Celebrating the official opening, volunteers from the Parkes SES Unit were joined by members of the SES Facilities team who worked to bring the building project to fruition.
Emergency management is being bolstered in the Central West as the Parkes community celebrated the official opening of the new $4.8 million NSW State Emergency Service (SES) Unit headquarters.
Local volunteers, dignitaries and community members gathered at the new Boyd Circuit facility for an official opening ceremony on Saturday 23 May, recognising both the future of emergency response in Parkes and the volunteers who have served the region for generations.
During the opening, three specialist emergency response vehicles were also handed over to the Gooloogong and Forbes Units which will strengthen operational capability across the region. The new assets included a Community First Responder Vehicle, an Inflatable Rescue Boat and a Light Flood Rescue Vehicle.
Inspector Kim Palmer, Parkes SES Unit Commander said “Our old unit regularly flooded during heavy downpours and as the unit membership has grown more recently finding space for training has become more difficult.”
“Facilities like this do not happen over night and this building is the result of many years of local efforts, volunteer and service advocacy, council partnerships, Federal and State government support, and the countless hours of quiet work behind the scenes.”
This amazing new headquarters means that our local Parkes volunteers will be better equipped and resourced to protect and support the community during future emergencies.
The NSW SES Parkes Unit currently has 43 members and is encouraging more locals to volunteer in both operational and support roles, particularly flood rescue and road crash rescue. Members receive all necessary training to ensure they are well prepared for their roles. For information on how to volunteer, visit https://www.ses.nsw.gov.au/volunteer or contact volunteer support on 1800 201 000.