Gracemere thanks local SES heroes

Gracemere says thank you to SES volunteers who guided them to safety during last year’s evacuation at the opening of the Lawrie St shed

May Lee with Alexander and Josiah Duncan at the SES facilities in Lawrie St Gracemere on Monday

JOSIAH Duncan was at school last year and his baby brother was home with mum when bush fires caused the suburb of Gracemere to go into evacuation.

Dozens of families visited the new State Emergency Services facilities on Lawrie St on Monday to thank the volunteers who took such good care of them.

Families visited the new SES facilities in Lawrie St Gracemere on Monday

“It was quite terrifying,” said Josiah’s mum May Lee, who moved to Gracemere two years ago.

“My husband was teaching at Glenmore High School, so were separated.”

Grateful Gracemere families at the SES facilities in Lawrie St Gracemere on Monday

It was a similar “very scary” story for Cassandra Means whose husband, who was working at Keppel Sands, didn’t know if he could reach his family.

Cassandra and Thomas Means at the SES facilities in Lawrie St Gracemere on Monday

“We need the SES volunteers and we need more of them,” she said.

When asked whether he would volunteer with the SES when he was old enough, Josiah didn’t hesitate.

“If there’s a fire, I could help some people and they could come to our house to stay,” he said.