NTES volunteers step up when disaster strikes
THESE volunteers are there to help you when disaster strikes
Northern Territory
Don't miss out on the headlines from Northern Territory. Followed categories will be added to My News.
NT Emergency Service is the volunteer group there to help you when disaster strikes.
The volunteers do everything from supporting police and fireys at a major event, be it a crash or search and rescue operation, to helping out in a natural disaster.
The service is primarily made up of volunteers – people who have an urge to help out their community such as Brett Martin.
MORE TOP NEWS
Trio missing in Arnhem Land found safe and are heading back to community
NT detectives from Crime Division investigate death of 11-year-old boy in West Arnhem Land
The Territory’s nature can be a beautiful but dangerous thing to explore
He’s volunteered in the role in Katherine and Wadeye.
Mr Martin has been a member of the NTES for four years and enjoys being able to learn new skills as well as help his local community.
“But being exhausted and knowing that you tried is a huge thing,” Mr Martin said.
“Just being there, a friendly face, even if it’s covered in dirt and sawdust when you’re out to storms and stuff too.
“The training is there too, it’s a big part of it and so you get trained in a multitude of skills.”
The service has about 280 members across the NT, and in remote areas they can often be the first on scene to a rescue or crash.
Training is given to members to equip them with the skills needed to help out in an emergency – usually this is done during weekly meetings.
OFFER EXTENDED: Amazing NT News subscription offer: Read everything for $1
NTES Central and Northern Command operations officer Dave Travers said they were always looking for people to step up to the challenge.
“Yeah, we get all sorts of walks and you know, and we’ve got a couple of members here that are only just finishing high school and they were already putting their hands up,” he said.
Cunningham: Sense must prevail to prevent an avoidable death
It’s sensible if an Aboriginal child must be removed from their parents, they be placed with a family member or another Indigenous family. But adhering to this principle at the expense of the child’s welfare, as has happened in the past, is madness.
Size matters as new incentive could land fishos more cash
There’s plenty of reasons to cast a line in February particularly with an exciting new twist to the Million Dollar Fish, which could see one lucky fisho walk away with an extra $40k.