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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-06-04 Daily Xml
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Tea Tree Gully State Emergency Service

The Hon. T.R. KENYON (Newland) (15:00): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Can the minister advise the house about the recent outstanding efforts of the volunteers of the Tea Tree Gully State Emergency Service unit?

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light—Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (15:01): My life wouldn't be worth it, would it? I thank the honourable member for his question and I would also like to acknowledge the interest of the member for Florey in this topic as well, as I understand this unit supports those two regions and those areas.

The South Australian State Emergency Service has been coming to the community's aid during our hour of need for more than 50 years. Some of the brave exploits of the SES are documented in a new book I officially launched on 16 May, called In Times of Need. The book charts the rich history of the SES. All 67 SES units, as well as past staff and volunteers, were asked to contribute material and photos to the book. I would encourage all members who would like to read this book and do not have a copy to contact my ministerial office and I am happy to provide their electorate office with a copy of the book for themselves and also their communities, because it is certainly a history worth reading.

One of the oldest units in South Australia is the SES Tea Tree Gully unit. I also acknowledge the Prospect State Emergency Service, which turned 50 just recently, and the Enfield State Emergency Service, which turns 50 later this year, which started as civil defence units back in the Cold War period. I am sure that there will be plenty of well-deserved celebrations and I congratulate the unit on their achievement and ongoing support to South Australia. As I mentioned, I would like to recognise the members for Florey and Newland who have been strong supporters of the Tea Tree Gully SES unit, as well as the other emergency services in their electorates.

The unit, based on Tolley Road, St Agnes, has 45 members who provide a host of services and capabilities to the community 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including general rescue, land search, and responding to storm damage. The unit also provides a specialist response to the Northern Adelaide District encompassing swift water, vertical and confined space rescue. The unit also assists the other emergency service agencies when needed.

In January this year, 14 members of the unit provided critical support to the CFS during the Sampson Flat fires. The other volunteers from the unit were utilised in managing their regular responses for the Tea Tree Gully area as well as assisting and backfilling neighbouring units that were supporting the response at Sampson Flat. The unit manager, Phil Tann, does a fantastic job running the unit and all of his volunteers are recognised across the state for their dedication, experience and specialised skills. Consequently, the unit often has a waiting list of members wanting to join.

Many of the members here today will be aware of the SES State Rescue Challenge which is held every two years. The event was held over two days last month at the CFS State Training Centre at Brukunga in the Adelaide Hills, which I was able to attend. The challenge involved many scenarios where SES units competed against each other, including in the simulation of a mass casualty exercise involving a plane crash.

The team representing the Tea Tree Gully unit comprised a number of members, and on the day they won another challenge. They not only won this challenge but they now have 12 consecutive times since 1992—an absolutely amazing and dominant achievement spanning three decades. As the South Australian winners, Tea Tree Gully will travel to Canberra in September this year to represent the state in the National Disaster Rescue Challenge. I have no doubt that the unit will continue punching above their weight on the national stage. I wish them well. I would like to congratulate all the competitors of the day.

The SPEAKER: The member's time has expired. Member for Mitchell.

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