SES Tweed Coast is looking for volunteers to help around the Tweed and go interstate for missions.

It’s free to join one of the three units looking for assistance, including the Tweed Heads unit at Banora Point, Tweed Coast at Pottsville and Murwillumbah.

Volunteers will be offered courses in a wide range of first aid and rescue procedures, and will meet with their respective teams up to once a week.

Tweed Coast Unit Controller Peter Cranney, 49, has been a member for

19 years and said he’s passionate about his role to help others less fortunate than himself.

“We’re chasing more people to join up so we can better serve the community,” he said.

“If you’re dispatched interstate all costs are reimbursed by the State Government.

“We have 15 members at the Tweed Coast at the moment, and that’s if everyone is available, and being a volunteer organisation that’s not always the case.”

Mr Cranney said it took members about 12 months of training to learn all aspects of full-blown rescues and forensic operations.

But as soon as a prospective member passes their police check, they can be called upon to help their neighbours in events such as floods.

There are roles in field operations, for those who want to be hands-on and also in administration.

“We need people to use computers to task the jobs out in the field, to gather intelligence, and purchase supplies,” Mr Cranney said.

Residents who are interested should attend the upcoming recruitment meetings on July 5 and 9.

“Come along and have a look at the SES building and equipment and find out how you can help us to help you when storms or floods hit the Tweed Coast area,”

Mr Cranney said.

The call for new members comes with the SES clarifying Cudgen Ck Bridge works, from June 27 to December, will not interfere with emergency services’ access to Kingscliff and Casuarina.

“In reality, the Cudgen Creek bridge closure will have minimal, if any, affect for people in the Tweed Coast Unit area,” an SES spokesperson said.

“Our SES Headquarters building is in Centennial Dr, Pottsville, so residents and businesses south of the bridge will not be affected.

“The vast majority of residences and businesses in Kingscliff will also not be affected as we normally enter Kingscliff from the Tweed Coast Rd via Cudgen Rd.”

Join Up

What:

NSW SES Tweed Coast Unit will be hosting Recruitment Meetings on Tuesday 5 July at 7pm and Saturday 9 July at 3:30pm

Where:

SES HQ building on Centennial Drive, Pottsville.