SES callouts surge around Geelong in damaging 2020

A tornado, an earthquake, floods and wild wind events have had Geelong region SES units working overtime in the past 12 months, with hundreds more callouts compared to 2019.

SES units across the Geelong region experienced a busy 2020 with events such a tornado, floods and an earthquake leading to hundreds of more calls for assistance compared to 2019.

The Bellarine unit said that it had 111 more jobs in 2020 than in 2019, while Torquay had nearly 100 more jobs and Corio had 50 more jobs.

Torquay SES received a total of 203 requests for assistance including 24 for building damage, 15 for floods and six rescue events.

During the summer bushfires, a Torquay member also joined a team from the South West region which was deployed to assist in Gippsland.

Sth Barwon SES members have started training again after not being able to amid covid. left: Sth Barwon SES members Caroline Taylor, Anne Moreillon and Peter Ryan. picture: Glenn Ferguson

The busiest day for the unit was August 27 when heavy storms came through.

“This was on top of all the additional steps and precautions as a result of a global pandemic,” Torquay SES said.

“A huge thankyou to all our volunteers for their incredible efforts.”

The Bellarine’s 328 requests for assistance included 95 for fallen trees causing traffic hazards, 32 for floods, and 17 rescue events.

Members also assisted with deployments for the Warrnambool floods and with monitoring border checkpoints during the coronavirus pandemic.

Corio SES’ 291 calls for assistance included the likes of landslides in Anakie, a tornado in Geelong, a leaking dam in Torquay and an earthquake near Lara.

It responded to 42 car crash rescues, and assisted ambulance on 12 occasions and police on 20.

SES at a house in Pintail Drive Torquay which was under threat from flooding from a nearby dam in October. Picture: Alison Wynd

Meanwhile, South Barwon SES attended to 639 requests for assistance across during the 2019-20 financial year and so far for 2020-21.

The figures included 103 rescues, 150 trees down and 271 for building damage – with much of the damage relating to the Waurn Ponds tornado in May.

Geelong SES’ 308 calls during the same period included 121 trees down, 86 for building damage and 28 for floods.

Bannockburn SES received 151 requests for assistance for 2019-20 and during 2020-21, while Lorne received 105 and Winchelsea had 78.

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Originally published as SES callouts surge around Geelong in damaging 2020