For many years, East Gippsland Shire Council has supported Orbost SES by providing a dedicated space for training its Road Crash Training (RCR) team at the former Orbost Landfill, however that is no longer the case.
This location facilitated essential SES emergency training.
Part of council’s support included providing old vehicles for jaws of life training.
These junk vehicles were routinely disposed of after training through council’s steel recycling program.
Unfortunately, this arrangement at the Orbost Landfill has become increasingly problematic due to repeated break-ins.
“Individuals have been consistently cutting fences to steal parts from these training vehicles,” council’s Manager Sustainability and Waste Minimisation, Nathan Misiurka, said.
“This not only compromised the integrity of the training site but also imposed significant costs on council for repairs and security measures.
“In response to this persistent issue, and as part of our ongoing efforts to rehabilitate the land at the former Orbost Landfill, we made the difficult decision to remove and recycle the remaining vehicles on site.
“It is important to clarify that this action was taken to address the security challenges and ensure the area remains safe and functional for all intended uses.
“We deeply regret any inconvenience this may have caused Orbost SES. Our intention was never to disrupt their critical training activities but to find a more sustainable solution to the recurring security breaches.
“East Gippsland Shire Council is part of our community, and community is at the heart of everything we do.
“To that end, we are actively working with the SES Regional Office to identify and establish a new, secure location at Orbost Transfer Station. This new location will continue to support the essential training of our SES volunteers.
“We value the dedicated service of the Orbost SES and remain committed to providing the necessary resources and support for their training needs.
“We are confident that by working together, we can find a solution that ensures both the security of the site and the continuation of vital training exercises.”
IMAGE: Greeting visitors with a warm welcome, friendly advice and a hot cuppa and some biscuits are Elizabeth Smeaton and Rosemary Squires who often take part in the SES Driver Reviver site. Local SES members are waiting for a new Road Crash Training site to be established at the Orbost Transfer Station following the removal of training vehicles at the former Orbost Landfill.
