Local State Emergency Service volunteers have made an urgent SOS to Council for the immediate repair and eventual redevelopment of their dilapidated Yass headquarters.
Region Controller for SES Southern Highlands, Tony Casey made a special presentation to Yass Valley councillors prior to the Planning, Policy and Review meeting last week.
He identified a number of crucial short term and long term issues affecting the viability of the local volunteer emergency organisation.
He said the “severely run down” Unit headquarters in Laidlaw Street is completely inadequate for a professional emergency service to efficiently manage storm and flood operations in the area.
“It is run down, not well-maintained and falling apart,” Mr Casey said.
“We could hardly run an emergency out of this facility.”
Mr Casey pleaded with councillors to see the urgency of the situation.
“Your SES volunteers need your support and commitment to continue serving the Yass Valley community.”
“What was accepted as adequate 15-20 years ago is no longer acceptable today,” Mr Casey stressed.
The present building, which is co-located with the Rural Fire Service and next to a Council depot, can only survive in the near term if a maintenance program in instigated for both the internal and external refurbishment.
Without a suitable operational control facility, the ability of the SES to manage disaster emergencies is severely compromised.
In the long term, the location is viable but the building is not. The SES is seeking a complete redevelopment of the site and has successfully applied for and received a $50,000 grant from the Federal Government to assist the project.
“The volunteers of the Unit are professional and provide a first rate service to the community,” Mr Casey said.
“They deserve a facility that is equally professional in appearance and utility. The present building is decrepit and run down.”
The local SES vehicles are in a similar state, with the current strategy for acquisition not tenable into the future.
Yass SES Unit is required to own and maintain its fleet of three vehicles. Yass Valley Council is the only council of the ten in this Region to not assist their local SES Unit, by taking ownership of vehicles and supporting their operation. Council has assisted with grants - $14, 000 in 2007 and $10,000 in 2003 - towards the purchase of vehicles but local volunteers, through fundraising and other activities, have covered the remaining costs.
“The volunteers cannot keep shaking the tin to keep the vehicles on the road,” Mr Casey said.
The SES has recommended a review into operations, unit vehicle requirements and headquarter facilities be jointly conducted by appropriate Council staff, the SES Local Controller, Lincoln Farnsworth, and SES Region staff with a report to Council by November.
Mayor Nic Carmody said Council would consider the issues in the next Management Plan, to be discussed in early May.
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