Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) volunteers and staff will be better represented in positions of responsibility in the event of a state-wide emergency, with six of the organisation’s members this week receiving their Level 3 accreditation across a range of incident management roles.

In a ceremony at the Victorian Emergency Management Institute (VEMI) on Thursday, April 18, VICSES personnel were awarded their accreditation as either a Level 3 Operations Officer or a Level 3 Incident Controller.

The ceremony represented the culmination of an extended period of evaluation, professional development and leadership training for each of the VICSES graduates, which will now see them able to play key leadership roles at a state level in the event of a large-scale emergency response.

Among the most-recent cohort, current VICSES Metro East Region Operations Manager – Unit Support, Diana Batley, became the first female to become a Level 3 Incident Controller in VICSES’ history.

Eastern Region Operations Manager Learning and Development, Brendan Corboy, also received his Level 3 Incident Controller accreditation, as did Southern Metro Operations Manager – Unit Support, Matt Taranto.

VICSES is also set to benefit from a host of recently accredited Level 3 Operations Officers, including one VICSES volunteer who currently serves as a Unit Controller in Melbourne’s inner-south east.

Danielle Eyssens on Thursday became the first-ever VICSES volunteer to receive a Level 3 accreditation in any capacity, with the Glen Eira Unit Controller a trailblazer among VICSES’ 34 per cent female volunteer base.

Eastern Region Operations Officer Lead Trainer Troy Milner was also elevated as a Level 3 Operations Officer, alongside Western Region Operations Manager Learning and Development, Andrew Murton.

Watching on at Thursday’s ceremony was a collection of VICSES’ senior management, including Chief Executive Officer Greg Leach, Chief Operations Officer Tim Wiebusch, Deputy Chief Officers David Baker, Alistair Drayton, Simon White and Ernestina Di Marco, Senior Assistant Chief Officer (ACO) Ray Jasper and Assistant Chief Officer Mark Cattell.

Quotes attributable to VICSES Chief Operations Officer Tim Wiebusch:

“It’s fantastic to see our staff and volunteers be acknowledged for their tireless commitment to the safety of communities across the state, and I look forward to seeing our VICSES personnel play an increasingly important role in the management of major emergencies going forward.

“This accreditation highlights the countless hours this cohort has spent honing their skills to be able to enact appropriate and timely responses in a range of complex emergency scenarios.

“They are each leaders within our organisation and the sector, and I wish them well as they tackle their next challenge in the incident management sphere.”