VICSES Cranbourne Unit volunteers realise youngster’s birthday wish

A Pearcedale boy with aspirations of becoming Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) volunteer has had the opportunity to meet his heroes, after members of VICSES Cranbourne Unit made a surprise appearance at his SES-themed birthday party at the weekend.

Having shown a keen interest in the large rescue trucks driven by VICSES volunteers, and with familial links to the VICSES Sorrento Unit, Harrison’s birthday was bathed in orange on Sunday as he and his friends were made honorary VICSES volunteers for the day.

Dressed in his very own pair of orange SES overalls, Harrison and his buddies were given a crash course in (toy) chainsaw safety by VICSES volunteers before climbing in for a front seat view of the unit’s brand-new Medium Rescue Truck (MRT), one of the unit’s three fleet vehicles which were in attendance.

Partygoers were also given a demonstration of the vehicles’ emergency lights and the MRT’s in-built lighting tower, which local volunteers use to provide timely and efficient lighting at emergencies throughout Melbourne’s southeast.

A personalised birthday certificate and a VICSES truck-shaped lunchbox gift served as lasting keepsakes to celebrate Harrison’s day, courtesy of the local unit, while VICSES mascot Paddy the Platypus also left a lasting impression on festivities, high fiving and posing for photos with a parade of youngsters throughout.

The VICSES theme extended into the event’s food options, with children enjoying orange jelly cups and Harrison blowing the candles out on a special birthday cake which depicted VICSES volunteers conducting a high angle rescue of a patient stuck down a cliff.

While volunteers celebrated with Harrison and his friends, the event also provided a perfect opportunity for the brand-new unit to engage with parents and highlight the important role volunteers in orange play in the local community.

Since officially opening the doors of its state-of-the-art headquarters last December, VICSES Cranbourne Unit has been among the state’s busiest, with local volunteers called to almost 400 requests for assistance last financial year from community members in need.

To find out more about volunteering with VICSES, visit www.ses.vic.gov.au/join-us.

Quotes attributable to Scott Bernhard, VICSES Cranbourne Unit Controller:

“Being a brand-new unit, it’s quite special to have a young person in our community aspire to become a VICSES volunteer, so we thought it was important to put on a show for Harrison and his friends.

“We look forward to seeing Harrison join VICSES as a volunteer in the future and today we wish him a very happy sixth birthday.”