The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) Bankstown Unit is boosting community preparedness for storms while connecting with culturally and linguistically diverse residents.
An Emergency Services Expo on Sunday 23 February brought together local emergency services for a family fun day reminding this diverse and multicultural community to prepare for future storms following a significant surge in calls for help this year.
NSW SES Bankstown Unit Commander Chris Watts said the community was hit hard by recent weather events, with large trees damaging roads and disrupting power supply for days on end.
“It’s been a busy storm season and we’ve seen a huge increase in tree-related incidents,” he said.
Since the start of the year, NSW SES Bankstown Unit volunteers have responded to more than 500 calls, with 381 incidents involving trees falling on properties, cars, and roads – a significant increase compared to the same time last year, when the Unit responded to 22 tree incidents.
Mr Watts said with the Bankstown Unit nestled in one of the most diverse communities in NSW, they often face language barriers when helping residents follow directions in emergencies.
“We’re lucky to have 25 different cultures represented in our Unit and more than 70 per cent of the members speak more than one language at home,” Mr Watts said.
“Our focus is on having conversations with residents from diverse backgrounds on how to prepare their homes, where to go for information and how to follow emergency service directions.”
NSW SES Volunteers who speak Arabic, Chinese, and Vietnamese were available at the Expo to discuss storm preparedness with locals in their native languages.
It comes after NSW SES launched in-language collateral on its new website to help communities plan, prepare and recover from emergencies in 15 different languages.
Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said the hardworking NSW SES volunteers ensure nobody gets left behind during times of need.
“A diverse multicultural community calls Bankstown home, and it’s wonderful to see the SES engaging with locals in their own language,” Minister Dib said.
“These safety messages could save someone’s life, and I want to thank the SES volunteers for providing the Bankstown community with the support they need.”
NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Debbie Platz APM said events like these are vital in engaging communities through educational initiatives.
“This expo is a fantastic example of local emergency services working together to create safer communities,” Deputy Commissioner Platz said.
“Preparedness can save lives, and we encourage everyone to come along and learn how to keep yourself and your families safe.”
The Expo included a chainsaw demonstration on how NSW SES volunteers deal with fallen trees, along with a working at heights and flood rescue demonstration. There was also a display of SES vehicles and boats for children to explore.
Fire and Rescue NSW held a kitchen fire safety demonstration, while representatives from Ambulance NSW, National Parks and Wildlife Service, NSW Police Highway Patrol and Dog Squad, Rural Fire Service, St Johns Ambulance, Surf Life Saving and the VRA were on hand to chat to attendees about preparing for a variety of emergency situations.
The Bankstown Unit is currently recruiting more volunteers for their next intake in April 2025.