AN EMERGENCY services expo held in the Upper Hunter Saturday morning gave community members the chance to connect with local services following what the SES has called the "busiest 12 months on record".
More than 700 people turned out for the Singleton Emergency Services Expo which saw groups like the RFS, SES, Fire and Rescue, Police, Ambulance and Westpac Rescue Helicopter put on an "action-packed" family event.
"It was amazing. It was a really, really good turnout," Singleton SES community engagement and public information officer Simone Merrick told the Newcastle Herald.
"The day was about being able to talk to the community in a more casual environment and promote what people can do to prepare for disasters to build a more resilient Singleton.
"Building a resilient community is going to be crucial if the predicted weather continues."
As well as having their vehicles and equipment on show, emergency services held demonstrations including a car roll-over rescue, fire response, a chainsaw demonstration, cultural burning, and bush fire and flood simulations of the Hunter under different conditions.
"The chainsaw demonstration was done by SES to show how we would respond to a similar pile of debris if we came across it in the field," Ms Merrick said.
"The car accident scenario was a joint agency response with NSW Ambulance and NSW Fire and Recue.
"There was a smashed up car and ambulance showed how, after NSW Police had made the area safe, they would cut the door off with the help of fire and rescue and stretcher the person out."
As well as primary emergency services, representatives from Local Land Services, Singleton council, Red Cross, Salvation Army, Rural Aid, DPI, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Resilience NSW, Coal Services Mines Rescue, Hunter Joint Organisation, University of Newcastle and St John Ambulance NSW were also in attendance.
The expo came on the same day NSW SES announced it had seen the busiest 12-month period on record over the past year.
Between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022, the SES received more than 64,000 requests for assistance, undertook 2,645 flood rescues and completed more than 38,000 storm-related jobs.
This compares to 42,000 requests for assistance and just over 1,000 flood rescues in the previous financial year.
The Northern Region, which includes the Hunter, saw more than 13,000 jobs over the 12 months.
Ms Merrick said the Singleton SES had more than 800 jobs in the same period as well as having two flood rescue teams operating in Lismore.
"The fact that we have had two floods this year and two or three toward the end of last year means it has been busier than normal," she said.
"It's what our volunteers are trained to do. Help our communities in times of need."
Commissioner Carlene York said, in the period, SES members performed more than 412,000 voluntary hours of service.
"Our volunteers worked around the clock door knocking and warning communities of pending risks and taking part in rescue and evacuation operations," Commissioner York said.
"NSW SES members have faced extreme challenges. Our people were exhausted and yet they kept showing up day in, day out."
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke praised the 10,000-strong "orange army".
"I couldn't be prouder of their ongoing commitment, dedication and bravery," Ms Cooke said.
As MC of the expo on Saturday, Ms Merrick said it was incredible to hear from the community first-hand in a time that is "not so scary".
"For all the services it's so special to be able to talk to community members that might have been helped by our service in the past," Ms Merrick said.
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