SES Marysville Unit | Community organisation

SES Marysville Unit

Phone: +61 132500

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25.01.2022 Check out what our awesome new recruits have been up to! Having completed their online theory modules during lockdown, new members have now been able to leap into practical skills training. This has included a day of Crew Member Supervised training and some fun practice scenarios at night, setting up lighting for on-roof crews and helping with casualty handling. This year we’ve now put nine new members through their initial training, ready for operational response. Great work everyone, and welcome to the Marysville team!! #vicses #rescue #searchandrescue #marysville #buxton #narbethong

24.01.2022 Ready to rock’n’roll! We’re hoping for a quiet day today, after another call last night to assist with a missing persons search. Thankfully the missing man was able to flag down a passerby and all was resolved before we got out of our vehicles. What a busy weekend it’s been so far! Speaking of our vehicles, you can see here that we are taking extra precautions to keep our members safe at the moment. After each job our vehicles are fully sanitised and locked up, ready for the next crew to respond in a hurry. Vehicles and equipment all have bright yellow signage to show they’re sanitised and ready to go at a moment’s notice. Another example of our member’s dedication to safety

23.01.2022 The snow is almost gone, but we’re still out and about! Our third day of jobs today following heavy snow fall earlier in the week, with a call out at 4.30pm to clear several trees from a driveway in Marysville. One of the small trees had also landed on a vehicle, however hadn’t caused serious damage. We spent a couple of hours tidying up the driveway for the resident, who was unable to clear the trees themselves. More great work from our volunteers- with rain and wind on the way, now is a good time to check your property and make sure you’re prepared for poor weather; don’t forget to check for loose branches caught in trees or items that may have been damaged by the heavy snow

23.01.2022 Congratulations to our friends at UGFM Radio Murrindindi on this achievement! Like others in our community, we receive invaluable support from the station - from broadcasting emergency information, to recruitment drives, to promoting safety campaigns, they always have our backs. We’d like to extend our thanks and appreciation to all the volunteer presenters who provide this great service to our community!

22.01.2022 Have you ever wondered how scenes are cleared up following a collision? It was a late night for local emergency services, after we responded to a road rescue on the Marysville Road near Anderson Mill Road (Mt. Gordon) shortly before 2am on Sunday morning. The 4WD Wagon had rolled onto it’s roof, sustaining significant damage. Two occupants were assessed by Ambulance Victoria at the scene, with one transported by road ambulance. Once it was established that no one was trappe...d in the vehicle, Marysville SES volunteers provided scene lighting and a traffic management point while Police investigated and the tow truck operated. Working with our mates at Marysville Fire Brigade - CFA, we then all pitched in to sweep the road of glass and debris. Once this is done, the CFA use their high pressure hoses to ensure the road is clean of hazards for motorists. On jobs where further hazards remain, we notify the road operator for follow up. Crews finished up around 4.30am this morning, after cleaning and readying vehicles for the next job before heading home. WATCH: the CFA in action beside our Rescue Truck in this video. Great work guys!

21.01.2022 We fresh snow! With snow falling in town this afternoon and more possible overnight, please take care on the roads or while out enjoying a walk...or maybe a socially-distanced snowball fight! We were alerted to a vehicle which had slid off the road in icy conditions earlier today, however thankfully everyone was okay and emergency services were stood down. Remember to slow down, drive to the conditions and be ready to stop for unexpected road hazards at any time

