au/our-history/

NSESVA VicSESVA is a founding member of the National SES Volunteers Association (NSESVA). For information on NSESVA and the National Raffle Campaign, go to: https://vicsesva.org.au/faq/ https://www.nsesva.org.au/

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vicsesva.org.au

TO VicSESVA VicSESVA Activities, Advocacy and Industry Influence SUCCESSFUL ADVOCACY VicSESVA has successfully represented volunteers in: • Negotiating to meet regularly with the Minister for Emergency Services • Advocating for Unit VESEP bids • Advocating to EMV to retain the right of volunteers to go to VCAT in matters of dispute (VICSES Regulations Review) • Meeting quarterly with the VICSES Executive and raising matters of concern to volunteers which have been brought to Board meetings • Meeting quarterly with the VICSES Operations staff • Supporting and promoting the annual EMV Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency Survey • Providing grants of funds for individual volunteer welfare or hardship cases • Supporting members undertaking the VFBV leadership courses • Providing information and advice to individual members and Units • Providing a support person to individual members in matters of dispute • Collaboration with the National SES Volunteers in advocacy for matters such as transferability of skills, harmonisation of training, national recognition, awards • Implementation of the NSESVA National Raffle Scheme to establish future funding

8. VICSES internal Fleet, RCR, State WH&S, Awards, Uniform working groups 9. VICSES Community Resilience Strategy, volunteer representation 10. AFAC Volunteer Management Technical Working Group 11. AFAC/SES member Project Working Group, ‘SES Fit for Task’ 12. AFAC doctrine development ‘Volunteer Impact Assessment Guideline’ (VMTG) 13. AFAC doctrine development, ‘Volunteer inclusion Model’ (VMTG Diversity Working Group) 14. Member, AIDR Dranszen Forum 15. Member Steering Committee and Working Group, Communities Responding to Disasters: Planning for Spontaneous Volunteers Handbook (Australian Emergency Management Manual Series 2018) 16. BNHCRC member Advisory Group ‘Adapting the Sector’ 17. NSESVA Youth Strategy 18. Volunteer Group Steering Committee, Victorian Government ‘Provisional Payments Pilot (Mental Health Injury)’

EXPERTS AND ADVICE On request VicSESVA has provided experts as guest speakers, advisors or community representatives. VicSESVA Chair, David Rowlands, is a Life Member of VICSES. VicSESVA Secretary, Dr Faye Bendrups, has been recognised for her work in the EM sector by being named one of the AFR’s ‘100 Women of Influence’ in 2019. This has provided opportunities to promote the work of SES volunteers in major local and national forums, including:

• Raising the profile and interests of VICSES volunteers at local, state and national forums, including conferences, other EM agencies, interstate agencies, working groups, task forces, expert advisory panels etc.

• 2018 Informed Observer, Diversity in Disaster Conference

SECTOR COLLABORATION

• 2019 Chair, Akolade 2nd Emergency Management Leaders’ Forum

VicSESVA has extensive membership of industry forums, regular collaboration with VICSES and influence through its membership of NSESVA, including:

• 2019 Guest panellist, Public Safety and Hysteria: Leading by example in the first 24 hours of a terrorist event, Akolade 2nd Emergency Management Leaders’ Forum

1. EMV Volunteer Consultative Forum, founding member

• 2019 Facilitator, EM conference panel Wellbeing: a Range of Perspectives from People on the Ground

2. EMV Expert Reference Group, The 3Vs: Volunteer Volunteering Volunteerism – Uncovering the hidden value 3. EMV Expert Working Group, collaboration in developing Strategic Priorities for Volunteering in Emergency Management 4. Emergency Services Foundation (ESF) Chair, Alumni Network 5. Member of Organising Committee, annual ESF Emergency Management Conference 6. Facilitator, ESF Alumni Strategic Directions planning and ‘Valuing Volunteers’ project

• 2019 Expert Judge, Ch7 News Young Achiever Awards (CFA Volunteer Excellence category) • 2019 Executive Judge, Victorian Regional Achievement and Community Awards • 2019 Women in the SES: Reshaping Dynamics, AFAC19 ‘A Shift to the New Norm: Riding the Wave of Change’ international conference presentation, see www.afac.com. au/events/proceedings/29-08-19/article/109.-women-inthe-sesreshaping-dynamics

7. VESEP panel member (VICSES and EMV)

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OFFICIAL MEDICAL ADVICE

Coronavirus: Thanks to you, we are saving lives and stopping the spread. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important we continue to keep all Australians safe. Stay at home unless necessary and avoid non-essential travel. Banks, supermarkets, petrol stations, medical services and suppliers remain open.

If you can, you should work from home. Use phones for meetings, stop handshaking, tap to pay where possible instead of using cash.

Maintain physical distancing and hygiene practices. Keep 1.5 metres of physical distance, exercise away from others, and wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds.

Visit australia.gov.au to find restrictions specific to your State or Territory. Authorised by the Australian Government, Canberra