VICSES has its busiest month on record

By Bianca Hall

Nov 4, 2022

Working hard: Seymour SES unit controller Christine Welsh at the Seymour SES centre, two weeks after the 2022 floods.

October 2022 has been the busiest month in history for Victoria’s State Emergency Service (VICSES), with volunteers responding to a staggering 13,705 requests for assistance.

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This is 28 per cent increase on the previous record, set in June 2021.

The record follows two of the three busiest years on record for VICSES with 2020-21 the busiest financial year in the organisation’s history, which included the response to the June 2021 storm.

Seymour SES unit controller Christine Welsh said that although the hazard rating for the 2021 storms and the recent floods were similar, they had had a lot more jobs and call-outs in the recent event.

“We had maybe 50 or 60 jobs last time and this time over the two or three days it was up around the 250 mark,” Ms Welsh said.

Although the worst of the flood emergency has subsided, Seymour SES has remained busy, responding to incidents involving fallen trees.

“It’s just been completely hectic from the 10th or 11th (of October) until now...,” Ms Welsh said.

“(There’s been) two or three jobs easily a day, most of them overnight.

“Everything’s just so wet, we are finding most of the trees are just rootballing and the whole thing is falling down.

“They say La Niña is around till at least January so anything is possible till then... maybe storms, maybe floods.”

SES reminds Victorians to download the VicEmergency app for warning and advice messaging and to check the VicTraffic mobile app or website before travelling for updates on road closures, hazards and to consider alternative journeys.

If you need VICSES emergency assistance, ring 132 500 or triple-zero (000) in a life-threatening emergency.