Every day, thousands of Australians are prepared to drop everything at a moment’s notice, put on orange overalls and respond to requests for assistance from their local community. Wearing orange at your workplace or school for just one day a year is a simple way of showing our SES volunteers that you appreciate their hard work and dedication to community safety.
Over the years, Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) has received countless messages of thanks from the community via social media, email and face-to-face from people who would like to express their appreciation for the dedication, quick-thinking and professional approach demonstrated by VICSES volunteers during what can be distressing and traumatic experiences.
One of these stories came from Jenny from Wandin North:
“My very grateful thanks to the SES crew who attended my home in Wandin North when a gumtree fell on my roof yesterday afternoon. Watching the team secure my roof was so fascinating. I almost (but not quite) forgot that there was a gaping hole! Thanks to all your hard work I was able to sleep that night feeling safe from the elements”.
And Racheal, who wanted to send this message through to SES volunteers:
“Just wanted to say a huuuge thanks to the guys and girls at Bacchus Marsh SES for the amazing job they did to extract our horses after our accident and float rollover at Pykes Creek on Friday night we are truly grateful – words can't describe how amazing you are”.
There are a number of ways that you can show your appreciation for SES volunteers all year round:
- Send a message of thanks: post a message on social media and include the #thankyouSES hashtag.
- Be resilient: prepare for emergencies by keeping an up-to-date emergency kit and plan
- Become a volunteer: find out if your local VICSES unit is recruiting by visiting ses.vic.gov.au/volunteer.
- Make a donation: contact your local unit to find out if they are currently fundraising and how they’re accepting donations.
To send a message of thanks to SES volunteers during Wear Orange Wednesday, visit ses.vic.gov.au/wow or facebook.com/vicses.
