By CASEY NEILL
WILD weather last week produced Springvale SES’s busiest period in five years.
The crew responded to more than 160 calls for help across Greater Dandenong following gale-force winds early in the week.
“Make that 161 – another one’s just come in,” Springvale SES controller Philip Holt told the Journal.
“That has meant we’ve had crews out for around three days straight.
“We’ve had everything from trees down across roads to partial roofs off, trees on roofs, tiles off … ”
Mr Holt said garages had blown away and a pergola blew off and onto a neighbour’s roof.
“We had number of trampolines disappearing into the sunset,” he said.
Similar weather the previous Thursday, 26 September, produced about 40 call-outs.
“This is the most jobs that we’ve had, to my knowledge, in our area, at least in the last five or so years,” Mr Holt said.
“I thank all the volunteers that have participated over the past week. It was an extraordinary effort to respond to an extraordinary event.”
He said his team responded to calls across the municipality.
“The wind was just strong everywhere,” he said.
“It’s a reminder to the general public to keep tidy in their yards and when a wind event is forecast, tie down loose items.”
The Springvale SES crew moved to a new home in Mills Road, Dandenong, in March this year.
It has about 20 members, but Mr Holt would like to add another 15 to 20 to improve rostering for large incidents.
The team also needs administrative staff.
“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.
Visit www.ses.vic.gov.au, email springvale@ses.vic.gov.au or call 0417 385 930 to get involved.
