Sunbury’s growing SES unit will be better able to respond to road crashes, storms and missing persons following the delivery of new equipment.
Through this year’s equipment allocation – part of an ongoing sponsorship deal with insurer AAMI – volunteers have been armed with tools, including a blower, battery charger, flares and a drill.
The unit has also been able to bring a rescue support vehicle up to scratch and purchase marquees for staging areas.
Unit spokesman Jarrod Bell said the annual program was a great help, with units matching sponsor funding. ‘‘So we’re able to double it, which puts a whole range of equipment within reach and allows us to get on with the job.’’
AAMI has provided more than $5 million to Victorian SES units since 2002. The latest batch of equipment comes at a good time for the Sunbury unit, which has taken on 10 new volunteers.
Mr Bell said new members were going through training and should be ready to attend call-outs in about a month.
The trainees were selected after close to 30 people attended an information session six weeks ago. ‘‘It’s the maximum we are prepared to take on board at any one time to ensure they get the most out of the training,’’ Mr Bell said. Once the recruits graduate, Sunbury will have 50 trained operational volunteers.
