Ordinary People doing Extraordinary Things
The State Emergency Service (SES) is a volunteer organisation, established by an Act of Parliament in 1975. Under the Act, every local authority in Queensland is responsible for maintaining SES Units within their communities. The SES Units are made up of local people who have volunteered to prepare themselves and their communities to minimise the effects of a disaster. SES volunteers do not receive payment. |
For information on
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The State Emergency Service (SES) is a volunteer organisation, established by an Act of Parliament in 1975.
Under the Act, every local authority in Queensland is responsible for maintaining SES Units within their communities. The SES Units are made up of local people who have volunteered to prepare themselves and their communities to minimise the effects of a disaster. SES volunteers do not receive payment.
From 1 July 2008 employers whose staff volunteer for the State Emergency Service will be exempt from paying payroll tax for the hours staff spend away from work serving the community. This exemption recognises the importance of those volunteers and the commitment of their employers for allowing their staff to take time away from work to assist in emergency operations. (Exemptions do not apply to wages paid or payable as recreation leave, annual leave, long service leave or sick leave.)
Under the motto, "Be Aware", the basic concept of the SES is to encourage self-help and mutual assistance within each community. The SES Units support the statutory services (Police, Fire and Ambulance) where an emergency or disaster is beyond the resources of those services.
In Queensland, the SES is the primary response agency for storm and flood emergencies and provides support to other emergency service agencies.
The Queensland SES responds at local and national levels to many different types of activations including disasters and emergencies including:
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And performs functions ranging from:
- Support to other agencies such as Queensland Police, Queensland Fire and Rescue and Queensland Ambulance;
- Community Education
- Flood Response
- Incident Management
- Search
- Special Rescue (Urban search and rescue)
- Storm Operations
- Road Crash Rescue
- Traffic Management
- Vertical Rescue; and
- Aerial Observation
Unpaid volunteers run the local SES recruitment sessions. Depending on the SES Group the frequency of Information Nights and Inductions may vary and some may be held infrequently resulting in possible delays in the membership process.
If I joined the SES, what types of things would I be asked to do ?
Make a life-changing commitment by joining the Queensland State Emergency Service (SES). As an SES member you will actively contribute during disasters and emergencies locally, statewide and nationally. All training and personal protective equipment is free so you not only provide an exceptional service to your community but also obtain training that is beneficial to both your personal and professional life. There is an expectation of members to regularly attend training and support during activations where possible.
You could be involved in:
- Assisting police in the search for a missing person
- Performing a vertical rescue of a bushwalker fallen over a cliff or a worker trapped up a silo
- Conducting a road accident rescue in rural areas or assisting the Fire Service in urban area
- Providing traffic control, lighting, communications support to other services at a major accident or event such as bushfires or a mining accident
- Going out in a flood boat to rescue a marooned person or to drop supplies to people cut of in the wet season
- Putting tarpaulins on houses unroofed by severe storms or cyclones
- Removing fallen trees and cleaning up debris after a severe storm or cyclone
- Conducting a public education display at your local show or in your local shopping centre
- Providing emergency lighting for aero-medical activities
- Conducting fundraising events for your Unit
- You will never be compelled to take part in an activation or to undergo training in something of which you are afraid or dislike
- Incident Management
Fitness to Function
There are positions available for both very active and less-active individuals however it is the volunteer’s responsibility to ensure they have an appropriate level of fitness to perform SES functions e.g. volunteers may consider themselves fairly fit however might experience discomfort during a land search over rough terrain. In this situation a volunteer may impede the search by needing to be rescued.
Who can join the SES ?
There is a role for everyone - people from all walks of life and who are super-fit or of average health. Everyone can learn new skills and make their own contribution. Emergency Services Cadet Units have been established in a number of communities for young people at high school.
See the Emergency Services Cadets website for more information.
What could I expect to learn with the SES ?
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How much will it cost me to be in the SES ?
Cash? Zero. Commitment? |
All Volunteers are provided with complete protective clothing. There are no joining fees. All education and training programs are provided free of charge. Equipment is provided.
If you are injured in any way whilst on an SES activation or at training, you will be fully covered by Workers Compensation.
Where can I get more information ?
To find out how to join, or for more information about SES in your area, contact your nearest EMQ Regional or Area Office.How do I become a volunteer ?
To become a member of the State Emergency Service simply register your interest through our SES Feedback Form or contact your Regional Emergency Management Queensland office.
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Go to the SES Feedback Form |
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Go to Emergency Management Queensland contact list |
Contact us
For general enquiries and further information, please contact us using the details below or complete the online feedback form.
Remember... if you need emergency assistance from the SES, look under State Emergency Service or your local Council in the White Pages telephone directory for your local SES contact.
Telephone: |
+61 7 3109 5058 |
| Address: | Queensland SES Headquarters GPO Box 1425 Brisbane Qld 4001 Australia |
| Fax: | +61 7 3109 5058 |
| Email: | Please use the online feedback form |
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Last updated 05 June 2009
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