VICSES receive significant funding boost

VICSES receive significant funding boost

03/05/2022, 3:30 PM

In a record investment into the Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES), $28.5 million dollars has been allocated in the state budget handed down today, contributing to maintaining our facilities, upgrades to priority vehicles and in helping volunteers respond to floods and other emergencies in what has been the busiest year on record.

Devastating storms and floods have ravaged the state, with the impact being felt across the whole service, with over 46,000 requests for assistance in 2021 (an increase of more than 13,000 requests year on year). Our volunteers are the backbone of VICSES, with 5,000 members trained and ready to respond to the Victorian community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. These dedicated volunteers will receive funding to maintain facilities, upgrade priority vehicles and help volunteers respond to floods and other emergencies.

VICSES CEO Stephen Griffin was elated at the additional funding announced, stating “this is a fantastic outcome for our dedicated volunteers and is a sign of the government commitment to the service and to the vital work of VICSES volunteers serving the Victorian community 24 hours a day, 365 days a year”.

This funding will also support the Government’s ongoing work to improve the culture and safety of emergency service volunteer groups and encourage more women to join their local units.

VICSES is unique in that it provides multiple specialist services, including road crash rescue (RCR) and response to storm, flood, and landslide, in addition to swift water rescue, and support for other emergency services agencies with everything from search and rescue (land, water, steep angle and alpine), crime scene support, fire and ambulance support and more.

The broad scope of the service means there is a responsibility for maintaining highly specialised services, training, vehicles and equipment across the broadest range of legislative responsibilities of any emergency service organisation in the state of Victoria.  This funding boost will significantly aid in the operation of our services.

Understand more about the Victoria State Emergency Service.