Female and gender-diverse emergency service volunteers from Barwon Southwest will have the opportunity to develop vital response skills through a flagship initiative.
Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) will host its Women in Rescue to empower women in emergency response through hands-on training designed to build skills, confidence and collaboration.
VICSES Barwon Southwest Women in Rescue volunteer organiser Caroline Taylor said volunteers would have the opportunity to strengthen teamwork in a supportive and inclusive environment.
“It’s great to see this initiative going from strength to strength and building strong camaraderie among our members,” she said.
“Through programs such as Women in Rescue, we ensure our volunteers are as prepared as they can be to save lives and support communities in their moment of need.
“It is a fantastic opportunity for female and gender diverse volunteers to come together in a collaborative and tailored environment to further bolster their emergency response capacity.”
Volunteers will be able to operate tools and equipment in realistic scenarios and refine their technical rescue skills during the event, which will also feature a discussion panel that will share emergency stories and tips.
VICSES chief executive Rob Purcell said the initiative was about building “capability, confidence and connection”.
“Our female and gender diverse volunteers bring professionalism, resilience and expertise to every incident,” he said.
“The skills developed directly strengthen our operational readiness and our ability to support Victorian communities when they need us most.”
Women in Rescue will be held at Huntly’s Victorian Emergency Management Training Centre Penshurst facility on Saturday 21 March.
