Giving back: Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes visited the SES Echuca Unit, to open this year’s round of Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP) grants. Photo: Aidan Briggs.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
State Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes announced on Friday that the Victorian Government will continue its support of emergency services with new grants.
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Applications are now open for the Victorian Emergency Services Equipment Program (VSEP), which is an annual grant program that supports Victorian emergency services volunteer groups to purchase equipment or make facility improvements.
Ms Symes joined volunteers at the SES Echuca Unit on April 19 to officially announce the opening of applications for this year’s $15 million VSEP.
She also took the opportunity to thank the volunteers for their help and service during the response to the October 2022 flood event.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to visit the Echuca SES unit once again and acknowledge the hard work these volunteers do daily,” she said.
“It’s also a time to reflect on a really trying time of the October 2022 floods and again acknowledge and thank this amazing group of people for their efforts.
“(These grants) will give SES volunteers the ability to identify their priorities and make applications to be assessed for those additional funds for items that are important to do what they do best, which is protecting Victorians.”
Saying thanks: Jaclyn Symes was able to personally thank the volunteers who protected the Echuca community in the wake of the 2022 floods. Photo: Aidan Briggs.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
Last year, the Echuca Unit received over $19,000 in grants to upgrade their changeroom facilities.
Ms Symes was pleased that the grant money from last year was used to promote inclusivity and safety among the volunteers at the Echuca Unit.
“There is fantastic diversity here at Echuca SES Unit; ensuring women have appropriate facilities to change is one of the priorities here to ensure more and more volunteers feel welcome.”
Ms Symes wanted to publicly thank the work done by the SES at Echuca and in Campaspe Shire for their response to the 2022 floods and their continued commitment to protecting their community from disasters.
She hopes that the Victorian Government’s continued investment in helping fund equipment and infrastructure upgrades will make SES volunteers feel supported and appreciated by their communities and the government.
Planning ahead: Jaclyn Symes was able to chat with SES chief operations officer Tim Wiebusch about plans for upgrading infrastructure and equipment to aid SES volunteers. Photo: Aidan Briggs.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
“I know the grants are appreciated by volunteers and communities, and when the funds flow for those important equipment and infrastructure needs, it benefits everyone,” she said.
“We know volunteers respond to the community’s needs, but they need to be supported with appropriate and modern equipment to ensure they can do what they do best: protecting the community.
“We can’t thank the units here in this region enough; they are fantastic and have had some really significant events to respond to, and they have stood up to that challenge.
“I know that supporting them through equipment is just one way of paying the debt that the community wants to repay to the volunteers that turn out time and time again.”
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