Daniel and Richard Outten took part in a demanding nighttime flood rescue exercise at Bonnie Vale on Monday, June 16, alongside fellow NSW SES volunteers to refresh their emergency response skills.
Daniel Outten said the swift water training is a regular occurrence for members in the NSW SES Sutherland Shire Cluster to constantly develop flood rescue capability.
“We have a range of members from flood awareness trained to in-water operators, so it’s an opportunity to build capability in the cluster but also share our knowledge with other members and get them interested in flood rescue,” he said.
Daniel joined the NSW SES Sutton Unit in 2021, before moving back to the Shire and joining the Sutherland Unit two years ago.
“Dad had applied for the Heathcote Unit after he retired, so I decided to join the Sutton Unit to build a community. I ended up falling in love with the SES mission and what we do,” Daniel said.
“When I moved back to the Shire, I had the opportunity to go and volunteer with my dad. We both learn from each other based on the experiences we bring to the service and it’s great to be able to share that with my old man.”
For NSW SES Heathcote Unit member Richard Outten, it’s rewarding to share the same passion for community work with his son.
“I’m a storm team leader and an on-water operator, whereas Daniel is a level three in-water technician. It’s great to be able to learn new techniques from him and see how they’re being taught,” he said.
“It’s a proud moment to see how he has taken on the mantle and taking on all the training.”
Monday night’s training follows another exercise at Bonnie Vale on the weekend, when 20 NSW SES members from across Greater Sydney honed their on-water flood rescue skills.
NSW SES Sutherland Shire Local Commander John Gonzalez said the training exercises put volunteer through their paces to practise improvised launch and recovery, navigating in swift water, inflatable hose rescues and a two-point boat tether and recue from a raft in swift water.
“The fast-flowing waters at Bonnie Vale mirror the environment and natural hazards that our volunteers face in real life flood emergencies,” Chief Inspector Gonzalez said.
“Completing this training in the dark prepares our operators for any scenario they may face.”
Those interested in getting involved in the Sutherland Shire SES as a Flood Rescue Operator, Storm Operator or Land Search Operator can contact their local Unit or visit ses.nsw.gov.au/Volunteer
