Kangaroo Island State Emergency Service

15/05/2026

Kangaroo Island State Emergency Service will be conducting Night Drone search and rescue operations
RPAS in KINGSCOTE
Tonight Friday 15th the drone will be flying outside the main township area .

08/05/2026

The KI SES volunteer crew will be in the main street again this year on wednesday 20th May saying Hello and spotting anyone wearing orange to get a photos. The team had a great time last year and were overwhelmed by the gratitude shown by the community it definately went a long way to giving the crew the extra drive to keep striving to help. thank you all for thanking us😁
This is a great oppertunity to meet the team who help support the community.

28/04/2026

The Kangaroo Island State Emergency Service (SES) conducted a multi-day training exercise utilizing the new Matrice 4TD Remote Pilot Aircraft System (RPAS). The team employed its utility terrain vehicle (UTV) and search teams in a simulated search for two missing teenagers. The UTV team navigated the beach, leveraging thermal imaging to attempt to locate the teens, while a search team traversed the edge of the dunes, searching for tracks and listening for responses. The Matrice 4TD RPAS was deployed with 4 pilots and a support crew member, utilizing thermal imaging, near-infrared imaging, spotlight, and camera to search the dunes. The RPAS team successfully located several targets, including wildlife, before identifying the teens near the creek mouth. The RPAS team coordinated with the UTV and land search team to converge on the teens and executed a rescue using a Stokes litter to extricate one of the teens with a simulated broken leg. The team completed the rescue in approximately 40 minutes. Following the successful location of the teens the search teams operated autonomously, performing the rescue flawlessly. This exercise served as a final assessment for the mostly new members, finalizing their toolkit training and putting into action land search training as well as RPAS pilot training. A video highlighting the exercise has been compiled.
If you would like to learn more about joining the SES team, please follow the first link in the comments

Kangaroo Island SES Search and rescue Exercise finding wonton

22/04/2026

Kangaroo Island SES will undertake comprehensive training exercises involving RPAS (Drone) operations at Emu Bay from 1800 hours on Wednesday, 22nd to 2300 hours on Saturday, 25th. Training flights will operate daily from 0800 to 2300 hours at a maximum altitude of 390 feet. These exercises aim to train SES pilots in RPAS operations.

17/01/2026

06/11/2025

01/11/2025

Kingscote's Show 2025 exceeded expectations, with a picturesque day setting the stage for an unforgettable experience. Mel and Dan from the community engagement team showcased their expertise, bringing an array of engaging activities and recruitment opportunities from SES HQ. Their efforts not only drew in new members for the K.I SES team but also encouraged visitors to explore regional units in SA. This yeat The SES display introduced a diverse offering, including the Asian food stall and Shavonne, Celisha, and Sharon's handmade goods, further enriched the experience and attracted visitors to the SES display. We also had a visit from home hardware’s Rusty and Sandy who could not resist trying out some of our tools and getting into mischief as usual.

01/09/2025

19/06/2025

K. I SES have been fortunate to have Heather lead the training of our new members during her time on Kangaroo Island. Her dedication to training seven of our newest members has not only enhanced their skills but also made her an invaluable asset to our team. As we bid her farewell, we are confident that Heather will continue to thrive in her SES journey, spreading her knowledge and expertise wherever she goes, and inspiring others with her exceptional talent and passion.