SES Mounted Section WA
Share
After a venue change, COVID attendance restrictions and the last-minute weather forecast uncertainty, last Saturday the Unit held a small farewell ceremony to recognise current members and their horses as well as key members from the past.
Although it was a sombre occasion with more than a few misty eyes around, it was also a great opportunity to celebrate the Mounted Section and the work nearly 300 members have done over 35 years. Current members and their horses were recognised for their service with a plaque presented by Hon Stephen Pratt and DFES Commissioner Darren Klemm, including the awarding of long service awards to those that had recently become eligible. While Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA and WA Police attended to officially thank the Unit as a whole.
Like any volunteer group, so much work by a small committee goes on behind the scenes that the public don’t get to see. The Unit would like to take this opportunity to thank our current leadership group and those who have gone before us for their additional hours, meetings, late nights and extra days which have gone on to ensure the Unit not only stayed afloat, but ran smoothly and enabled it to achieve so much.
The Unit has been in operation since 1987 starting off as a subbranch of Armadale SES before becoming a standalone Unit in 1991. The Unit has seen a number of changes and has adapted constantly with a focus on providing the community the best service possible to assist WA Police as a Land Search team when called upon. Members volunteered themselves, horses and vehicles; training bi-monthly to maintain their skills of a team of horses supported by our unmounted indispensable Ground Support crew. Riders and horses had to meet specific criteria and maintain a high level of fitness throughout their service to ensure they were in the best shape when called upon.
Although the Unit is closing it's safe to say the 'team' won't be disbanding, as a capable group of horse-riding friends we only need a time and a place to make a day of it. Thank you to our fellow SES units, DFES Management and our family and friends who have supported us, not only through our operational times, but in recent months following our decision to close down.
(For information re our decision to close the SES Mounted Section, please see the pinned post at the top of our page)
04/12/2021
The SES Mounted Section has serviced the community of WA by volunteering themselves and their horses since 1987.
Over these years the Unit has gone through many changes, so too has the way searches are conducted not only by Police but by the SES as a supporting agency. In addition, missing person behaviour and significant changes in technology has presented changes to the way units are used and searches are conducted.
With these considerations top of mind, the Mounted Section decided several months ago, as a team, to cease operations and recommended to DFES that the Unit close down. This recommendation was accepted by the DFES Commissioner last month and as such the SES Mounted Section will close from the 31st March 2022.
Make no mistake, this decision was not easy, nor taken lightly by any means. There were many sleepless nights and long days spent considering the community and ourselves; including the hard work done by former and current members to establish the competent and tight knit team we are to this day. There were many meetings among ourselves, DFES and WAPOL to ensure our decision was fully informed with all points considered.
As the Mounted Section winds down, our primary focus will be the welfare of members, like many volunteer groups, the Mounted Section is a huge part of our lives. Nearly 50% of our members have completed over 10 years of service and between them have contributed nearly 200 years of service to DFES.
We would like to acknowledge the support we’ve received over this time from our families, DFES staff, the SES Volunteers Association, our fellow SES comrades and the general public. We trust this support will continue over the next few months as we wrap up the SES Mounted Section.
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.
Category
Culinary Team
Attire
Address
1/8 Ballantyne Road
Perth, WA