By CASEY NEILL
THE Springvale SES crew has a new home, truck and controller and an armful of awards.
Now it just needs new members.
It moved to Mills Road in Dandenong in March this year after its old home in View Road, Springvale, made way for redevelopment.
Maintaining its responsive capability throughout the transition earned the crew a Persistence Award at the Victoria State Emergency Service (SES) annual dinner on 3 August.
New controller Philip Holt took home the central region Volunteer of the Year award and a National Emergency Medal for his assistance during the Black Saturday Bushfires.
The 53-year-old science teacher said joining Springvale after a 30-plus year post at Frankston was like finding a new family.
“The numbers were down a bit, and we need to have a certain number of crew to get out and help the community,” he said.
“It just slowly wound down without anyone realising it, I think.
“The idea was to inject some new blood and pump it up a bit.”
There are now about 20 members, but Mr Holt would like to add another 15 to 20 to improve rostering for large incidents.
“It’s not just about putting the vehicle out when it’s needed, it’s about being able to sustain response,” he said.
He’s looking for mature recruits who can respond during the day, including early retirees or stay-at-home parents.
Springvale responds to up to 400 calls for help throughout Greater Dandenong each year, including fallen trees on buildings and roads, leaking roofs, floods and lighting crime scenes.
“You might have a storm and get a dozen jobs and then you might not get another one for two weeks,” Mr Holt said.
Administrative staff are also needed.
“It doesn’t have to be going out and getting your hands dirty at 3am on a roof,” Mr Holt said.
Training is from 7.30pm to 10pm every Monday night, with public holidays and January off.
“Then there’s a requirement for other training, some courses run on a weekend,” he said.
“All the training does get given to you, so you can come in with a blank slate.”
New recruits can get out in the field after about six weeks and their uniform and equipment are provided.
Mr Holt put his hand up for the SES when he was in university.
“It was primarily as a result of a car accident I was in, where a couple of people I knew were killed and I couldn’t help them,” he said.
“I didn’t have the skills, so I thought ’I have to fix that’.
“I wanted to put back after seeing what I’d seen.
“It’s my life. It keeps me off the streets – or puts me on the streets!”
Springvale SES is at Unit 10, 42 Mills Road, Dandenong. Visit www.ses.vic.gov.au, email springvale@ses.vic.gov.au or call 0417 385 930 to get involved.
