VICSES Rochester Unit marks 50 years of dedicated service

04/08/2025, 2:05 PM
VICSES Rochester Unit volunteers recently gathered to celebrate 50 years of dedicated service to their township and local communities.

Over the weekend the Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) Rochester Unit marked 50 years of continuous service to its local community, a remarkable milestone built on decades of dedicated volunteerism and resilience.

The unit was first established in 1974 by a group of local volunteers who saw a need for a formal emergency response capability in Rochester. With minimal equipment, members often had to construct their own tools and raise funds to acquire the basic resources required to protect their town.

Since then, a total of 174 members have volunteered with the VICSES Rochester Unit, with 18 active members continuing the proud legacy today. Over the past 15 years, the unit has received more than 485 tree-down incidents, 143 road crash rescues, and numerous other emergencies including building damage, searches, animal rescues, assist agency callouts, and major flood responses in 1974, 1975, 1983, 1992, 1993, 2010, 2011, 2022 and again in 2024.

VICSES Rochester Deputy Controller Judith Gledhill was one of several long-time volunteers recognised on the evening, flanked by VICSES Senior Assistant Chief Officer Sharon Unthank and VICSES Rochester Unit Controller Tim Williams.

To celebrate the half-century milestone, the unit held a gala event on Saturday 2 August to honour the contributions of past and present members. A special presentation was made to thank the Major family including, Ken, June, Glenn, and Reg Ellis, for their 50 years of continuous service. The family has been instrumental in the development and leadership of the unit, and the new VICSES Rochester facility, due for completion in late 2026, will feature the “Major Operations Room” in their honour.

The 2022 Victorian floods marked one of the most challenging times in the unit’s history. With the entire township inundated, including the unit’s own headquarters. During this event, VICSES Rochester Unit volunteers received and responded to over 350 requests for assistance, including more than 200 floodwater rescues.

Despite their own homes being affected, members led evacuations, coordinated rescues, prepared thousands of sandbags, and relocated operations to higher ground to maintain response capability throughout the crisis.

The efforts of the unit during this time reflected the strength and dedication of the Rochester volunteers, and of VICSES personnel from across the state who deployed to assist the community during this unprecedented emergency.

Earlier this year, land was secured on Moore Street for a new fit-for-purpose VICSES Rochester Unit facility. Construction is scheduled to commence in late 2025, with the upgraded space to better support emergency response and volunteer operations into the future.

The unit has also played an ongoing role in community engagement, being among the first to implement Driver Reviver in Victoria, a program they continue to deliver today in partnership with the Rochester Lions Club.

As the unit looks back on five decades of service, they are also calling on new volunteers to join their ranks. With more frequent and severe weather events, and continued growth in emergency requests, VICSES Rochester welcomes community-minded individuals to step forward and contribute to the safety of their region.

Quotes attributable to VICSES Rochester Unit Controller, Tim Williams:

“During the October 2022 Floods, my own home was flooded, as were several of our volunteers’, but we just moved forward with the work and tried not to think about what was happening at home. The dedication of our volunteers at the time was unwavering. I’m so proud to be celebrating 50 years, the work we do here is vital.”

“The spirit of the community has been extraordinary; volunteering their time and resources, and making things happen. We couldn’t be more pleased with the response.”

Quotes attributable to VICSES Rochester Unit Deputy Controller, Judith Gledhill:

“VICSES Rochester Unit volunteers have played a vital role in supporting their community over the last 50 years, and we look forward to overcoming the challenges of the next 50."

“Our volunteers are incredibly hard-working, dedicated, and highly trained, and once this new facility is complete, we look forward to welcoming more volunteers through the doors.”

“The new facility will reflect our volunteers’ commitment to their community and help strengthen local emergency capability well into the future.”