New SES leader 'fair dinkum' about helping community

THE new community engagement coordinator's key role will be to tap into a less traditional volunteer base and new flood preparedness initiatives.

Richmond Tweed Region community engagement co-ordinator Ben Riley is excited to help the local community connect with the SES and its members and volunteers. Picture: Marc Stapelberg

UNMISSABLE in their orange clad in the thick of natural disasters, State Emergency Service volunteers are a synonymous with emergency assistance in times of crisis.

But the SES is now looking to tap into a less traditional form of volunteering in a bid to better assist communities to prepare and respond in times of crisis.

It's a key focus for the new Richmond-Tweed SES recruit Ben Riley, a returned Lismore resident who has taken up the role of a second community engagement coordinator alongside Janet Pettit.

Most recently coordinating logistics for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, Mr Riley said his years of experience in emergency management combined with his local knowledge of the North Coast were advantages for his new post.

"I think people from my experience know I've been here for a long time and I've done this work previously and they know I'm fair-dinkum about contributing to this community," Mr Riley said.

Mr Riley and Ms Pettit will collaborate across the region to trial new initiatives such as flexible volunteering as well as setting up emergency stations for remote communities to quickly access sand bags and other useful tools during major storms or floods.

While his job doesn't involve being knee deep in flood waters, Mr Riley said being a community engagement coordinator was no desk job.

"I see my my role more as being really getting out talking to the community and building our volunteer base and working as a whole within this region to have a really strong, collaborative approach with all our emergency services partners and the community," Mr Riley said.

"It's about not sitting behind a desk it's about actually getting out and talking to people."

Mr Riley has been quick to hit the pavement and chat to residents and business owners about since starting on January 9.

"The thing that I'm hearing is the community want to move forward, especially the business community," he said.

For now, Mr Riley said listening to the community was key in mapping that way forward.

"These people live in their community, they work in their community, they know what's going on and its important to listen to what their concerns and thoughts are."

Mr Riley said Lismore City Council's flood recovery staff, various business chamber of commerce and the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet were among the agencies involved in the effort.

He said his role would involved developing a more "collaborate approach" as opposed to different agencies working in isolation on different flood preparedness and response initiatives.