NEW RESCUE TRUCK A HEAVY HITTER FOR BALLINA SES
17/09/2022 09:23 AM
A new $420,000 NSW State Emergency Service (SES) Heavy Rescue Vehicle has been delivered to the Ballina SES Unit to boost capability ahead of the upcoming storm season.
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke officially handed over the keys today.
“This truck will significantly increase the Ballina SES Unit’s ability to respond to flood and land-based rescues, as well as storm operations,” Ms Cooke said.
“The Ballina SES Unit has had an incredibly challenging 12 months, responding to 1,253 incidents, with many of those during the devastating flood events across the Northern Rivers in February and March.
“I’m so pleased to able to provide our volunteers with this state-of-the-art rescue truck to better support them in the incredible work they do to protect communities, especially with another La Nina declared for the coming months.”
The vehicle has been delivered as part of the NSW Government’s $116 million fleet replacement program for the SES.
SES Commissioner Carlene York said the new vehicle will allow the 74 volunteers of the Ballina SES Unit to more effectively carry out critical life-saving tasks.
“These vehicles are used widely by the SES for road crashes, flood rescues, storm operations, vertical rescue, industrial rescue and domestic rescue environments,” Commissioner York said.
“With communities across the State experiencing, or recovering, from severe weather events, this new operational capability will only further enhance our response for the upcoming storm season.”
