SES volunteer Russell Dwyer lends a hand in times of disaster
THE heartwarming feeling and chance to give back to the community is what prompted Russell Dwyer to volunteer with the NSW State Emergency Service. Find out how you can give back to your community this DoSomething Day on July 25.
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THE heartwarming feeling and chance to give back to the community is what prompted Russell Dwyer to volunteer with the NSW State Emergency Service.
Fifteen years on and the 54-year-old, of Forestville, has since helped hundreds of people through some of the most difficult times of their lives — recovering from natural disasters.
While the deputy controller of the Warringah Pittwater SES is one of 90 volunteers at his unit and 9000 statewide, he said the NSW SES was still in dire need of help.
Mr Dwyer urged others to use DoSomething Day on July 25 to consider volunteering at the not-for-profit, community emergency service organisation.
An initiative of the DoSomething Foundation, NewsLocal and Your Local Club, it celebrates the volunteers in our community and those spreading kindness.
“You get a great sense of reward helping people,” Mr Dwyer said.
“It makes you feel nice, especially when they appreciate it and need a hand.
“You always get out what you put into it, and you meet some amazing people along the way. Some of my closest friends have been made through the SES.”
Mr Dwyer said he has been able to travel to Queensland to help clean up the devastation left behind by the floods in 2010 and Cyclone Yasi in 2011 with the NSW SES. He has also run a number of emergency service operations across the northern beaches in the past few years, liaising with other emergency crews and ensuring tasks, such as sandbagging, were carried out promptly, correctly and safely.
“I’ve never felt scared attending a situation or scenario and I think it’s because we’re very well trained at the SES,” he said.
“Even if you do feel overwhelmed, there’s a 24-hour, seven-day a week critical support team you can talk to. We’ve also got chaplains on site and everyone is very supportive of each other.
“Even my daughter joined on her 16th birthday and has just celebrated her 10th year as a member.”
The SES’ major responsibilities are for flood, storm and tsunami emergencies. They also provide the majority of general rescue efforts in rural parts of the state — offering assistance searching for lost and missing persons, road accident and vertical rescues, and community first responses.
Volunteer roles include assisting communities affected by severe storms and floods, undertaking temporary repairs to damaged properties, removing trees from buildings or blocked roads, and helping emergency service units, such as the police, Rural Fire Service and ambulance.
For more information on volunteering with the SES, go to ses.nsw.gov.au
To find out how you can get involved in DoSomething Day click here.