Queensland's 'orange army' was celebrated today with regional events held across the state to thank State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers for their hard work and dedication to the community in times of need.
Minister for Fire and Emergency Services Mark Ryan MP, who attended the Wear Orange Wednesday (WOW) event at Kedron Emergency Services Complex in Brisbane, said the SES has been an integral part of Queensland's emergency response for more than 47 years.
"The state government, local governments and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES), on behalf of the SES, work together to support the most vulnerable members of the community," Mr Ryan said.
"It has been a difficult year for Queensland, and the SES volunteers' dedication and community spirit has been on display in full force."
"The SES was crucial for those affected by the floods earlier this year, and again in recent days, so I encourage everyone to show their support by wearing orange today."
"I would like to thank all SES volunteers across Australia for their tireless devotion to their communities."
SES Assistant Commissioner Andrew Short said the 5000 plus volunteers trained year-round to be ready when they're needed.
"The SES are trained in a variety of operational response functions such as storm and damage operations, flood boat response, traffic management and agency support," Mr Short said.
"This storm season has pushed our SES volunteers, but they rose to the challenge and completed more than 12,000 tasks since 1 November 2021."
"I thank the SES volunteers for their hard work and outstanding efforts as they ensure the continuation of the SES as a dependable and valuable service."
WOW Day is held annually during National Volunteer Week (16-22 May), acknowledging the contribution all volunteers make to their communities across Australia.
