NSW SES Portland Unit

24/08/2026

21/08/2026

Well Done Portland Central School - A new generation of Volunteering in our community!
From Portland State EmergencyService, we would like to say a huge thank you to Portland Central School for hosting such a fantastic Volunteer Inspire and Innovate STEM Expo! 💙

It was wonderful to see students, teachers and community organisations come together and showcase the many ways young people can get involved, make a difference and discover the value of volunteering.

A special thank you to the amazing teachers Rebecca & Emma for organising such an informative and engaging day, highlighting the importance of volunteers and community connections, and to Rhiannon for the wonderful work she does with the students.

We would like to thank the Volunteer Connect Lithgow Region Inc that could help create the connections through our Volunteer Guide, bringing local volunteer organisations and Portland Central School together.

These connections open the door for young people to discover volunteering, build confidence, learn new skills and see how they can contribute to their community.

💙 Thank you, Portland Central School and everyone involved for making the day such a success.

Thank you for helping us inspire the next generation of volunteers!

08/08/2026

🟠 Ever pictured yourself in orange?

This is what it looks like when a community needs you most. 🌊 Rising water. A crew moving fast. No hesitation - just training, teamwork, and people who show up.

That's NSW SES. That could be you.

You don't need to be a hero. You just need to be ready. 💪

🚨 Flood rescue. Storm response. Community safety.
🧡 Real people. Real training. Real impact.

Swipe into a role where showing up is the job.

👉 Find out how to join at ses.nsw.gov.au

02/08/2026

What did you do this weekend? While many were enjoying some downtime, Portland Unit Commander Ebony and Deputy Unit Commander Kenny were in Dubbo investing in their leadership skills at the 2026 Western Zone Leadership Forum.

Over two days, they joined volunteer leaders from across Western NSW to explore leading during disasters, decision-making under pressure, and real-world emergency management case studies. The forum provided practical ideas, fresh perspectives, and valuable networking opportunities that will help strengthen leadership within the Portland Unit.

The weekend also provided an opportunity to celebrate success, with Portland SES receiving a Gold Award for Job Ready Excellence in recognition of the Unit's outstanding commitment to developing capable, confident, and operationally ready volunteers. Congratulations to everyone involved in achieving this fantastic achievement.

Interested in making a difference? Portland SES is looking for new volunteers. If you'd like to learn new skills, support your community, and be part of a great team, we'd love to hear from you.

29/07/2026

24/07/2026

⚠️ AusAlert is a new national warning system that uses the latest technology to send emergency messages to compatible mobile devices.

It will be ready to use in October 2026, but before it launches, we need to test the system across Australia.

‼️ On Monday 27 July, your mobile devices, such as mobile phones, tablets and smart watches, may receive a test alert.

The test times across Australian time zones are:
• 2:00 pm AEST (QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC, TAS)
• 1:30 pm ACST (SA, NT, Broken Hill NSW)
• 12:00 pm AWST (WA)

The message will vibrate and include a loud, siren-like sound that lasts about 10 seconds.
If this could disrupt you or cause you or a loved one to feel unsafe, please turn off your mobile devices or switch them to aeroplane mode before the scheduled test time in your location, and leave them off for at least one hour.

As this is just a test, you don’t need to do anything, but in an actual disaster you should follow the alert instructions to keep yourself and others safe.

To learn what an AusAlert sounds like, visit ausalert.gov.au
National Emergency Management Agency
AusAlert

19/07/2026

Members of our unit recently utilised the favourable weather conditions to conduct a familiarisation exercise with our new vessel, PRT731, a 550 Yamba v-hull, on Lake Lyell in Lithgow. Over the next few weeks, we will be providing additional training opportunities for all unit members to become familiar with the vessel's operations. If you are interested in operating this vessel while contributing to community service, please do not hesitate to contact us, as we warmly welcome new members.

12/07/2026