21.01.2022 Are you planning a visit to one of our spectacular Parks or Forests this weekend? We're encouraging visitors to plan ahead and stay safe over what's expected to be a busy weekend. - Popular areas such as the Cathedral Range State Park, Steavenson Falls, Black Spur Drive, Murrindindi Scenic Reserve, Cascades Downhill Mountain Bike Trail and the Buxton Moutain Bike Park are all expected to be busy. Be patient and consider visiting later if car parks are full. - Enjoy the f...resh mountain air, but please be respectful of others and wear a mask whenever you're out and about, including at your campsite. - It's going to be a hot one! Wear sun protection and adequate clothing, and carry extra drinking water. Remember tracks and trails in the area are often exposed, with little shade. - Know where you're going; take note of the track name, carry a map, and stay on the track by keeping a lookout for signs and markers. Never leave the track or climb over guardrails. - Know your abilities; Grade 4 & 5 walking tracks and Difficult bike tracks are not for beginners. Choose an option that suits your current fitness and ability. - Long sunny days make it easier to walk in the morning or afternoon; but don't leave your walk too late! Allow plenty of time to return before it gets dark, and carry a torch just in case. - Watch out for snakes! They're very active at the moment and love sunning themselves on tracks and rocks. Wear sturdy footwear and long pants or gaiters, and carry a snake bandage (and know how to use it). - Make sure your phone is fully charged. Phone reception is better than ever, but we still have lots of black spots; don't rely on coverage, make sure you let someone know we're you're going and check in with them when you're back. - If you're camping or enjoying a picnic, ensure you follow campfire rules and make sure you put it out with plenty of water before leaving it. Do not bury a fire or leave hot coals. Remember, if it's cool to touch, it's safe to leave. - And finally, be patient on the roads. Allow extra time for your journey in case traffic is heavy, and just enjoy being out; there's no rush, we want to see everyone get to their destinations safely. We hope you have a fantastic and safe weekend, and enjoy the sights and attractions of our beautiful backyard. If you become lost or injured dial 000 for assistance. Police, Ambulance and SES are on call to help.

21.01.2022 We spoke too soon! Our busy day continued yesterday with a call at 9.30pm to help Victoria Police locate three missing bushwalkers. While the party had been able to call for help, they had trouble describing where they had gone walking. Before too long Police and SES were able to determine they were in the Cathedral Range State Park, and crews proceeded to search Sugarloaf Peak. The group were located shortly after 11pm and guided out safely, preventing a very cold night on t...he ridge for all. During walkouts our crews always take the opportunity to chat to groups like this about the importance of good preparation, carrying the right gear and leaving plenty of daylight to complete your walk. We believe educating the community about how to stay safe and enjoy their adventures is every bit as important as helping them when needed. The park is packed with campers and walkers, so we’ve got our fingers crossed for a quiet end to the weekend! Pictured: A searcher climbing over some rocky obstacles; the rescued party descending the track in the dark.

20.01.2022 Can you help?! Any information, no matter how minor, might help Victoria Police with their investigation. Many locals and visitors to Marysville will be familiar with the backroads to Licola and the Wonnangatta area....were you passing through on any of the dates listed? Contact Victoria Police if you have any information.

20.01.2022 ‘Tis the season....for tree hazard awareness! Last night our members undertook their annual training refresher on working safely around hazardous trees. Our response area has an extensive tree risk profile due to 2009 fire activity as well as our mountainous terrain, so we like to go the extra mile to ensure our members are well versed in staying safe. After completing our online training package, we headed out bush to look at how we can identify and manage risk during bushfire support, search and rescue, tree hazard and road rescue operations. And of course, since we were out and about anyway, the night was capped off by a quick tour of Marysville’s festive lights on the way home...what a sight!

18.01.2022 Here’s some footage from our members out and about with SES Upper Yarra Unit today during the continued search effort in the Warburton area.

18.01.2022 Today we stand with our colleagues at Victoria Police for Blue Ribbon Day We pause to reflect on the service and sacrifice of the 170 Victoria Police Officers who have died in the line of duty, and we say thank you to all Victoria Police officers for their work in our community. To find out more about Blue Ribbon Day and how you can support the appeal head to remember.org.au. ... #weworkasone #BRD2020 #BlueRibbonDay2020

