SES Hotline 132 500 attracts 7000 calls to date

More than 7000 calls have been received by the SES Hotline 132 500 since its launch four months ago, Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said today.

Mr Roberts said the SES Hotline replaced more than 1,200 existing phone numbers the public had access to for contacting their local SES.

“To date, more than 7000 calls have been received on the Hotline including more than 400 calls in response to severe storms this week,” Mr Roberts said.

Mr Roberts said the SES Hotline was one of four Queensland projects vying for the Australian Safer Communities Awards to be announced next year. The Hotline was recently won the Post-Disaster category of the Queensland Safer Communities Awards.

“The introduction of the SES Hotline has been a very important initiative,” he said.

“The Government has also provided Emergency Management Queensland with an extra $24.5 million over five years for SES training and equipment.”

“The Government, through Emergency Management Queensland, continues to work in partnership with local governments to support SES volunteers.”

Other Queensland projects vying for national recognition in the Australian Safer Communities Awards are:
·(Queensland) Pre-Disaster category winner 
- Livingstone Shire Council’s Community Awareness and Education Project, which encouraged local communities to be aware of hazards which may impact on them and take measures to protect themselves, their families, properties and livelihoods.

·(Queensland) Community Safety Category joint winners
- The Queensland Ambulance Service’s (QAS) Rural and Remote Paramedic Program was designed to expand the scope of clinical practice of rural and remote paramedics to meet local community health care needs. The project was a combined effort by the QAS, James Cook University - Mount Isa Centre for Rural and Remote Health and Queensland Health’s Northern Area Health Service Workforce Directorate.
-The Department of Emergency Services’ Community Safety Resource Package was developed as a flexible, innovative suite of resources to support strategies which aim to strengthen community safety. The package included the school resource Watch Out!, Five Ways To Safety guide, Keeping Children Safe booklet, Senior and Safer booklet and Safer Queensland website. The package was produced by the Department of Emergency Services, Queensland Police Service and Education Queensland.

“The Australian Safer Communities Awards recognise best practice and innovation across the emergency management sector, business, government and community organisations,” Mr Roberts said.

“Queensland will be very well represented at the national awards. I believe the four projects are very positive initiatives and I wish them success contesting these national titles.”

Media contact:
·Kirby Anderson 07 3247 8194, 0418 197 350 (Minister Roberts)