Crows Nest SES swells with volunteers after horror fire season
ONE Toowoomba region SES group quadrupled the number of volunteers on its books, prompting an expansion of its headquarters.
Toowoomba
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AS A destructive bushfire threatened Crows Nest last summer, the local SES branch was resigned to working from a cramped industrial estate shed.
Initially designed for a small team, the shed was inadequate for group’s modern demands.
Now, after a $50,000 upgrade, it has access to more storage and planning areas along with a bigger kitchen and nicer toilets.
Group leader Shelly Scott said the facilities would benefit everyone.
“We needed to expand to accommodate for the volunteer members,” she said.
“We have gone from six members in 2014 to about 20 members today.”
Yesterday, the group hosted an open day.
It was attended by Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio who cut a ribbon to officially open the centre.
The events of the past summer are still fresh in the minds of Crows Nest locals.
Many were ordered to evacuate when what started as a small fire in Pechey in November spread north, burning through Ravensbourne forest, around Perseverance Dam and threatening Crows Nest’s residential areas.
By Christmas it had burnt through more than 70,000 hectares.
Ms Scott said those horror conditions had motivated residents to sign up with the SES.
“We had an influx of volunteers this year,” she said.
“We also have a lot of younger members coming in.
“Some want to go into the services, like the police or armed forces, and the SES is a good stepping stone for them to learn different skills.
“We wear bright colours and have bright ideas, and we are community minded.”
