MEDIA RELEASE
Victoria State Emergency Service

Volunteering for Victorians

Better StormSafe than Sorry
Date: 21 July 2010
Unit: Sorrento
MLO: Justin Dykes - Sorrento Unit
The Sorrento Unit of the Victoria State Emergency Service, with the support of Bunnings
Warehouse in Rosebud, is launching StormSafe week – August 14th to 22nd.
After the devastating Labour Day storms in Melbourne left a reported damage bill of over $1
Billion, VICSES is supporting local units in a drive to better educate the public in storm
preparedness and response.
Sorrento SES will be conducting a series of public education displays and events, kicking off
with a weekend StormSafe Festival, to be held in the Bunnings Rosebud carpark, 282
Boneo Road, Rosebud 3939 on Saturday 14th August and Sunday 15th August 2010.
Volunteer members will be on hand to talk to the public about key storm safety topics
including:

• Preparing your home for storms
• Making your property safer
• Identifying storm hazards and action plans
• What to do during storms
•  What NOT to do during storms
• Emergency services roles during storm events
• What to do after a storm
• The opening weekend will see a StormSafe festival-style campaign launched including:
• Static and electronic displays
• Volunteers on hand to hand out information and answer questions
• Eastbourne Primary school band and a local band group playing various music over the two days
  

• Sorrento SES equipment and vehicles on display
• Information will be available for the public to take home.
• A competition to win a large ‘Home Emergency’ kit.
• Kids face painting
• Kids colouring competition
• Sand bagging
• Various other activities for all ages.

This important public education event is aimed at all community members – from children to
the elderly.
August is historically the busiest month for storm damage on the Mornington peninsula.
Sorrento SES has been operational in the local area for over 25 years and has a broad
knowledge of specific local hazards and areas of concern for storm awareness.

Following the Saturday and Sunday, volunteer members will be available at various
shopping centres throughout the southern Mornington peninsula to hand out information and
talk to the public about the key storm issues.
Shopping centre dates are as follows:

• Mon 16th - McCrae Plaza
• Tue 17th - Safeway Rosebud Centro
• Wed 18th - Dromana Foodworks
• Thurs 19th - Safeway Rye
• Fri 20th - Rosebud Plaza

StormSafe week will conclude on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd August with another
weekend event similar to the opening weekend, back at Bunnings Warehouse carpark in
Rosebud - including the drawing of the Home Emergency kit competition.
Local and other media are encouraged to attend the weekend and weekday events to aid in
spreading the StormSafe message to the community.
Storm Facts

• Storms are the most frequent emergencies affecting Victorians.
• The Labour Day storms are estimated to have cost Victorians over $1 Billion
• Storms cost Victoria over $28 million annually.
• Since 1901 over 2750 people have died as a result of storms.
• VICSES attends 20,000 requests for assistance on average each year, to assist the community during storm emergencies. Last year VICSES received over 30,000 requests for assistance. Climate change is likely to increase the frequency of severe storm events.
• Each year, on average, severe thunderstorms are responsible for more damage (as measured by insurance costs) than tropical cyclones, earthquakes, floods or bushfires.
•  Between 5 and 10 deaths are caused by lightning strikes each year. More deaths occur when strong winds cause tree limbs to fall, debris to become projectiles and small boats in open water to capsize.

If you have any queries regarding the upcoming events please feel free to contact the
Sorrento Media Liaison Officer via email at: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Or the Community Education Officer via email at: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Sorrento SES
PO Box 229, Rye VIC 3941

Lucky Escape for Driver

Date:   4^th July 2010

Time:  09.58hrs

Unit:    Sorrento

At approximately 5.45 am on Sunday 4^th July 2010, Sorrento SES Unit Volunteers responded to assist Victoria Police retrieve a vehicle after a collision with a local home.

The vehicle, a Commodore SS V8 utility, is believed to have been travelling along First Settlement Road Sorrento when the driver, lost control of the vehicle.

The vehicle travelled through trees and shrubs before colliding with the lower level of a multi storey residence, coming to rest at a 45 degree angle against the building approximately 50 metres from where it is believed to have left the road.

Sorrento SES were notified to assist to remove several trees and fencing material crowding the scene. The Sorrento SES were also required to assist with the emergency repairs of the residence, which had considerable damage to supports for the upper deck area and also damage to the external walls of the lower storey.

Sorrento SES responded with three vehicles including their new Rescue 1, primary road rescue vehicle.  Sorrento CFA also responded with 2 vehicles to provide fire suppression due the vehicle leaking fuel and the close proximity of gas and electrical utilities.

SES Volunteers worked for 3 hours to clear the scene and assess and secure the damage to the residence.

Police are investigating whether speed or alcohol played a part in the accident.

Sorrento SES Controller, David Gordon, commented “The drivers lucky not to have been incinerated in the vehicle”.

For further information contact:

Justin Dykes

Media Liaison Officer