AN EMERGENCY services volunteer named City of Kingston’s Outstanding City of the Year who “has seen it all” has some simple advice for people wanting to avoid a visit from Chelsea’s SES unit.
In the wake of receiving the award from Kingston Council at Moorabbin Town Hall on Australia Day last month (26 January), Chelsea SES controller Ron Fitch got back to basics when giving advice to avoid fire or flood.
“Clean out your gutters,” Mr Fitch says.
The SES controller’s council award follows his induction as a life member of the Victoria State Emergency Service in August last year.
“Like most volunteers, in any organisation, when I first joined the SES, more than 25 years ago, the last thing I ever imagined, was receiving an award for what I was doing,” he said.
“Long after I’m gone, Chelsea SES will continue to flourish and attract many more fantastic volunteers to continue to provide assistance to the community whenever and wherever it is needed and the only thing that I want is to know, is that for whatever reason, however big or small, somewhere along the way I was able to make a difference. I think that is a pretty good reward at the end of the day.”
Mr Fitch said he is honoured to receive the latest accolade on behalf of the Chelsea unit of the SES.
In his Australia Day acceptance speech, he paid tribute to the volunteer members at Chelsea and told the audience that “no matter how much technology, specialised equipment and vehicles were commissioned, Chelsea SES would not exist if not for the commitment of the volunteers, when the people go home, nothing happens.”
Black Saturday on 7 February 2009 stood out as a momentous time since Chelsea SES was one of the first units deployed to the area.
“It was something that you never forget,” he said.
“Even now after nine years, Chelsea SES is still involved and each year a number of Chelsea members go back to Kinglake to continue to help with clearing properties and to show that residents have not been forgotten.”
Seventy-three people died during the devastating bushfire disaster and 414 were injured.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 21 February 2018