17.01.2022 Today is International Volunteers Day! In such a challenging year, today we shine a spotlight on volunteers in Australia and around the world, and take a moment to thank them and celebrate their dedication. We are particularly lucky to live in a community with an incredibly strong culture of volunteering, and we want to pass our appreciation on to all who put so much into emergency response, arts and culture, youth programs, health and wellbeing, nature and environment, so...cial clubs and every other group that makes the Triangle what it is. Your grateful community sees the quiet work you do, and we say thank you! Of course, more than anything we’d like to thank our amazing members who give their time freely to respond to everything from road rescue and search and rescue, to storm damage and community education and events. We’ve added a few photos of our adventures this year. It’s been a busy week with our own storm jobs, as well as supporting our neighbours SES Upper Yarra Unit with a major search event and working with SES Healesville Unit to clear trees from the Maroondah Highway. An excellent example of how our volunteers work together and put in during times of need. To all community volunteers - thank you! We’ve tagged a few of our favourite locals below, but feel free to comment with others who deserve a shout out Marysville Fire Brigade - CFA Buxton C.F.A Taggerty Fire Brigade SES Alexandra Unit @NarbethongCFA @SESHealesvilleUnit Lions Club of Marysville & District #internationalvolunteerday2020 #vicses #volunteers #thankyou

16.01.2022 Saturday sleep in? Nope! Our crew members were woken shortly after 4.30am for a tree blocking the Maroondah Highway at Fernshaw. We responded with two vehicles and four members, arriving to find a large tree across both lanes and traffic banking up. We cut the tree and rolled large sections off the side of the road, before receiving a second alert for more trees down nearby. After the first tree was cleared we proceeded south, quicky locating two very large trees that had fa...llen side by side, blocking the roadway significantly. With the trunks in a precarious position and a large amount of mud covering the road from the embankment, we worked carefully to trim and clear sections of the trees and reopen one lane of traffic. With traffic control in place, we cleared as much debris as we could, requesting further assistance from VicRoads. Victoria Police arrived on scene shortly after 8am and took over traffic management, awaiting the arrival of VicRoads machinery. This allowed our volunteers to depart, stopping several times on the journey home to clear smaller road hazards along the highway. We returned to Marysville to dry out, refurbish our gear, and enjoy a hot coffee and breaky at Keppel Cafe Marysville before finishing duty around 9.30hrs. Phew! We’d like to thank all who assisted, and all the passing motorists for their patience and friendly waves. A significant amount of debris remains on the road; please remember to slow down and drive to the conditions, and avoid travel during severe weather wherever possible

16.01.2022 Today is a good day! Four of our members joined over 70 other SES members deployed to a large search in Mt. Disappointment State Forest today, along with Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, CFA (Country Fire Authority), Forest Fire Management Victoria, BSAR and others. In wonderful news, 14 year old Will was located safe and well just before lunch time after two cold nights in the bush. Did you see this story pop up in the news over recent days and think I wish I could help...? Well, you can - you can join your local SES unit without any prior training and experience and learn how to help out with searching, radios, logistics and lots of other jobs during searches. There’s a job for everyone! SES Marysville is recruiting now - email or message us for more info! Well done to all our members who dropped what they were doing to go and help today

15.01.2022 Thursday Spur-day! We were called out at 10.45am this morning for a tree blocking the Maroondah Highway, south of Fernshaw. When we arrived the trunk had been cut by a passerby, however debris was still causing a road hazard. With traffic management points in place quickly, we could allow traffic through the scene while we worked to trim and clear the logs and branches back from the white line. Fortunately the incident was on one of the very few straight stretches of this roa...d, making traffic control a little easier! We returned to our headquarters around 12.15pm. We’d like to thank everyone who followed the direction of traffic controllers and passed our workers safely. Don’t forget, you must slow to 40km per hour when approaching or passing our vehicles with flashing red and blue lights displayed. Even if we’re parked off the road packing up, and the road looks clear, you must still slow to 40km per hour to pass. Help us keep our volunteers safe while they’re out making the road safe for your journey!

15.01.2022 Saturday fun on the tools! Today we had three members working their way through the final stages of their Road Rescue training. In this photo you can see them working on a vehicle that has rolled onto it’s roof; the orange pads are used to cover sharp or exposed metal while we work. We’ll be back at it tomorrow to further expand our skills! Today’s training would not have been possible without the amazing support of Yarra Valley Towing P/L, who generously assist volunteer rescue units through the provision of car wrecks for training. Thanks for your help team!

