Sunbury’s State Emergency Service volunteers will be better prepared to respond to emergencies thanks to new funding from the Victorian government.
The Sunbury SES unit has been awarded $3,390 in the 2025-26 round of the Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP), with the money set to support training and upskilling for local members.
Unit controller Catherine Bebbington said the grant would help ensure more volunteers are qualified to drive the organisation’s rescue vehicles.
“When the pager goes off, our community expects that help will arrive quickly, day or night, in all conditions,” she said.
“This funding means we can support more of our volunteers to gain their heavy vehicle licences, so we have more trained drivers available to get our rescue trucks on the road and to the scene faster.”
Sunbury SES responds to a wide range of incidents across the township and surrounding areas, including storm and flood damage, road crash rescues, and providing assistance to other emergency services.
Ms Bebbington said ongoing investment in training was essential for maintaining a reliable response.
“Like all VICSES units, Sunbury SES is powered by volunteers. Investing in our training means we can continue to provide a professional, reliable emergency response when our community needs us most,” she said.
She also noted the wider benefit of VESEP funding across Victoria, which supports volunteer groups with equipment, vehicles and facility upgrades.
VESEP is an annual Victorian Government grants program designed to assist emergency services volunteers across the state.