LIBERAL-NATIONALS candidates for Euroa have promised a $1.4 million rebuild of Kilmore’s dilapidated State Emergency Service, SES, unit if the Coalition forms government at next month’s state election.
The Liberals’ Brad Hearn and Nationals’ Annabelle Cleeland visited Kilmore before flooding lashed the region last week to make the election pledge.
Both are vying to replace outgoing Nationals incumbent Steph Ryan, who said the investment would allow volunteers to serve the community more effectively and efficiently.
“The Kilmore SES team is responsible for responding to emergencies all the way down to Beveridge. Population growth is really putting them under the pump,” she said
“I have advocated for this investment for several years and it’s great to be able to announce the Nationals’ commitment to the project ahead of November’s election.”
Shadow Minister for Emergency Services Brad Battin said a rebuild of the facility would allow the unit to expand its membership.
“Our community relies on the SES for assistance in times of emergency, and this will see the region better-prepared,” he said.
Mr Hearn said the money would help the unit negotiate challenges associated with the population growth.
“Under the current government we have seen our emergency services shattered. I’m proud to be backing our volunteers with this great commitment,” he said.
“The Kilmore community can’t afford four more years of regional neglect and lack of investment in infrastructure.”
Ms Cleeland said the unit deserved better than it had received.
“Our emergency service teams across the region constantly go above and beyond to keep us safe and they deserve the very best we can offer,” she said.
“This investment will ensure new trucks can be accommodated in the future, more training for the team on site and more members being welcomed into the fold.
“Across our region a lot of our CFA and SES crews need upgrades and new facilities. This is something I am determined to fight for if I am elected in November.”
Kilmore SES unit controller John Koutras said the pledge was a welcome one.
“We definitely need it to be able to cope with some of the events like [the flooding we’ve seen], so I’m hoping we get a commitment from some of the other parties as well,” he said.
“We need this. We’re struggling with the fact the current facilities are so old and are basically a couple of old tin sheds connecting to each other.
“We want it to be more of a community facility people can come to and get respite as well if they need to. During the floods we were feeding volunteers, and not just SES members but the general public who were coming in.”
• The need for better facilities was never more evident during the floods last week, where the Kilmore SES responded to 200 incidents and shovelled 5000 sandbags. Full story here.
