The Upper Yarra SES have called upon the public for support after crucial funding for rescue equipment fell through.
Upper Yarra SES unit controller Hannah Brunton said the unit were relying on two Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP) grants to fund the majority of the $41,000 total cost.
But two of the three Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP) grants were rejected, and now the unit has to raise funds themselves through their Comedy for a Cause fundraiser event.
“We were hoping that the ticket sales would be to offset a grant that we’d applied for, but we found out last week we weren’t successful for that grant. So now we need to pay for that in full,” she said.
The Upper Yarra SES’s Comedy for a Cause event takes place at the Warburton Golf Club on Saturday 15 November.
It’ll feature some of the best comedians from the Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne International Comedy Festival and it starts at 6.30pm.
More information can be found at the link: shorturl.at/0KFOy
“We’re going to have some raffles, some silent auctions and games, and also three great comedians there to make us all laugh.”
Those who attend won’t just have a fun night out – they’ll also be investing in their local emergency services.
The Upper Yarra SES recently purchased a new truck which will be dedicated to mountain bike rescues and assisting ambulances when patients are in hard to access spots.
“We do get quite a lot in that area, whether it’s mountain bikes, dirt bikes, pretty much anybody that has an injury on any surface that is not asphalt or concrete, we get called in to help to transport that person back out to the ambulance.”
The truck will be fitted with four new radios and a range of specialised tools.
“If we were to get called out to a mountain bike job, and as an example, if the person was entangled in the chain or anything like that, it’s the small hand tools to be able to break that.”
Ms Brunton said the four radios – which were quoted to cost $26,000 – were essential for communication with other emergency service crews.
“The radios we were looking to purchase because when we’re doing these carryouts, we often have to split into groups.
“We have enough radios for one per vehicle, but when we’re working with other emergency services, we can’t always get on to the same channels.”
She said turning to the community for financial help wasn’t the nicest feeling but it had to be done.
“While we hate that we have to be put in a position where we have to beg our community for financial help, we do unfortunately need it.
“The more people that can help out, the better.”
