Geelong council claims local SES under-resourced during 2022 floods

Geelong council claims it was left to provide support traditionally given by the Victoria State Emergency Service, due to limited resourcing during flooding.

Geelong 2022 floods. Picture David Smith.

Geelong council claims it was left to provide support traditionally given by the Victoria State Emergency Service, due to limited resourcing during floods.

In a submission to state parliamentary inquiry into Victoria’s major floods of October 2022,the City of Greater Geelong said there was evidence of lack of SES resourcing due to relocation to northern areas of the state, which were also deluged.

“This left skeleton staff available to respond to the impact on the City of Greater Geelong and Barwon South West region,” council’s submission said.

The submission said the city undertook responsibilities that were traditionally the responsibility of the SES, including provision of sandbags due to a shortage resulting from resourcing other areas of the state impacted by flooding, and co-ordination of sandbag collection points.

It said council staff were deployed to assist members of the community to fill up sandbags.

Council also claimed limited SES resources increased waiting times for Greater Geelong residents.

“This resulted in residents seeking support directly through council for property protection,” the submission said.

“The deployment from the region of SES staff with local knowledge and skeleton staff meant community assets were impacted.

“This lack of VICSES resourcing to protect community assets, combined with the provision of council sandbag stock for community use depleted the city’s stock.

“The city had limited resources and stock to prepare and protect council infrastructure.

“Many community facilities and critical depot sites were subsequently inundated.”

Flood water on the Barwon River Geelong. Picture David Smith.

A VICSES spokesperson said the response to the October floods involved all available volunteers from within the City of Greater Geelong and neighbouring units.

“The complex and challenging nature of this record flooding that was experienced across such a large area of the state last year, meant that emergency service resources had to be consistently re-evaluated and moved to where the greatest risk to life and property was at the time,” the spokesperson said.

Between October 6 and January 23, SES units in the Barwon South West region responded to about 1665 requests for assistance.

On October 12, a multi-agency incident control centre was set up at the VICSES Geelong office, with VICSES members and other emergency services in place across a 24/7 period until its closure on October 17, to manage the event and ensure resources and incoming requests for assistance were appropriately managed, the spokesperson said.

“This included members with local knowledge,” they said.

The spokesperson said SES maintained surge capacity.

They said identifying appropriate sandbag collection point locations for the local community was a shared responsibility.

They said council provide sand, and SES provided bags and personnel to support the collection.

Council’s submission suggested workforce planning for statewide events consider downstream resourcing implications.

Originally published as Geelong council claims local SES under-resourced during 2022 floods