SES says it can no longer effectively respond to emergencies with record low members and underfunding
The volunteer organisation has reached ‘crisis’ point with underfunding and membership stooping to levels not seen since the 1970s
Mackay
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The State Emergency Service says it has reached crisis point with grossly miscalculated funding and record low member levels.
Queensland SES Volunteer Association Inc’s Deni Keeshan said memberships were dropping with no recovery in sight.
“Volunteer numbers are now at the lowest point in the agency’s history, a disheartening and unsustainable trend,” the state vice president said in a statement on Monday.
The QLDSESVA stated numbers had dropped from 17,000 in 2003-4 to just 5200 in February this year.
Ms Keeshan has also hit back at Queensland Fire and Emergency Service’s comments they could “respond effectively” to emergencies and disasters.
“All QFES personnel and volunteers play an important role in response efforts, which gives QFES the capability to meet the challenges posed by incidents and natural disasters,” the QFES spokesman said in late February.
Ms Keeshan said recent events showed this was “unfortunately” inaccurate.
“Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent every year within QFES and SES being one of the three agencies is provided less than 2 per cent of that budget to operate, a gross miscalculation of what’s needed,” she said.
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Ms Keeshan said the organisation needed at least $70 million annually to service the community as mandated by law.
The QLDSESVA was now backing the Regional Queensland Council of Mayors in pressing the State Government to release its review into the service which has reportedly been left to languish on a shelf for eight months.
“The QLDSESVA is calling on the Premier to release the report, act upon the recommendations and fully fund the Queensland State Emergency Service now and into the future for the sake of the agency, volunteers and importantly the community,” its statement said.
The group will meet with QFES Commissioner Greg Leach in the coming weeks and also hopes to discuss with newly-appointed Fire and Emergency Services Minister Mark Ryan realistic options to save the SES.
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