- The Queensland State Budget provided a significant boost to the State Emergency Service with more than $20 million allocated to ongoing annual budget, a $21.3 million uplift in funding
- SES Week shines a light on the dedication and selflessness of the State’s SES volunteers and staff
- Budget boost supports the recruitment of 105 additional SES staff
The Palaszczuk Government’s historic and record funding boost for Queensland’s emergency services will deliver 105 full-time equivalent (FTE) additional SES staff to support frontline SES volunteers, 75 of which will be recruited in the 2023-24 financial year and 30 more will be recruited in 2024/25.
As part of the uplift funding, the government is also delivering more equipment to enhance SES volunteer capabilities and frontline response.
This year a number of replacement flood boats, training and support vehicles will be commissioned and delivered to SES groups across the state.
Volunteers will also benefit from the rollout of enhanced equipment including stretchers, battery operated lighting kits, trauma training and resuscitation kits, CPR AED manikins, training defibrillators and mobile phone boosters to increase safety and training capabilities.
SES Week runs from 9-17 September and highlights the thousands of SES volunteers who dedicate thousands of hours each year to help keep Queensland safe.
Volunteers are being recognised at regional awards ceremonies across the state, culminating in a State Awards ceremony where overall winners will be celebrated for their incredible work.
The service is also supported by Principal Community Partner, Suncorp and Supporting Partners, Energex and Ergon Energy (part of Energy Queensland) and Powerlink Queensland and local governments, who continue to provide capability for SES units across the state to support their respective communities.
Quotes attributable to Emergency Services Minister Mark Ryan:
“What our SES volunteers and staff do to keep Queensland safe and resilient is nothing short of extraordinary,” he said.
“They are among the first to step up when their communities need them and devote thousands of hours to training, on top of operational response.
“Rightly so, SES Week is an opportunity for all Queenslanders to thank and honour our dedicated SES volunteers and staff.
“The State Government has committed $21.3 million of uplift funding as part of a record $57.68 million budget, which will greatly benefit our SES volunteers.
“A total of 105 additional SES staff will be recruited to support volunteers across the state and with a focus on strategy, resourcing, readiness and corporate support.
“On top of extra staff, the uplift will fund extra equipment such as SES flood boats, vehicles and training kits which are an extremely valuable asset for our volunteers and the communities they serve.”
Quotes from Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) Commissioner Greg Leach:
“I am extremely proud of the generosity and dedication of our SES volunteers, who spent more than 92,000 hours responding to incidents in the last year, plus more than 330,000 hours of training and preparation,” he said.
“Volunteers continue to do an exceptional job in helping Queensland prepare and respond to disasters and emergencies, which is why it’s so important we continue to support them.
“This is an exciting time for the SES, and I know the new and replacement equipment and additional staff will go a long way in helping our volunteers in orange keep their communities safe.”
