Operational support

SES Operational support

We understand that rescue-focused roles are not for everyone – so if you are enthusiastic, good with people and have basic computer skills, there are important non-operational roles for you.

Volunteering with Hedland SES and the West Australian State Emergency Service doesn’t have to involve lights and sirens. Roles involving finance, media, incident management and community education provide essential assistance to units.

Finance

Managing and preparing finances is an important role that must be undertaken at each unit. This includes managing budgets, preparing financial reports, undertaking annual audits and reporting to unit management teams on the health of a unit’s financial position.

Media

Many units use Facebook and Twitter and also have a website to interact with their local community. Use your skills to help your unit maintain a social media presence. Some volunteers are also called on to speak to print media about jobs they have responded to, and media training is provided.

Incident management

Incident management involves providing support to a unit during an incident, which could be a one-off job or a series of jobs during a large-scale weather event. This includes:

• Creating and maintaining unit rosters during medium to large scale events
• Prioritising calls for assistance
• Despatching crews to respond to requests for assistance

Community education

The Hedland SES and WASES engages directly with communities, educating West Australian’s on how to prepare for natural hazards. Programs are aimed at building resilient communities that are less affected by flood, storm, tsunami and earthquake. Community education is aimed at schools, community groups and the general public and includes talking about:

• What the State Emergency Service (SES) does
• Key safety programs such as Cyclone Smart, FloodSmart and StormSmart
• How to prepare for severe weather events and what to do afterwards

Become a volunteer

To learn about our units or to register your interest in becoming a volunteer with us, find your nearest WA SES unit and submit an enquiry using our online form.

Email us for further informations.