Volunteers and Volunteering

How to become a volunteer and what that involves.

General overview

The ACT Emergency Services Authority (ESA) is the government agency responsible for emergency management within the Australian Capital Territory. ESA provides the administrative infrastructure and support for four operational services, being the ACT Rural Fire Service, the ACT State Emergency Service, the ACT Ambulance Service, and the ACT Fire Brigade.

The ACT State Emergency Service has seven volunteer units, with approximately 200 active volunteer members.

Nature of the work

The type of work carried out by emergency services volunteers can be either exciting or boring, rewarding or frustrating, cold or hot, fast or slow, or as many other variables as you can imagine. A description of some of the roles of emergency services volunteers follows.

ACT State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers are trained for a number of different roles. These include:

• Storm damage: temporary repair of roofs, windows and doors to stop water coming in, sandbagging to stop or divert flood waters, or removal of trees that may have blown over in the wind. 
   
• Search: provide assistance to the AFP in land searches for missing people, forensic searches following a suspected crime and other evidence searches. They may also assist Australian Search and Rescue (AuSar) with air searches. 
   
• Support to other emergency services: Some of the other activities that SES volunteers may become involved with include:
• provision of emergency lighting at a range of different incidents;
• assistance to the ACT Ambulance Service during mass casualty incidents;
• assisting other agencies following structural collapse; and
• catering for other emergency services, including bushfire fighters at bushfires.

Commitment

Volunteers joining the SES are making a commitment to give their time voluntarily to assist the community. It is too difficult to be precise as to the number of hours it will take per week as it can vary greatly, depending on the number of times a member may be activated. Generally speaking volunteers can expect to give up to 2 - 3 hours each week for training. They will be asked to attend community activities about 3 or 4 times per year, and this can be for up to 6 or 8 hours each time.

Volunteers may need to negotiate with their employer for a release from work in the event of an operational call-out during business hours. However, no volunteer is expected to leave work if this is to the detriment of the employer's business.

Health and Fitness

The work carried out by SES volunteers can often be very strenuous and exhausting. There may be little opportunity for a break from the weather or the physical work required to be undertaken. Only people who have a reasonable level of fitness will be able to cope with this type of work for an extended period of time.

Some less strenuous tasks of SES volunteers include: radio communications operation, message taking, and provision of welfare services. The fitness requirements of the people doing these tasks may be different to those on the front line, however there is a limit to how many people are required for these types of activities.

All intending volunteers are required to complete a medical assessment with their doctor. In addition, there is a Fitness for Duty policy. This policy assigns fitness levels to the various functions undertaken by SES members, and prescribes the fitness testing to be undertaken. Testing is done within units, at least once each year.

Age requirements

Volunteers may become members of a unit, with some operational restrictions, when they are between 16 and 17 years old. They will require their parent or guardian's consent.

Volunteers of 18 years of age or more, become full members, and their training and experience determine the roles and activities they undertake.

Uniforms

Volunteer members of the SES are provided with sufficient uniforms and protective clothing to allow them to safely do their work. All protective clothing meets Australian Standards.

The initial issue of uniforms and protective clothing are made available free of charge, and free replacements are also provided on a one-for-one basis. This clothing remains the property of the ACT Government and must be surrendered when a member leaves the service.

Community activities attendance

Many units elect to attend community activities. These can range from local fetes and fairs, through to the Multi-Cultural Festival and the Australia Day events. This is seen as a good way of getting public exposure for a unit, and is also an opportunity to promote the service. The Emergency Services Authority makes display material available for these events.

Training

The SES conducts training reflecting nationally developed and agreed units of competence. Qualifications gained under these standards are transferable to other States. Locally produced learning material (and in some instances material from other States) is used as the basis for providing this training.

Members must have attended specified training courses and undergone formal assessment before they can attend certain operations.

Members transferring from interstate SES Units with the appropriate competencies are not required to attend Information Evenings, Induction Training or Introductory Skills Training.  They will, however, be required to undergo a review of training experience with the SES Training Officer where a pathway will be agreed upon with the applicant.

Injury compensation

SES volunteers are covered for compensation purposes, whenever they are travelling directly to or from training or an operation, or while they are at this training or operation. This compensation covers them for any injuries they may sustain during these activities, with all medical and rehabilitation expenses being met by the ACT Government.

People who are in paid employment and who are aged between 16 and 65 years are also covered for wages lost as a result of injuries sustained while on service with the SES.

What's the next step?

Attend one of a series of Information Evenings and Induction Courses to be held in 2008.

If you are interested in joining the ACT State Emergency Service you can also contact the:

Community & Volunteer Relations Coordinator
Phone: (02) 6207 8462
Fax: (02) 6207 8473
Email: ses@act.gov.au

What if this is not for me?

If you decide that being a volunteer with the SES is not right for you, and you would like to know more about other volunteer opportunities, contact:

Volunteering ACT
Tel: (02) 6251 4060
Email: volact@volunteeract.org.au