By CASEY NEILL
A $100,000 grant for a new truck will help Greater Dandenong SES to help the community.
The unit will combine $80,000 in fund-raising with the State Government Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP) cash to buy a new light rescue truck.
Greater Dandenong SES unit controller Paul Daniel said it would replace a 14-year-old vehicle that had “reached the end of its life”.
He applied for the grant in June.
“We’ve been waiting for SES to process all of the grant applications and for final confirmation from the minister,” he said.
“I was absolutely delighted and it’s a credit to hard work from everybody within the SES unit and also the community.
“We raised money through a big raffle, tin collections, public relations events and a significant amount of support from the Dingley Village community bank.”
Mr Daniel expects the new truck will arrive early next year.
“It’ll help us to respond better, and given it’s a modern vehicle and it’s got all of the new branding on it, it presents a strong face to the community as far as SES is concerned,” he said.
But Mr Daniel said the fund-raising never stopped.
“We have a 12-year-old four-wheel drive that needs to be replaced as soon as possible,” he said.
“The fund-raising will continue with a tin rattle at the corner of Foster and Clow streets in Dandenong on the first or second Saturday in September – depending on the weather.”
Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams said the equipment needed to respond to emergencies was a big cost burden and this funding would go a long way towards reducing pressures on volunteers.
“This grant will help ensure our emergency services volunteers have the equipment they need to save lives and protect our community,” she said.
