During floods, storms, bushfires and search and rescue response, the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) Dapto Unit has shown up to help the Illawarra community through times of need since its inception a decade ago.
Last months the unit marked 10 years of operation in the Illawarra, responding to more than 2,300 incidents since its inception.
Throughout the past 10 years, the NSW SES Dapto Unit has grown from 20 members to more than 80, who are trained in a range of capabilities, including flood rescue, vertical rescue and storm response.
The anniversary comes as the man who has led the team since the beginning decides to step down.
Unit Commander David Bere said it’s been an honour and a privilege to lead the unit through growth of membership and capabilities and, while he’ll stay on as a member, the time was right for someone else to step into the leadership role.
“I worked my way through the ranks at Wollongong Unit and was the deputy unit commander there when the new unit opened so I put my hand up and helped develop it to what it is today,” Mr Bere said.
“I would say I have exceeded the vision I originally had for the unit, and while a new Unit Commander is yet to be appointed, I think the time is right for someone with new ideas to step up.
“We are like a second family, and our membership is diverse. We have people from under 18 right through to their late 70s. We are not short of people putting up their hand to volunteer here.
“I’ve done 30 years with the SES and I enjoy it, it’s a passion.”
Mr Bere first joined the NSW SES in the Blue Mountains, where he honed his skills in search and rescue, before moving to Wollongong in 1996.
In 1998, he was on the frontline of the response to flooding in Wollongong, which inundated homes and businesses throughout the CBD and surrounds.
“We were launching the flood boats straight out of the headquarters on Montague Street in North Wollongong, and members’ cars were floating away and under water. We did three or four days straight of endless jobs,” Mr Bere said.
“That was crazy, and something I won’t ever forget. It’s probably the biggest event I’ve seen in this area. But, we do have flooding across Lake Illawarra from time to time which keeps us busy.”
Mr Bere is also a map reading and land search trainer, and an active member of the NSW SES Bush Search and Rescue unit. He’s also lent his skills to other regions and states on deployment to help other communities through disasters.
“I’ve been all over the place on deployment with the SES, including to Cyclone Yasi, the flooding events recently in Western NSW and the Northern Rivers,” he said.
“I’ve also had the opportunity to go to Tasmania and Queensland for training and rescue competitions.”
