Rainbow Beach SES needs your help

Mike Kirwan and Gavin Freeman say the Rainbow Beach SES needs you!

Mike Kirwan and Gavin Freeman say the Rainbow Beach SES needs you!

Rainbow Beach State School students recently had a silver coin trail fundraiser. Between them, they raised over $360 for the SES at Rainbow Beach. This donation was greatly appreciated, and shows a high level of community spirit. Sadly, primary school students are unable to join the SES – they have to ask for adults to step forward!

“Rainbow Beach SES is always in need of volunteers,” said Rainbow Beach SES Group Leader, Mark Lawler.

“In an emergency, it’s important to have a core of trained people in Rainbow Beach. Other SES groups will assist if they can, but nothing is better than locals helping locals. When Cyclone Debbie passed through earlier this year, we were able to respond to requests for help quite quickly.”

Joining the SES is quite simple. There are a few forms to fill in, and a criminal history check has to be done. After attending training for a three-month probationary period, you’re a member. The training requirements aren’t that onerous – he says the basics can be covered in a few hours.

Ongoing commitments are also fairly simple. “We meet twice a month (normally for an hour or so) for equipment maintenance and updating. If you want to do further training, it’s available. If you want to spend your weekends helping at events around the South East, it can be arranged.”

Mark explains the amount of time spent on SES duties is really up to you: “The tasks you do are up to you as well – if you don’t like heights, no one is going to make you climb a ladder. You’ll be valued for whatever you can contribute.”

There are rewards to being an SES member. The major one is a sense of satisfaction when you can help someone, but some of the training leads to recognised qualifications that may help in other areas of your life.

Rainbow Beach SES needs you. If you have some time to help out in your community (and think you’d look good in orange), why not give it a try?

They meet on the first and last Thursday of each month at 7pm. “Anyone interested is welcome to come along and see what we do.”

If you’d like to hear more, please contact Mark on 0427 033 160.

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