EARLIER this year, Loddon Mallee Regions hosted a regional awards ceremony in Charlton to recognise significant contributions to the Victorian State Emergency Service (SES).
Kerang members Mark Gardiner and Peter Duggan both received long service awards.
Mr Gardiner, a former unit controller, was recognised for 35 years of service, with Mr Duggan being recognised for 15.
Mr Gardiner joined the SES when he was around 19 years old.
“You don’t do it for the awards, but a bit of recognition is nice,” he said.
“We’re a small group of people doing lots of different things: road rescue, search and rescue, boar work, storms and floods.
“The local fire brigade goes out, the siren goes off, and everyone knows they’re out, but we sort of do our job and no one knows except those that are involved.
“The old silent emergency services, they used to call us.”
The former unit controller said it depends on the weather and time of year, but the SES can often respond to multiple jobs each week.
Mr Gardiner was a team leader for a crew on standby during the Commonwealth Games, and has responded to multiple road crashes, searches, rescues and disasters.
The volunteer said memories of responding to the devastating 2007 Kerang level crossing collision remain strong.
“We helped a lot of people out there; we spent two days out there getting people out of the train and then doing body recoveries and that sort of thing,” he said.
“They brought the police disaster victims identification team to go through and put everyone into body bags, and we helped clear them out.
“But there have been lots of different rescues and things that have had positive outcomes.”
Mr Duggan joined the SES after his father died of a heart attack, and he resolved to join a team where he could play a vital role in saving lives.
“There have been a couple of times that have been pretty rewarding when a person’s made a full recovery and said, ‘Thank you for saving my life’,” Mr Duggan said.
The Woolworths worker responded to a “very bad” car collision involving a young girl and her grandfather who sadly died.
“The young girl came up (after making a full recovery from the collision) and said, ‘My mum said you were part of a team that saved my life’, she gave me a big hug and said thank you,” Mr Duggan recalled.
“That made my day; it was very special.
Mr Duggan said the SES respond to a wide range of incidents in testing circumstances, but that the volunteer role was highly rewarding.
“Being part of a team that can help people at their most terrible times, whether it’s in a car accident or storms or anything like that – when people are in their most dire straits,” he said.
Currently, the Kerang SES is looking to recruit new members.
For more information about becoming a VICSES volunteer visit: www.ses.vic.gov.au/join-us
