Talk:New South Wales State Emergency Service

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The Water Brigades

The SES is part of a long and proud tradition of volunteer rescue services. Floods started hitting farmers in the Hawkesbury valley almost as soon as they settled there during the 1790s. Local communities and police would organise their own flood rescue efforts, using whatever boats were available. In 1864 the colonial government setup a Flood Relief Committee. This setup local groups to distribute food, drinks, blankets and clothes to flood afflicted communities. That was only useful after the flood. As local governments were setup, they were petitioned to provide boats, launching ramps, boat sheds, lighting, and other rescue equipment. There was some problem with co-ordinating this effort between councils and with boats brought in from Sydney. In 1869 the Windsor Water Brigade was formed with the goal of rescuing people trapped in floods. Other communities then followed their example. By 1880 there were water brigades in Wilberforce, Pitt Town, Windsor, West Maitland, and East Maitland. Other communities also took up the idea, so that by 1906 there were at least 20 water brigades, mostly spread between Sydney and the Northern Rivers. These brigades provided many vital services to their communities and the last one, the Grafton Water Brigade, did not close down until 2000. Sitalkes (talk) 01:36, 28 September 2020 (UTC)

The National Emergency Service

However, from 1920 to 1945, there were few floods, and many of the water brigades withered away. There was also less money available due to the Great Depression. During the war years, many people left to go on active service. Even after the war, there were labour and material shortages. However, there was an enthusiastic response to the call for people to join the wartime National Emergency Service. This was formed in February 1939 as a co-operative venture between the federal, state and local governments to provide civil defence. The emphasis was on fire-fighting, first aid, air raid warnings, air raid shelters, and evacuations. This was to combat the threats of bombing and chemical weapons. There were 115,000 members but no use was seen for it at the end of the war, and it was disbanded in 1945.

1955 - State Emergency Service Founded

Following the devastating Hunter Valley floods of 1955, which no single agency was equipped or designated to manage, the NSW State Emergency Service was founded 26th April 1955 as a flood rescue organisation that was to be similar to the wartime National Emergency Service. The first Director was Major General Ivan Dougherty. Initially a separate Civil Defence Organisation was also setup the same year to counter the threats posed by the Cold War, in particular the threat of nuclear attack. The two organisations were combined into the Civil Defence Organisation and State Emergency Services in September 1955. By 1961, the organisation claimed 8,300 members. Due to the Cold War, until the 1970s the SES had a primary focus on civil defence. After 1958, it was called the NSW Civil Defence Organisation. In 1972, the State Emergency Services and Civil Defence Act changed the name again to State Emergency Services and Civil Defence, and the emphasis was put back on storm operations. Dougherty retired in 1973 and was replaced by Air Vice Marshall WE (Bill) Townsend In 1975, the Bush Fire Branch was integrated into the SES. This merger wasn’t a success, though, and they were split again in 1978. In 1980, Townsend's contract was terminated and the State government amended the SES act to place the organisation under the control of the Police Commissioner. He retained control until 1989.

Sitalkes (talk) 08:42, 27 September 2020 (UTC)Sitalkes (talk) 12:07, 27 September 2020 (UTC)