Orange army will miss Arie’s vast experience

DEVASTATING floods, destructive storms, families left picking up the pieces after a disaster – Arie van den Ende has seen it all.

File image of SES local controller Arie van den Ende who is retiring. (date unknown).

DEVASTATING floods, destructive storms, families left picking up the pieces after a disaster - Arie van den Ende has seen it all during his long and proud association with the city's orange army.

The State Emergency Services (SES) Ipswich controller has played a vital role in many emergency situations throughout Ipswich, including the 2011 flood that devastated the region.

It is hard to imagine Ipswich dealing with a disaster without him - which is why he will be greatly missed when he hangs up his orange uniform at the end of the year.

This week Ipswich City Council farewelled Mr van den Ende with a celebration acknowledging his 39 years of dedicated service.

Over the years Mr van de Ande has been a common sight at the scene of a disaster, helping clean up in the aftermath or planning to get the city prepared to cope in these testing times.

He first joined the SES in 1975 and became the Ipswich controller in 1984 and his hard work and many accomplishments during this time are featured in today's edition of The Queensland Times.

Ipswich will be wishing him the best of luck in his retirement - he has certainly earned it.

Originally published as Orange army will miss Arie’s vast experience