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Wild and prolonged weather events in recent months has seen the NSW State Emergency Service (NSW SES) record its busiest 12-month period on record.

NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York said SES members have saved thousands of lives, making an immeasurable contribution to their communities.

“Over the past year we’re seen such sustained and significant operations right across the State with our members performing more than 412,000 voluntary hours of service,” Commissioner York said.

Between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022, the NSW SES received more than 64,000 requests for assistance, undertook 2,645 flood rescues and completed more than 38,000 storm-related jobs.

NSW SES members also assisted the NSW Police Force in numerous land search, general land and vertical rescue activities.

This compares to 42,000 requests for assistance and just over 1,000 flood rescues in the previous financial year.

Between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022, the NSW SES also issued more than 5,000 flood-related products including evacuation orders, evacuation warnings, flood bulletins and return safely advice.

NSW SES units across the State were also kept busy, helping people whose property was damaged by thunderstorms, hail, wind, rain, flash and riverine flooding and large surf and coastal erosion.

NSW SES members were also active as ‘community first responders’, providing life-saving first aid treatments and pre-hospital care.

“Our volunteers worked around the clock door knocking and warning communities of pending risks and taking part in rescue and evacuation operations,” Commissioner York said.

“NSW SES members have faced extreme challenges. Our people were exhausted and yet they kept showing up day in, day out.”

Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke praised the NSW SES’s more than 10,000 members for their outstanding efforts.

“Back-to-back natural disasters have had a compounding impact on not just our communities but the thousands of members of our ‘orange army’ and I couldn’t be prouder of their ongoing commitment, dedication and bravery,” Ms Cooke said.

The NSW SES is continuing preparations for another busy 12 months ahead.

“We’re also looking to boost the number of volunteers across the State and there’s lots of ways for people to get involved,” Commissioner York said.

To join the NSW SES, visit www.ses.nsw.gov.au.