NSW Nationals Member for Coffs Harbour, Gurmesh Singh, has joined members of the Coffs Harbour SES to celebrate both their 60th birthday and the delivery of two new response vehicles.
Mr Singh said it was an honour to spend time with the volunteers at their Park Avenue HQ to thank them for keeping our community safe.
"I'm grateful to all of our frontline emergency crews on the Coffs Coast for being there when we need them most," Mr Singh said.
The Coffs Harbour Unit, formed in 1964, has been through several major natural disasters, including multiple major flooding events in 1991,1996, and 2009.
In the last 12 months, Coffs SES volunteers have responded to 360 jobs. In a three-year period, they've responded to more than 3000 jobs, including the 2021 hailstorm that damaged hundreds of properties.
SES Coffs Coast Local Commander, Chief Inspector Jeannie Veitch, said their volunteers also help out across the state and have supported major flooding campaigns and events, including record-breaking flooding in the Northern Rivers and Western NSW.
NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Operational Capability and Training, Daniel Austin, joined Mr Singh and Chief Inspector Veitch in celebrating the anniversary and the handover of the vehicles.
"With more than half a century of exemplary service to Coffs Harbour and the people of NSW, it has been impressive to see how our volunteers have continued to thrive," Mr Austin said.
"These new vehicles will boost the capabilities of the Coffs Harbours Unit, especially with the increase in storm activity experienced so far this year," Deputy Commissioner Austin said.
"These state-of-the-art vehicles will be an invaluable resource to our volunteers when future storms and floods strike."