15.01.2022 Sunday sleep in? No chance! Our volunteers were out at 0725hrs this morning to clear a tree from the Maroondah Highway south of Dom Dom Saddle. While it doesn’t look too big here, the large green tree was in a tricky position and took a lot of work to clear. Heavy morning traffic also needed to be managed, and we were able to get one lane moving quickly. Crews were out until after 1000hrs. We’re pleased to say drivers passing by were patient and slowed to 40km/h or slower -... thank you! Here’s a couple of friendly tips to keep yourself safe on the road in similar circumstances: Never drive under fallen trees across the road, even if there’s room. It’s unsafe and risky, with serious consequences if something goes wrong Please always obey the signs, handsignals and instructions of traffic controllers. We promise we won’t hold you up any longer than we have to! While Facebook is a great communication tool, don’t rely on social media for road hazard updates. Download the VicEmergency App, and always be prepared for conditions to change without warning.

15.01.2022 Keep informed! The Bureau of Meteorology have issued a Severe Weather Warning for damaging winds on Wednesday and Thursday. Make sure your home and property are prepared, and avoid road travel during high winds if possible. For life threatening emergencies, always dial 000 For SES assistance due to storm or flood damage, dial 132500 Monitor the BoM and VicEmergency apps for current conditions... Tune in to local radio UGFM for emergency updates Stay safe everyone!

14.01.2022 Rolling, rolling, rolling! A crew of four responded to clear this large tree from the Acheron Way this morning. It took two hours to cut the thick trunk, roll the sections of timber off the road and clear up the debris to make the scene safe for passing traffic. Great teamwork everyone!

14.01.2022 We love new gear! This morning our brand new rope rescue kit was showcased to our combined SES and CFA Steep Angle Rescue Team. Members from SES Marysville, SES Alexandra Unit, Yea CFA, and SES Mansfield Unit are working their way through training and skills maintenance activities in anticipation of our joint response capability coming online later this year. The three units and one brigade will come together as a taskforce to deliver operational capability for incidents. The delivery of our brand new trailer and equipment cache represents a huge commitment and investment in local rescue response, and our members are proud to be enhancing their skills and service delivery in this way!

14.01.2022 ANZAC day is always a special one in Marysville, with autumn leaves blanketing the park and visitors and locals alike stopping for our traditional ’all-in’ march. Our SES volunteers are honoured to be able to support Marysville RSL with the ceremony coordination each year. This year, five members assisted at the march and cenotaph. Today we pause to reflect on the service and sacrifices made by all those who have served, and who are currently serving, in war and peace missions. Lest we forget.

14.01.2022 Who else caught a few photos of HEMS hovering above the Razorback yesterday afternoon?! We were called out at 2pm to help Ambulance Victoria locate and rescue a hiker who had fallen while traversing the difficult Razorback Track. We responded with two vehicles and three members, and quickly met up with AV officers to start the long trek in. Two SES and two AV headed up the rocky and steep track carrying essential equipment, while a command point was set up below. With low cl...oud blanketing Sugarloaf Peak crews were concerned the helicopter would not be able to access the area; additional SES crews and Police Search and Rescue were activated in preparation for what could have become a prolonged event without a helicopter, a stretcher carry from this location would take at least six hours and require almost 30 people! SES and AV reached the patient around 4pm. The young male had suffered a head injury and was being cared for by four other members of his walking group. The group were well prepared for the walk and had brought first aid supplies with them. Thankfully, a window of clearer weather appeared just at the right time and HEMS arrived on scene to conduct a very cautious and controlled winch rescue around 4.35pm. With the patient safely extricated, the walking crews then had a further two-hour hike out of the area in the dark, carrying equipment and ensuring the remaining walkers made it safely back to their car. Crews departed the command post just after 6.30pm, returning to LHQ to begin clean-down procedures and sanitise all equipment, ready for the next job. What a way to start the week! Thanks go to Victoria Police, Parks Victoria and SES Alexandra Unit for their assistance In these photos you can see the chopper from different angles; one is the view from Buxton, and one is from the rescue party with the patient.

