VICSES cohort activated to support Northern Territory flood response

 
Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) staff and volunteers have been deployed to the nation’s north to aid flood response efforts in the Northern Territory, following days of intense rainfall which has resulted in widespread major flooding.

In partnership with a representative from the Country Fire Authority, three VICSES members will be stationed at Darwin’s Territory Emergency Operations Centre over the coming nights, providing vital incident management team (IMT) support to local first responders managing flooding in the Katherine and Big Rivers region.

Featuring important planning, operations coordination, intelligence gathering and logistics expertise, the cohort will allow local IMT members to rest and refresh after a busy week of flood management and ensure vital emergency response and risk awareness continues unimpeded overnight.

The VICSES cohort includes two staff members from Mallee Region and State Operations respectively, as well as a volunteer with the VICSES Tambo Valley Unit in far east Gippsland.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Bureau of Meteorology had issued eight active flood warnings, with major flooding anticipated along the Daly River south of Litchfield National Park and in the territory’s far southeast.

Further moderate rainfall is forecast over the coming days which could see continued river rises across the territory, with the Daly River having already recorded its highest flood level in more than 25 years.

VICSES members regularly deploy interstate to support their neighbours during major emergencies, with a large cohort of VICSES volunteers and staff deployed New South Wales’ Hunter Valley in May 2025 to support recovery efforts alongside NSW SES and Australian Red Cross personnel.

Quotes attributable to Alistair Drayton, VICSES Chief Officer Operations:

”VICSES prides itself on being there to support our fellow states and territories when help is needed. Our members are highly skilled and meticulously trained to provide vital assistance to local incident management teams and support communities in their time of need.

“We wish them all the best on their deployment and we thank them for their commitment to keeping not only Victorian but Australian communities safe as well.”