Like most emergency service groups and agencies the Department of Fire and Emergency Services are rapidly approaching their high operational season usually starting from late November.
The high operational season puts all units including Northam District State Emergency Service Unit (NDSES) on heightened alert and a greater state of readiness as the warmer months encourage more people to venture outdoors giving rise to increased missing persons for which the unit aid police, increased summer storms as well as bushfires for which NDSES have a support role.
In addition to this SES are always ready for any other natural disasters to occur for which we must respond to including floods and earthquakes.
As part of this preparation NDSES unit attended a training afternoon on the November 3 pertaining to one of its bushfire support roles in water bomber reloading.
Eleven volunteers from the SES unit attended the training session, which consisted of both theory and practical elements in working in an aviation environment, communicating with pilots through hand signals and hooking up hoses and foam so that water and foam could be pumped into the aircraft and then used in bushfire suppression.
Training was conducted by the DFES and Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions who also flew in a Water Bomber for training purposes.
The Northam District SES unit are always looking for new members to join and encourage anyone interested in becoming a member to contact the unit via email at ndses@bigpond.com or phone0407 112 436.
For any emergency calls relating to SES please call 132 500.
Sarge Bottacin is the local manager of the Northam SES.