Why the Ballina SES Unit is ‘adamant’ it does not want a new building in a ‘dead end street’

The controller of the Ballina unit says there are many issues with the site, which could be disastrous in an emergency. This is why they’re continuing to argue with the council over the location.

SES members from Ballina, Casino, Coraki and Lismore undertook Participate In A Rescue Operation training at Lismore Unit on Sunday February 28, 2021. Photo: Alison Paterson

The NSW SES is hoping Ballina Shire Council will approve its new headquarters in Clarke Street Reserve, near the current location.

The SES has rejected the idea of an alternative location for their headquarters at 26 Endeavour Close.

Unit commander Gerry Burnage spoke to the council during the May meeting about the issue.

In Ballina, the SES has almost 100 people involved in its operations, most of them as volunteers, Mr Burnage said.

“Since January 1, 2017 we have assisted in more than 265 life-threatening situations, such as medical gain-entries and car crashes, 28 of those this year alone,” he said.

SES crews from Woodburn, Broadwater, Ballina and Lismore searching with NSW Police for a missing person in 2020.

“We had 826 calls for help during storms and floods in this unit alone, plus 26 searches of missing persons, some up to a week at a time.

“We also recorded 1300 hours of work assisting the RFS during the recent bushfires in the communications centre, door knocking and delivering food to bushfire crews.

“We have more than 55,000 volunteer-hours recorded locally and in other areas of NSW and interstate in that period.”

The SES controller is hoping the council will be able to approve the final location of the building so they can start discussing its final design.

Despite council agreeing unanimously to hold further discussions with the local controller and the NSW SES in relation to a preferred site on May 27, Mr Burnage confirmed no such talks had happened yet.

Ballina SES unit controller Gerry Burnage.

He said his unit was adamant the Endeavour Close option was not one they supported.

“26 Endeavour Close is a dead-end street, which is not good for us,” he said.

“We are adamant about that.

“Trying to get out in an emergency from that location could cost somebody’s life.

“The fire station, which is located nearby, has access to the main road ... 26 Endeavour Close wouldn’t. We’d have to go through all the traffic through the industrial area.

“Often there are trucks backing in which means you’ve got to stop, you can’t pass vehicles with cars parked everywhere, and if you are heading north, you can’t come out via the BP service centre, you have to go out via the Aldi roundabout.”

A supplied image obtained on Sunday, December 13, 2020, shows NSW SES volunteers resting on bags of sand at a pick up facility in northern NSW. Picture: NSW SES Ballina / Facebook

According to council documents from May’s meeting, the design development of the SES Headquarters was based on areas required under the NSW Public Works guidelines for SES facilities that are rated as medium to large.

Three concept designs were prepared by council staff for Clark Street, all featuring 745 sqm of building, 390 sqm of garage, 485 sqm of hardstand and a 1100 sqm carpark.

“Each of the designs have attempted to minimise impacts to the Clark Street Reserve, to reduce tree removal and the general occupation of public open space,” the report stated.

“ This minimisation has been achieved by physically locating the facility to the far eastern end of the site, where there are fewer trees, while still allowing driveway access and egress to Hogan Street.”