14.01.2022 We’re continuing to support our neighbours at SES Upper Yarra Unit in the search for a missing 67 year old female from Warburton. If you’ve been in the wider area since Friday last week please take a look at this link to see if you have any info that can help our search crews https://www.police.vic.gov.au/search-continues-missing-warb

14.01.2022 What a night for it! We’re back in after clearing this tree from Mt. Margaret Road. While the tree was a long way up the forest road, we attended after reports a vehicle was stuck behind the blockage in poor weather. SES and Police cleared the tree quickly, and guided the relieved occupants of the vehicle out to the bitumen safely. Please remember to take care along tree lined roads at the moment, with heavy, steady winter rainfall meaning the ground is sodden. This often sees large trees start to fall, so always drive to the conditions, be prepared for what may be around the corner and avoid unnecessary trips until the weather improves. Stay safe and dry everyone!

13.01.2022 Now more than ever, it’s important to check in on how people are coping. This R U OK? Day, we’re highlighting the mental health of our volunteers and emergency ...service colleagues. Because even though we're always there to help our communities, it's important that we ask each other if we're OK too. More info on R U OK? Day: www.ruok.org.au/

12.01.2022 Yesterday we gave you a sneak peak of our multi-agency training day, held on Saturday; now here’s a closer look at all the action! We were joined by Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, Marysville Fire Brigade - CFA, Narbethong Cfa, Buxton C.F.A, SES Healesville Unit and SES Alexandra Unit for a real-time training simulation. After a safety briefing in the morning, crews received an ‘alert’ for an aircraft in distress. All agencies quickly kicked into response mode, and bega...n coordinating a search to locate the aircraft. An Incident Management Team was established at Marysville Police Station, before better coordinates were provided by Search and Rescue Police via radio. Crews then made their way to the ‘crash site’ in the bush near Marysville, where they were faced with aircraft debris, distress flares and several role-players; making for a very realistic and high-pressure situation! Together the emergency services crews worked to make the scene safe and conduct the rescue operation; each agency had tasks to complete based on their skill set, and the operation could not be completed without the different services working together and sharing their expertise. We’re pleased to say the rescue was a resounding success, and also a lot of fun - it was a great opportunity for responders to get to know each other better, as well as share their knowledge. We want to send a huge thank you to all who attended and made the day great. This important and enjoyable day would not have been possible without the help of our generous supporters, so we’d like to send a giant thank you to: - Helico Australia - Lake Mountain Alpine Resort - Victoria Police Search and Rescue Squad - Our excellent role players - Alexandra Newspapers - Triangle News And finally, thank you (and well done) to our planning committee and facilitators for pulling the day together...we can’t wait to see what you have in store for us next time!

11.01.2022 When you think of ‘our local community’, where and who do you think of? Last week saw us banding together with three other SES units to respond to calls for assistance, demonstrating how our volunteers work together for the wider community. Just after 6.45pm on Thursday, Marysville SES were alerted to multiple vehicle incidents and fallen trees along the Maroondah Highway. Ambulance Victoria, Victoria Police and CFA were also alerted, along with additional rescue units from... SES Healesville Unit and Lilydale State Emergency Service. All crews were advised to proceed with extreme caution as the storm continued to impact the road. Along the way, crews from both the north and south were faced with several large trees across the road that needed to be hastily cleared to allow emergency access. With trees continuing to fall between moving emergency vehicles, and significant debris on the road, our responding crews immediately assessed the highway as being unsafe for the general public and took steps to have the road closed at Narbethong and Healesville. After cutting their way into the scene, crews located two separate incidents, approximately 200m apart, where large trees had fallen on vehicles. Sadly, the female passenger of one vehicle died at the scene. With storm damage continuing to impact the suburbs, SES Lilydale were released from the scene to attend to other calls for help. In difficult weather conditions, SES Healesville and Marysville worked together to remove the large gum tree from the vehicle and release the casualty using road rescue equipment. While this was occurring, SES Alexandra responded to a tree over the road at Taggerty and then continued to clear trees along the highway towards Narbethong to help us out. We’d like to thank our fellow SES units, CFA, VicPol and AV for their teamwork during these incidents. Following a winter of heavy rain, snow and storms, the SES are reminding residents to ensure their properties are well prepared for the coming storm and flood season, and to take care when out and about. Visit ses.vic.gov.au to find out more about making your home and property storm safe. Pictured: storm damage along the Maroondah Highway

