State Emergency Service (SES) call-outs in Wyndham Vale and Tarneit will get a faster response, now the Wyndham unit has a new vehicle.
A state government grant of $57,000 funded a new custom-built Ford Ranger, which will be based at Wyndham Vale. The SES will fund the rest of the vehicle by trading in a Nissan Patrol that is due for replacement.
Wyndham SES unit controller Laurie Russell said responses to Tarneit often took longer because vehicles are located at Werribee. He said the new vehicle stationed at Wyndham Vale would help the SES respond faster.
“We cover 554 square kilometres across Wyndham, so we administer a bigger area than the Lord Mayor of Sydney,” Mr Russell said.
“Our 37 volunteers respond to up to 700 calls a year.”
Mr Russell said the fit-out of the new vehicle was being undertaken at Hoppers Crossing.
Werribee MP Tim Pallas visited the unit’s station in Werribee on Friday.
“You are the unsung heroes of the volunteer community,” Mr Pallas told the SES volunteers.
“The government understands, supports and respects the work you do, and we’re backing up that support with money for the vehicle.”
Mr Russell said the Wyndham unit was also in need of new premises in Tarneit and Point Cook in order to attract more volunteers and to respond to call-outs more quickly.
The state government is currently undertaking a review of its funding system, and Mr Russell is confident the result will be positive.
