By Cam Lucadou-Wells
With flood emergencies on the rise, Greater Dandenong VICSES is making an election pitch for new $11 million headquarters.
Unit controller Michael Prior has written to state MPs ahead of the November election to urgently replace its cramped Mills Road site with a “fit-for-purpose” facility.
Last week, the unit filled more than 1000 sandbags for locals and across the state ahead of anticipated floods.
A contingent travelled to help at inundated towns in north Victoria.
Mr Prior argues that the unit’s current site is too small to expand its 46-strong crew, which responded to 577 requests for help in 2021-’22.
Call-outs have more than doubled in the past four years.
In 2021-’22, the members toiled for a staggering 7500 volunteer hours, including at 410 storm events.
There’s not room for an urgently-needed boat for rescues in the flood-prone outer-South East, Mr Prior says.
“The current site does not provide for expansion to meet future expected extreme events caused by climate change and increasing community expectations.
“A greater building size (would) allow for an increased number of volunteers in order to relieve the extra pressure put on existing volunteers.”
Women and volunteers from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds are deterred from joined due to a lack of changerooms and toilets, Mr Prior argues.
“I wanted to run a community flood information session for residents … but I couldn’t fit more than 20 into our current building
“More than 50 people collected sandbags from us today alone.”
The unit is also hindered by none of the gates and roller doors being automated.
And the motor pool layout is a “danger”, requiring two right-angle turns to reverse park three vehicles and a trailer into place.
Mr Prior said the $6.2 million facility would require a high-visibility, 4500 square-metre block worth about $4.5 million. He suggests vacant land near Dandenong railway station.
With the unit providing $1 million of service a year, Mr Prior says the return on investment would occur within 15 years.
“However the return on investment may be as little as one day depending on what happens with flooding events like that predicted in Victoria.”
Opposition emergency services spokesperson Brad Battin toured the unit on Thursday 13 October.
“During weeks like we have at the moment, with floods and storms, we know we can always rely on and we thank our SES volunteers,” Mr Battin said.
“Volunteers need support including facilities to ensure they can train and work to protect us.
“We were pleased to meet with local volunteers, and I committed to working with them in the future as they plan for a new space.”
The State Government stated its 2022-’23 budget allocated a record $28.5 million funding for VICSES facilities, vehicles and training.
A government spokesperson said Greater Dandenong SES volunteers “go above and beyond to protect communities and save lives”.
“We thank them for their significant work.
“We’re currently delivering state-of-the-art VICSES facilities at numerous locations throughout Victoria, a number of which are already complete.
“We will continue to work closely with VICSES to determine priority infrastructure upgrades and projects.”