11.01.2022 We’re currently assisting our neighbours at Upper Yarra with a missing person search in the Mt Donna Buang area. If you’ve been out and about near Warburton, Reefton, Donna Buang or the Acheron Way over the last few days please check out Victoria Police’s posts to see if you may have any information or sightings that can help us. Any details, no matter how small, may assist!

10.01.2022 It’s that time of year again! Our members were kept busy after heavy snow fell in the Marysville and Narbethong area throughout Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. The Maroondah Highway was closed through the Black Spur, with several vehicles stuck in the snow overnight. We received our first call out just after 3am, after a large section of a gum tree fell on a house in Narbethong, damaging the roof. As is often the case during severe weather like this, our volunteers h...ad to cut their way through several trees across the road to attend the job. Heavy snow in Marysville township and covering the Marysville Road, particularly ar Mt. Gordon, made 4WDs necessary. After clearing trees and attending the damaged property, crews were able to assess and make the scene safe until work could be carried out safely in daylight. At 8am we received more calls for damaged property and residents trapped behind trees blocking driveways. Three of our vehicles headed out and cleared more fallen trees, before beginning work to remove trees from several houses and make emergency repairs, including the first property attended overnight. The crew of five members were out until lunch time, and cleared further tree hazards on their way back into town before cleaning and refurbishing vehicles and equiment, ready for further call outs. What a big morning of snow adventures - time to dry out our uniforms by the fire (and have a little nap!) before the next snow showers start! We’d like to say a big thank you to the Victoria Police and VicRoads crews who managed road blocks and cleared the highway, leaving our crews to focus on residents who needed help. The road clearing crew did an amazing job, utilising specialist equipment to access dislodged branches, clear snow and and remove other hazards. Thanks team! Please remember that road conditions remain hazardous, with snow, ice and debris still present. Slow down, turn your headlights on and take care out there! #vicses #snow #marysville #ses #rescue

10.01.2022 Wow, what a day! If you were in Marysville today you may have wondered what all the commotion was about, with dozens of emergency service vehicles moving around. We started the day participating in a multi-agency training scenario, with Ambulance Victoria, Victoria Police, Marysville Fire Brigade - CFA, SES Healesville Unit, and SES Alexandra Unit. Crews responded to a mock light plane crash in the bush near Marysville, and conducted an extended rescue operation. Just as we... pulled back into our shed for our BBQ lunch, we were alerted by AV to help with an injured mountain bike rider on a trail near the Lake Mountain Summit. Our crew responded with our wheeled stretcher carrier, and assisted to move the patient to HEMS which had landed at nearby Snowy Hill carpark. While with the patient, we received another call to assist Police with a missing person at Steavenson Falls. The missing person had several medical conditions that added an immediate urgency to the job; we were able to dispatch a crew of five to the job immediately, leaving four to continue helping AV. Liaising closely with Police via radio, we helped with search planning while en route. As part of the quick scale-up additional resources including SES Alexandra were activated; Police AirWing also attended, making for two helicopters working in the area. In a stroke of good luck, one of our eagle-eyed members travelling in our rescue vehicle spotted a man matching the missing persons description among the crowds in the main street of town. He was uninjured and we were able to safely transport him back to his group at the Falls. We’ll post a few more photos and details of our amazing morning training event soon. For now, well done to all crews, and our partner agencies, on an impressive day’s work! #weworkasone

