Newman State Emergency Service Unit Inc.

"To Assist the Community to Cope with Natural and Man Made Disasters"

This page was last updated on: 16 October, 2004

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Satelite Image of Cyclone John December 1999

The SES The Western Australian State Emergency Service (SES) is a volunteer based division of the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia. It plays a key role in countering the effects of natural and man-made emergencies. Mission To assist the community to cope with natural or man made emergencies. Functions ¨ To raise, train and equip a volunteer based emergency service. ¨ To be the "Hazard Management Agency" for flood, cyclone, storm, earthquake and tsunami. ¨ To be the "Combat Authority" for land search, vehicle rescue (in specified areas), cliff/cave rescue and civil defence. ¨ To act in a support role to other combat authorities. ¨ To support emergency management committees at State, Regional and Local levels. To act in support of the police in tasks acceptable to the volunteers but excluding those where it is likely that offenders will be present.

Volunteers The WASES has a network of some 2,500 volunteers supported by a small full-time staff. The volunteers are a dedicated group of people drawn from all walks of life, backgrounds and professions. All have a common desire to make a contribution within the community by offering emergency assistance. These volunteers make themselves available to be called out to emergencies, without payment, as and when required. West Australians benefit every time a SES volunteer responds to an emergency. It is a proud record that SES volunteers have saved the lives and property of countless Western Australians.

Units Volunteers function within an SES Unit which is generally established in associated with Local Government, be it a city, town or shire. There are over 80 SES Units spread throughout Western Australia. These Units are under the direction of a Volunteer Local Manager, who has the responsibility of ensuring the Unit's volunteers are trained and equipped to carry out assigned responsibilities. The SES also has a number of Tracker Dog Teams and a Mounted Section (horses) which are structured and tasked in a similar way as other Units.

Activities Depending on the role identified for the Unit, the Unit may perform any of the following activities: · Operations Centre Staffing · Communications · Air Search Observers · Land Search and Rescue · Cliff/Cave Rescue · Flood Rescue · Road Accident Rescue · Storm Damage Rescue · Support to other agencies These activities are directly related to the SES Mission and Functions which all members, full-time staff and volunteers, are bound.

Training Volunteer Units undertake regular training aimed at preparing volunteers for the Unit's operational responsibilities. Training consists of basic skills applicable to all voluntary members including first aid, map reading and navigation plus casualty handling, rescue skills, communications, operations and additional specialised skills. Most Units train once a week plus conduct, on average, a weekend exercise, once every two to three months.

The State Emergency Service was established in July 1959 for the purpose of 'coping with civil disasters, including fires, floods, cyclones, railway accidents, crashed aircraft, explosions and the search for lost persons.' In October 1961, the SES was amalgamated with the older Civil Defence Organisation (with its origins in the WW II air raid precautions organisation) to form the Civil Defence and Emergency Service. In July 1974, in line with national re-orientation away from civil defence to natural disaster response, the organisation changed to its current title of the Western Australian State Emergency Service. In August 1985 the WASES was transferred into the Police Department. On I January 1998, the Service became a division within the newly established Fire and Emergency Services Authority. Retaining its operational roles and identity, the Service transferred elements of its corporate services functions to the new Authority.

An exercise Debrief with around 60 - 70 Volunteers

Fire Support operation involving SES, Fire and Rescue Service, Ambulance, Police, Shire Ranger and Mining companies

Operation Room run by Volunteers

Cliff Rescue Training on a tower before moving to the Cliff Face

Re-formation of the Newman State Emergency Service took place late in 1992, after a serious incident took place on the Great Northern Highway.  Sergeant Robert Dawes of the Newman Police took on the challenge of getting the unit going after it was disbanded in 1988. Russel Hayes from the regional headquarters came to Newman to be greeted by 18 willing volunteers.  Equipment was retrieved from the Army Reserves storage shed that was left over from the old unit.  The Headquarters at the time was a double door garage next to the East Pilbara Shire depot.  With growing volunteer numbers and more equipment being bought the shed was no longer big enough to accommodate the units needs. The then Local Manager Iain Burns together with Eric Collins, his deputy, took on the task of raising funds in order to procure larger premises.  Late in 1994 the East Pilbara Shire found that they owned the old Hedland College land and buildings.  Hedland College at the time were not using all the facilities, so it was agreed that the SES could move in and share the facilities. In March 1995 the SES unit was in the process of moving into the new headquarters when Cyclone Kirsty decided to visit our little town.  Telstra and BHP radio technicians were asked to urgently move the radios and telephones to the new unit for the onset of the effects from the cyclone, this took about 2 hours and the new unit was ready for anything. Since the beginning the Newman Unit has grown from strength to strength and with funding from BHP Billiton, HBF, the East Pilbara Shire, Lotteries Commission and Emergency Management Australia with the dedication of the volunteers, the unit has been able to purchase vehicles, equipment and make extensions to the existing buildings. This is the SES we have today.

WA SES

Newman SES

Storm building up at Kanjianje recently at a Pilbara Regional Exercise (April 2001)

Mission Statement