Tornado, bushfire, flood: Geelong’s Volunteer of the Year Lisa Keys reflects on near-decade with SES
A Highton mother has revealed the highlights of her near-decade volunteering with the SES, including answering calls for help during the Waurn Ponds tornado of 2020.
Geelong
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When Lisa Keys went searching for volunteer opportunities with her son, she had no idea it would lead her on an almost decade-long journey.
The Highton resident said her then-18-year-old son had expressed interest in joining the State Emergency Service (SES) as an exciting and dynamic way to serve the community, and so they both signed up.
Nine years later, Mrs Keys remains an active operational member for VICSES South Barwon Unit, and has attended more than 1000 emergency events.
Mrs Keys said she’d had some great experiences over her time so far, learning and building on skills.
The 52-year-old said she’d helped out with some intense situations, including providing assistance when a tornado hit Waurn Ponds in 2020.
Mrs Keys said there were about 240 jobs called in within a 30 minute period when the tornado hit.
“It was massive,” she said.
“It was almost like the Wizard of Oz.
“There were council bins on roofs. The most surreal was walking past a tree, and there was a pair of crutches up there.”
Mrs Keys said being a unit controller during the tornado event and throughout the pandemic was an enriching experience.
She said she was very proud of the work her unit was able to accomplish, and of her ability to help out interstate.
Mrs Keys went to the Australian Capital Territory to provide road rescue support in bushfire season.
She said she also flew in a helicopter for the first time ever to help perform a rescue – something she would do again if needed, but wasn’t her favourite activity.
Mrs Keys recently received the 2023 Volunteering Geelong Volunteer of the Year award.
VICSES Barwon South West operations manager Chris Longmore said the award recognised the significant contribution Lisa provided to the Greater Geelong and broader Victorian community.
“Lisa’s achievements exemplify the selfless approach VICSES volunteers take in assisting their communities, in times of need, and is a reminder of the invaluable support VICSES volunteers provide, every hour of every day,” he said.
Mrs Keys said she was honoured and very flattered to be nominated, and win.
She said she encouraged everyone to volunteer somewhere, if they could.
“Everyone can do something, because it does have such a positive impact on your life when you do it,” she said.
“Volunteering is such a vital part of our community.”
Mrs Keys said in the 2022-23 financial year, there were 287,000 SES volunteer hours spent attending almost 33,000 incidents across the state.
She said she was proud to continue her volunteer work.
“At the end of my life, I want to be able to look back and see I’ve made a positive impact,” she said.
“SES definitely allows me to do that.”
For more information or to volunteer, visit www.ses.vic.gov.au/join-us/volunteer
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Originally published as Tornado, bushfire, flood: Geelong’s Volunteer of the Year Lisa Keys reflects on near-decade with SES
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