SES Sale Unit

13/01/2026

Our members are currently in Dargo, assisting with fire logistics for the week.

SES members are routinely involved with other services, and have been described as the "Swiss Army Knife" of emergency services.

If you can see yourself in Orange, and want to be involved and help your community, check out the join us page at the link below or send us a message. Also; look out for our upcoming recruitment campaigns!

Are you watching the current emergencies in Gippsland and across Victoria, and wondering what you can do to help? 🤔
If you would like to volunteer to support your community, you can!
VICSES has 21 units in Gippsland and 154 statewide who respond to storms, floods, rescues and more. At times like this, we also support our partner Emergency Service agencies.

As a volunteer you can:
🔸 Join a mission-driven team.
🔸 Build your skillset.
🔸 Connect with your community.
🔸Make a lasting impact.

Become a VICSES volunteer today: www.ses.vic.gov.au/join-us

📸 SES Winchelsea Unit

09/01/2026

It's starting to get warm and windy outside!

Remember the 9 P's today:
Planning, Practising and Preparing Prevents Poor Performance and Prevents Probability of Perishing!

Are you ready for the effects of hot and windy weather? Do you have a fire plan?

Some simple steps you can take RIGHT NOW to prepare include:
- Ensuring you have adequate water supply.
- Making sure devices are charged and consider an extra battery pack
- Ensure you have adequate supplies for an extended power outage, which may occur.
- Check in on family, elderly neighbours and friends.
- Download the VicEmergency App and set-up an alert area/s relevant to you and your loved ones. Or visit the emergency.vic.gov.au website.

If you live out of town, consider the additional steps:
- Check pumps and Fire fighting appliances are operational, test them if needed and make sure they're fuelled up.
- Consider setting up a generator if available, in case of loss of power.
- Ensure sprinkler systems are working and consider pre-watering areas around your home.
- Clean gutters and remove any leafy debris from around your property.

Taking these simple steps now can ensure you're not caught out later in then event conditions worsen or a fire starts in our area.

Take care, stay cool and hydrated, and spare a thought for our friends in the CFA who are working hard all over the state today!

It's going to get windy folks. In addition to the heat and fire risk, there is also a Severe Weather Warning issued for today, Friday 9 January, for damaging wind gusts across the state.

A forecast of the thunderstorm potential for today is also pictured below.

Take the time to check that loose items such as outdoor furniture, umbrellas and trampolines are safely secured. Move vehicles under cover or away from trees.

If you need flood or storm emergency assistance, call VICSES on 132 500.

Stay safe out there.

07/01/2026

From Mildura to Mallacoota, Ringwood to Rutherglen - summer has arrived in Victoria.

Much of the state is set to experience heatwave conditions this week.

Keep you and your loved ones safe:

🏠 Use air conditioning or a fan to keep your home cool.

👚 Wear light, loose clothes.

💧 Drink plenty of water, especially if you’re outdoors or physically active.

🌅 Plan activities for the coolest parts of the day.

👴 Look out for those with an increased risk of heat-related illness. Check in with family, friends and neighbours.

🌡️ Check the weather forecast via www.bom.gov.au/

☀️ Learn more about heat health at: www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/extreme-heat.

06/01/2026

Are you prepared for the extreme heat this week?

Remember, extreme heats can cause power failures. If you're on tank water, consider purchasing or preparing some bottled water.

Ensure your devices are charged and consider whether you might need extra batteries etc for devices.

And given the chance of significant wind on Friday, conditions will be difficult if a fire starts. Do you have a plan if fire is in your area?

Stay up to date by downloading the VicEmergency app, or go to emergency.vic.gov.au

Extreme Heatwave Warning

Stay informed: http://www.bom.gov.au/vic/warnings/
Issued at 02:41pm EDT on Tuesday 6 January 2026

Where:
For people in Northern Country, North East, East Gippsland and West and South Gippsland Districts

Locations likely to be impacted include Albury-Wodonga, Seymour and Shepparton.

When:
A prolonged period of heat is forecast for Victoria this week peaking over the next few days.

Situation:
In the north, maximum temperatures in the low to mid forties and overnight minimum temperatures in the high teens to low twenties, increasing to low to high twenties by Friday.

In the south, maximum temperatures in the mid thirties to low forties and overnight minimum temperatures in the low to mid teens, increasing to high teens to low twenties in the southeast by Thursday.

Severe to Extreme heatwave conditions forecast to ease from the southwest with a cooler change over the weekend.

What you should do:
*Extreme heatwaves can be dangerous for everyone.
*Severe heatwaves can be dangerous for many people, especially older people, babies, children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, people with medical conditions and people who are unwell.
*Seek a place to keep cool, such as your home, a library, community centre or shopping centre.
*Close your windows and draw blinds, curtains or awnings early in the day to keep the heat out of your home.
*If available, use fans or air-conditioners to keep cool.

For further safety information before, during and after heatwaves, visit the Victorian Department of Health website: www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/campaigns/survive-heat

The next heatwave warning will be issued by 3:00pm EDT on Wednesday 7 January 2026

05/01/2026

Going to be a real stinker this week!

Be sure your animals have water and shade, and check in on friends and family.

Remember to Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide. 😉

** Update: A new warning has been issued. Stay informed: http://www.bom.gov.au/vic/warnings/ **

Extreme Heatwave Warning

Stay informed: http://www.bom.gov.au/vic/warnings/
Issued at 2:49pm on Monday 5 January 2026

Where:
For people in North East and East Gippsland Forecast Districts.

