SES volunteers’ flood rescue efforts recognised

DARREN McLEAN

FIVE volunteers from the SES Marong unit and one from the Bendigo unit have been named the inaugural winners of the Australian Search and Rescue Awards’ ‘Professional Volunteer Award’.

The volunteers were recognised during a ceremony in Sydney last week for their efforts during the Bendigo floods in January.

SES Marong unit deputy controller James Plowright accepted the award on behalf of the Marong Land-Based Swift Water Rescue (LBSWR) team, which responded to a water rescue on 2 January.

Marong volunteers Peter, David, Steve and Trent, and Chantelle of the Bendigo unit (the volunteers did not want to give their last names) worked with others to secure an occupied vehicle that had been washed off a causeway and had started to drift downstream soon after 6pm.

With one person and their dog trapped inside the vehicle, James sprinted along the bank with a personal floatation device and helped others who had become trapped in the waist-deep water, while a crew of volunteers in a utility raced to get ahead of it.

Knowing that the responders would likely only have one chance to access the person with a rescue line, when the vehicle briefly became snagged on debris in the creek James tossed a line with precision into the flowing water and helped the driver to shore.

The person’s dog was also able to free itself from the vehicle and swam safely from the creek.

Both were ashore when the vehicle sank and was washed further down the flooded creek.

The Marong unit is one of many that specialises in LBSWR, with volunteers highly trained in the capability.

Mr Plowright said volunteers worked hard to ensure they were prepared for any emergency.

“We’re all very proud to have played an important role in potentially saving lives during this highly demanding incident,” he said.

“We were in the right place at the right time, and our years of training paid off in a significant way for the Wedderburn community.”