10.01.2022 Victorians are urged to prepare their homes for another very windy day, and keep an eye out for loose or falling tree branches. Strong northerly wind will increase tomorrow morning, ahead of a cold front expected to move across Victoria on Tuesday. Severe Weather Warning for Top wind gusts of 100 km/h predicted. More info here: http://ow.ly/n3A850Be8oQ

08.01.2022 Tuesday evenings done right! Last night we braved the cooler weather and headed to Gallipoli Park for some vehicle-based skills maintenance. Splitting into two groups, we conducted some safe vehicle winching using both tirfor and vehicle winches; and then fitted heavy duty snow and mud chains and looked at safe trailer use. These are important everyday skills for the work we do, and it can be easy to overlook practicing them. We then returned to our warm headquarters for a cuppa and a debrief of our busy weekend. Are you looking for a way to stay active as the long winter season approaches? SES Marysville will be conducting a new round of crew member training shortly. To find out more about becoming an SES volunteer, contact us at [email protected].

08.01.2022 ***UPDATED 1955hrs - we’re all done folks, the road is open - thank you for your patience!*** Traffic update for the Buxton-Marysville Road The road is currently blocked between Maryton Lane and Gould Memorial Drive. A large tree has brought down a powerline, and emergency services are on scene. Our volunteers have a traffic management point set up in Marysville and Buxton to advise motorists and save a long journey home; resident access remains available from either end. T...he road should reopen within the next two hours. It remains windy and there is lots of debris on the road, so please slow down and drive to the conditions!

07.01.2022 Who else got their strength and cardio workouts in yesterday? Our members sure did! We were called to assist Ambulance Victoria on Sunday afternoon after a mountain bike rider was injured at the Buxton Mountain Bike Park. A team of three SES and four AV officers made the trek in to locate the injured rider around 4pm. The rider was transported down the slippery track network on our stretcher to a waiting road ambulance. After packing up and sanitising all our equipment thorou...ghly our crews finished around 8pm, and headed home for some well-earned rest. While we were able to utilise our wheeled stretcher carrier (The Mule), on these slippery and narrow tracks it still takes a huge physical effort and lots of hands to get the job done safely. We’re going to be on the look out for some new members to join us soon, so if you’ve been thinking about what you could do to be more involved in your local community now might be the time to consider becoming an emergency services volunteer....can you see yourself in orange?!

07.01.2022 We're proud to work closely with our local Ambulance Victoria and other emergency service colleagues during COVID-19. We are on call 24/7 to assist agencies such as AV and VicPol in any way needed to keep Victorians safe. #weworkasone

07.01.2022 Welcome to the long weekend! It was a very busy day for SES crews and other emergency services across Victoria, with large numbers of tourists visiting Regional areas as camping, outdoor recreation and accommodation restrictions eased. Locally, we were called to Murrindindi Road near Murrindindi Scenic Reserve this afternoon following a collision between a trail bike rider and a vehicle. Our rescue truck and two 4WD support vehicles turned out along with Ambulance Victoria, V...ictoria Police and CFA (Country Fire Authority) crews. One patient was transported to hospital following the collision. With traffic banked up on the usually quiet bush road our crews stayed until all services had departed and the scene was cleared, returning to our LHQ around 5pm. Thanks go to SES Kinglake Unit who responded as well. Stay safe over the rest of the weekend everyone, we’re hoping this is our only call out for the time being. Watch out for foggy, slippery, and busy road conditions in particular

05.01.2022 What's the first rule of hike club? Talk heaps about hike club! Last night a group of our members enjoyed a training and familiarisation hike up to North Jawbone Peak. These hikes are great fun, improve our fitness and give us an opportunity to catch up with each other (and eat snacks of course!). We look at common search and rescue scenarios, methods of casualty access, and options for extraction. And we ALWAYS practice our pointing . In some of these photos, you can see us enjoying the view back towards Sugarloaf Peak, which we climbed last fortnight

