Land secured for establishment of brand-new VICSES Kalkallo Unit

Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) is set to expand its emergency response capacity across Melbourne’s north, with a brand-new VICSES unit to be established at Kalkallo to support community growth in the area.

With population figures in the City of Hume projected to increase by 64 per cent by 2030, the advent of VICSES Kalkallo Unit is expected to provide a major boost to local emergency response, easing pressures on existing VICSES units in the area and providing increased resourcing to support emergency service partners such as Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria and fire authorities.

Volunteers from the nearby VICSES Craigieburn Unit joined VICSES staff, Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority (VIDA) representatives and Minister for Emergency Services Vicki Ward at the Donnybrook Road site on Friday, ahead of construction beginning on a base for the inaugural VICSES Kalkallo Unit volunteer cohort later this year.

The state-of-the-art facility is set to feature five drive-through motor bays, individual turnout, wellbeing and office spaces and other amenities and boast ample room for volunteers to train and refine their skills.

The project will be brought to life through the State Government’s Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution fund, which places a focus on increasing availability of community services across Melbourne’s metropolitan fringe.

Set to be strategically placed in close proximity to the Hume Freeway and neighbouring the Kalkallo CFA Brigade, the VICSES Kalkallo Unit facility will strengthen efficient emergency response across the City of Hume, promote inter-agency collaboration and be highly visible to the community it serves.

The headquarters will also allow plenty of additional room for the growth of the unit into the future and promote volunteer retention by ensuring members have the modern resourcing they need to make a difference in their community.

As a General Rescue unit, VICSES Kalkallo Unit volunteers will be largely be charged with providing vital emergency response to VICSES control hazards such as flooding and storm damage and working closely with the nearby VICSES Craigieburn and Whittlesea units to support the City of Hume and beyond.

The addition of VICSES Kalkallo Unit follows the formal opening of brand-new VICSES units at Officer, Cranbourne, Aintree and Point Cook in recent years to service population growth in the local areas.

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

Quotes attributable to Alistair Drayton, VICSES Chief Officer Operations:

“As Victoria’s population grows, it’s important VICSES grows as well. The addition of a unit in a key population growth corridor such as Kalkallo will ensure efficient emergency response continues to be available as these communities grow.

“We look forward to welcoming the unit’s first volunteer cohort and can’t wait to support them with a state-of-the-art facility as they begin their VICSES journey in their developing communities.”