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Empowering women with the knowledge, skills and confidence to prepare for, respond to and recover from severe weather was the focus of a women’s only workshop held in Sutherland at the weekend.

More than 20 women attended the women helping women workshop at the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) Sutherland Unit on Saturday, 12 October, which offered a unique opportunity for them to learn directly from experienced SES volunteers in a welcoming and supportive environment.

Member for Heathcote, Maryanne Stuart MP said the workshops were not only about sharing practical skills, but about women empowering each other. 

“The workshop gave female NSW SES volunteers the opportunity to support other female members of the community to gain the skills and knowledge they need to respond to emergencies,” Ms Stuart said.

“The practical skills taught at the workshop included safely using a ladder, building a sandbag wall, and understanding the dangers of floodwaters. These are crucial for ensuring effective responses in times of emergencies and throughout the Heathcote electorate where there is difficult terrain.”

“Women may be home alone or the primary caregiver, and need to act quickly and with confidence. I am pleased that the NSW SES are reaching out and training women who will assist in managing these tasks, enabling NSW SES Volunteers to focus on the major incidents.”

NSW SES Sutherland Unit Commander, Inspector Lynda Burrow said the workshop was an excellent way for NSW SES volunteers to share their practical knowledge and skills with members of their community.

“It’s crucial that women build their resilience so that they can effectively prepare for and respond to storms and severe weather,” Inspector Burrow said.

“Every second counts during emergencies, and it’s workshops like this that help people productively prepare for and respond to a crisis, giving women the confidence and expertise to take charge of emergency responses at home.

The NSW SES is committed to empowering women with the knowledge and tools to best protect their homes, families and communities in extreme weather events.”

Participants who attended the workshop engaged in hands-on training that covered a variety of crucial topics, including; sandbagging for water diversion, internal tarping, ladder safety, and the development of home emergency plans and kits.

“It’s about women supporting each other to thrive in the community and in turn building safer and more resilient communities,” Inspector Burrow said.

“Our wonderful NSW SES volunteers are great role models and hopefully some of the women who participated are inspired to join the ranks of the NSW SES in some way, shape or form after today.”

Participants received take-home materials and access to online resources to reinforce the skills they learnt, ensuring ongoing preparedness.

For more information about how to prepare your property this storm season, visit www.ses.nsw.gov.au/stormseason