Deputy Unit Commander James Gault with the new inflatable rescue boat. Photos: Supplied.
The Temora NSW State Emergency Service (SES) Unit has marked 50 years of service to the community with a new inflatable rescue boat added to its fleet.
The boat will be used in flood rescue responses, adding to the specialised vehicles and equipment operated by volunteers from the unit’s Vesper Street headquarters.
The Temora unit was established in 1976 and has responded to more than 150 calls for assistance over the past four years.
The milestone was marked with a community open day on Saturday (August 15), featuring demonstrations, activities and a barbecue.
NSW SES Deputy Unit Commander James Gault said the branch had changed significantly over the past five decades.
“Over the years, I have watched the SES evolve, with specific training strategies, improved equipment and modern communications,” Mr Gault said.
“These changes have helped us better protect the communities we serve and ensure that volunteers can do their jobs more effectively.”
Temora SES Unit’s community open day attracted budding young volunteers.
Mr Gault said the people behind the SES remained its most important asset.
“While many things have changed, the most important thing has remained exactly the same — the heart of the SES has always been its people,” Mr Gault said.
“I’ve seen volunteers leave their families in the middle of the night to help a neighbour they’ve never met. I’ve seen members stand shoulder to shoulder during floods, storms, searches and emergencies, working tirelessly because they knew someone needed help.”
Temora volunteers have also responded to emergencies outside the local area, including the Thredbo landslide, Sydney bushfires and Albury storms.
Mr Gault recalled being helicoptered into Euabalong in 2022 when the town was isolated by floodwaters.
“What I remember most is the determination of the people around me,” he said. ”There was no talk about whose job it was or who should be doing what. We all simply got on with the task because the community needed our help.”
(From left) Tony Storm (UC), Benjamin Pickup (ZC), Dylan Jeffery (Senior Operator), James Gault (DUC), Stephen Lawrence MLC and Steph Cook MP at the open day.
NSW SES Southern Zone Commander Ben Pickup commended the unit for its 50 years of service.
“For five decades, the Temora unit has provided invaluable support to the local community, responding when people needed help most and assisting communities well beyond the region during major emergencies,” Chief Superintendent Pickup said.
The Temora SES Unit is seeking volunteers aged 16 and over to train as storm and flood operators.