05.01.2022 We’ve got rain on the way! A Severe Weather Warning is current for the local area, with widespread heavy rain expected. Our volunteers are ready to respond, however we’re also urging you to be prepared and plan ahead. Plan your travel to avoid driving during heavy rain If caught in heavy rain, slow down and pull over in a safe place and wait for it to ease. Drive to the conditions and be prepared for unexpected road hazards like fallen trees or flooded roads. ... Don’t camp or park your car under trees or branches Avoid camping or other activities in low lying areas along creeks, streams or rivers Ensure your home and property are prepared well before the severe weather arrives. This might be cleaning gutters or tying down objects; or making sure you’re prepared for an electricity outage. Visit ses.vic.gov.au for more tips. You can monitor warnings via the BoM or VicEmergency apps or local radio UGFM. Stay safe everyone!

05.01.2022 Over, under, sideways and around - welcome to an SES-style obstacle course! Last night our members practiced moving a stretcher in difficult circumstances. First up, we removed an immobile casualty from under a ‘house’, then we moved a loaded stretcher through a series of simulated obstacles before practicing a low-angle rope rescue system. While moving a stretcher seems like a pretty simple task, moving it safely and skillfully requires a lot of practice. We have clever techniques we can use to keep the casualty comfortable and also minimise manual handling issues; teamwork is the name of the game!

03.01.2022 We Tuesday Night Hike Club! With the easing of restrictions we’re now able to undertake a wider range of training and skills development activities. Last night we took advantage of the nice weather to do a familiarisation and fitness hike to Sugarloaf Peak. We see lots of rescues in this location, so it’s important our new recruits are familiar with the area, and can safely negotiate the rocky terrain in the dark. It’s also one of the fun ways we can keep our fitness up and spend time together without the pressure of an emergency response. Oh...and the views weren’t bad either! The new safety signs installed by Parks Victoria are looking great, and it’s good to see visitors back and enjoying the park safely. #vicses #searchandrescue #parksvic #cathedralrangestatepark

02.01.2022 Sunday smiles! Congratulations go to three of our members for successfully completing their Road Rescue training today. Becoming a Road Rescue Operator represents an impressive commitment by members, requiring intensive training and ongoing skills maintenance. We’re incredibly proud of our crew for all their efforts today; well done team! Today’s training and assessment would not have been possible without the generous support of Marysville District Towing. We’re very lucky to have such great support!

02.01.2022 We your work, HEMS! Here's some footage of last week's rescue in the Cathedral Range State Park.

02.01.2022 A winter wonderland! There’s lots of snow around town this weekend, so please remember to take care if driving or while out exercising. Our crew have responded to one call for a small tree on the road, but other than that we’re hoping for a quiet weekend Did you know SES have specialist Alpine Search and Survival trained members to respond to rescues in the snow? While we can’t currently undertake group training under stage 3 restrictions, members are fortunate to have hiking tracks close to town to help keep their fitness levels up

02.01.2022 Would you head up here in these conditions? We hope your answer is no! However when people do attempt difficult hikes in poor conditions, it then often means our trained volunteers need to do the same in order to rescue them. Around 3.30pm this afternoon we received a call from Victoria Police to help locate five lost walkers on Sugarloaf Peak. Fortunately the job was resolved quickly, with our crew of four only needing to undertake a short hike in. All members of the group m...ade it back to the carpark safely. In cold, wet and foggy conditions the job of a rescuer is made much harder; in particular, emergency helicopter access is unavailable until weather clears. We recommend bush walkers and hikers always choose a trail that suits their experience, skill and fitness - but it is even more important to do so if walking in weather like this! These images are all from today’s late walk, with daylight rapidly running out. Can you spot some of the great new track markers?

01.01.2022 That’s a lot of bright lights! Last night a crew of four made quick work of a large fallen branch blocking the Maroondah Highway near the Black Spur Roadhouse. With the help of local Regional Roads Victoria contractors and Victoria Police the hazard was cleared and the road removed of all debris in under half an hour. Great work everyone!