08/06/2026
June 9, 2021 is remembered by our unit as one of the biggest single storm events in Victoria’s History.
Between ourselves and the SES Emerald Unit we received over 5000 requests for assistance in 12 hours, in what was supposed to be a “not really anything spectacular” day/night in The Dandenongs.
It turned into anything but. Winds in excess of 120kph lashed suburbs like Kalorama, Monbulk, Olinda, Mt Dandenong to name just a few.
Numerous rescues were called in and 10 members from Lilydale and Emerald units were awarded the VicSES Commendation for Bravery for working alongside Ambulance Victoria Paramedics for over 3 hours to get to and then extricate a male trapped by a fallen tree. Emerald lost a vehicle to a fallen tree whilst the operation was underway, as trees continued to fall until the wind eased as the sun came up.
But it didn’t stop there. For the next 4 weeks, Lilydale SES has a presence at Kalorama Reserve every day, more than 6 days prior to other relief and recovery assets from State and Local Government arrived.
We took donations of food, fuel and supplies. We set up a free ‘supermarket’ alongside community members, so people could remain with their homes and their community. Connection to community is a vital part of relief and recovery.
We organised washing machine trucks from OrangeSky so people could have clean clothes to wear, fuel and gas cylinder supplies from Supagas and coordinated ongoing work with agencies including CFA, FRV, DEECA, ERV and power companies and Yarra Ranges Council.
For those that lived through it, we hope you are recovering. The landscape still bares the scars, and we know some of you do too.
With time, all scars fade, some quicker than others.
