Covid-19 was the straw that broke the camel's back for the Baradine SES unit in 2020. With a team of eager Baradine locals ready to serve their community, however, the unit has made a resurgence and is preparing to get back to work. 

It was the Gwabegar flood event that saw houses inundated with water, Interim Unit Commander John Lewis said, that was the catalyst for re-forming the service.

“There was a lot to do with Covid where people started pulling away, and in drought people started to leave small communities. The volunteer base slowed right down to a point where it wasn’t safe for them to be functioning as a standalone unit,” Mr Lewis said.



“When we had those two big rain events, the causeways at either end of Baradine came up and neither Coonabarabran or Coonamble could come and help, we were literally cut off,” Mr Lewis said. 

While former Baradine volunteers were left to lead the recovery until neighbouring units could get through, the crisis was enough to make Baradine realise the service was essential to the community. 

Since calling for volunteers last month, members have continued to trickle in, building up a team of 14 to date. 

While local Baradine police officer Steve Jacobs pushed for the unit’s reestablishment and will lead the team, Mr Lewis will serve as the Unit Manager - alongside his position as Coonamble SES Unit Commander - until the team is ready to take on that task. 

“I’m taking on the position just so no one has to step into that role right from the get go. That gives them a chance to find their feet,” he said. 

Already, the Baradine unit is looking strong, with three volunteers trained as storm operators, and the rest ‘job ready’, that is being able to attend jobs and work under the guidance of the trained volunteers. 

“They’re a standalone team now so that if there is a storm that goes through tonight, the SES in Baradine is functioning and can go and help to do those jobs and support that community,” Mr Lewis said. 

So far, the unit hasn’t needed to respond to anything, and that is a good thing. 

“We actually don’t want to go to jobs and see people having a bad day or suffering. I’d much rather go and do training every day than have to go out and do jobs,” he said. 

From here, the unit is having audits on their equipment, and making sure they have the up to date gear to attend crises in the community. 

While some volunteers are committed to all of the training qualifications, others are serving where they can. 

“It’s not one size fits all. You can do as little or as much as you want and that’s fine. That’s why the SES is getting such a takeup (of volunteers) because people are realising they can just do that niche.”