New facility to improve emergency response

The Gnowangerup State Emergency Services officially opened its new $630,000 purpose-built facility that will improve emergency response within the local community and the region.

Gnowangerup SES unit local manager Les Nayda said the new base was absolutely amazing for his unit.

“We worked very hard over five years to get this,” he said.

Mr Nayda said the new facilities meant volunteers had access to hot showers and improved training opportunities.

“In the past every time we go out to a road crash rescue we’d come home to the old building and have no hot water and no showers which meant the team members had to go home to their families covered in carp to be honest,” he said.

“Now we have the facilities they can go back to their families clean and tidy — for that reason alone it has been amazing.

“We’ve had two training courses here at the new building and we plan to have many more; it’s a central location for others in the region and cuts down travelling.”

Emergency Services Minister Joe Francis was on hand for the official opening and said the Gnowangerup SES unit was an important part of the local community.

“This new building will provide a modern and well-equipped base for Gnowangerup’s hardworking SES volunteers, with dedicated operations and communications facilities, a spacious training room and ample office and storage space,” he said

“The Gnowangerup SES unit has played a pivotal role in the community, including responding to complex search and rescue missions at Bluff Knoll in the Stirling Ranges, road crash rescues and storm damage repair work.”

The Gnowangerup SES unit was established in 1985 and now has 20 members. The unit deals with land searches, road crash rescues, storm and flood damage and bushfire ground support. In 2015, they responded to 13 incidents and contributed more than 700 hours.