Locations likely to be impacted include Albury-Wodonga, Shepparton and Seymour.

When:
A prolonged period of heat is forecast over Victoria this week, peaking on Tuesday and continuing until Saturday.

Situation:
In the North:
Maximum temperatures in the mid to high thirties Tuesday, increasing to low to mid forties on Wednesday and Thursday.

Overnight minimum temperatures in the low to mid teens Tuesday, increasing to low twenties by Thursday.

In the South:
Maximum temperatures in the low to mid thirties Tuesday, increasing to low forties on Wednesday and Thursday.

Overnight minimum temperatures in the low to mid teens, increasing to high teens to low twenties by Thursday.

Coastal areas:
Maximum temperatures in the low twenties Tuesday, increasing to the mid thirties on Wednesday and Thursday.

Overnight minimum temperatures in the low to mid teens, increasing to the low twenties about the east coast on Thursday.

Severe heatwave conditions forecast to ease over the weekend.

What you should do:
*Extreme heatwaves can be dangerous for everyone.
*Severe heatwaves can be dangerous for many people, especially older people, babies, children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, people with medical conditions and people who are unwell.
*Seek a place to keep cool, such as your home, a library, community centre or shopping centre.
*Close your windows and draw blinds, curtains or awnings early in the day to keep the heat out of your home.
*If available, use fans or air-conditioners to keep cool.

For further safety information before, during and after heatwaves, visit the Victorian Department of Health website: www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/campaigns/survive-heat

The next heatwave warning will be issued by 3:00pm EDT on Tuesday 6 January 2026.

03/01/2026

Incoming, possible severe storms approaching the Sale area. Please take appropriate precautions. Potentially large hail and flash-flooding.

** Update: A new warning has been issued. Stay informed: http://www.bom.gov.au/vic/warnings/ **

Severe Thunderstorm Warning for damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall.
Issued at 4:15 pm EDT on Saturday 3 January 2026

Where:
For people in parts of West and South Gippsland Forecast District.
Locations which may be affected include Sale and Maffra.

When:
Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours.

Situation:
A moist and unstable airmass is producing severe thunderstorms through parts of Gippsland this afternoon.

The Victoria State Emergency Service advises that people should:
* If driving conditions are dangerous, safely pull over away from trees, drains, low-lying areas and floodwater. Avoid travel if possible.
* Stay safe by avoiding dangerous hazards, such as floodwater, mud, debris, damaged roads and fallen trees.
* Be aware - heat, fire or recent storms may make trees unstable and more likely to fall when it's windy or wet.
* Check that loose items, such as outdoor settings, umbrellas and trampolines are safely secured. Move vehicles under cover or away from trees.
* Stay indoors and away from windows.
* If outdoors, move to a safe place indoors. Stay away from trees, drains, gutters, creeks and waterways.
* Stay away from fallen powerlines - always assume they are live.
* Be aware that in fire affected areas, rainfall run-off into waterways may contain debris such as ash, soil, trees and rocks. Heavy rainfall may also increase the potential for landslides and debris across roads.
* Stay informed: Monitor weather warnings, forecasts and river levels at the Bureau of Meteorology website, and warnings through VicEmergency website/app/hotline.

Check https://www.bom.gov.au/weather-and.../warnings-and-alerts. Warnings are also available through TV and Radio broadcasts or call 1300 659 210. The Bureau of Meteorology and State Emergency Service would appreciate warnings being broadcast regularly.

The next warning is due to be issued by 7:15 pm.

24/12/2025

Getting on the road this holiday season?
Christmas and New Year's can be a super busy time on our roads.

A couple of simple things can make sure you reach your destination safely:
- Don't rush! Better late than not at all!
- Take breaks every couple of hours!
- Swap drivers where possible, share the load.
- Be patient with other road users.

While we're prepared for any situation, we'd rather not have to turn up and help extricate you from your vehicle, on what should be you family's happiest time of year.

If you're going camping, or bushwalking, be sure to tell others where you're heading and when to expect you back. Consider taking an emergency GPS beacon.

For when things do go wrong though, our members will be available 24/7 over the holiday period.

Take care and have a safe and festive holiday season!

(Image is AI generated)

14/12/2025

A busy day across the state, as wild winds lash across from the west.

Our unit has been out and around this afternoon sorting out trees down and building damage caused by the wild winds (including our own shed roller-door!)

Thanks as always to our crews, working to keep our community safe. 👍

07/12/2025

Who saw our crew cooking up a BBQ storm this morning at the Coffee and Cars? 👋

Grateful for the community support, and to the organisers, for having us along as a fund-raiser for our unit!

And a big thanks to the team for their time and efforts today!

06/12/2025

We're set up near the clock-tower!
Come see the tools, our members and grab a magnet for the fridge ahead of the summer season!
(Maybe have a chat to us about joining 😜)

06/12/2025

Come and say "Hi" to our members at the Middle of Everywhere Christmas Parade tonight!
Learn more about volunteering, find out more about what we do, and check out the equipment on our trucks we use to keep our community safe.
See you there!

03/12/2025

Tonight our members enjoyed a night out together, to celebrate a successful year as a unit, and share awards as nominated by each other.

This year has seen a great increase in member numbers, with some fantastic, dedicated new members joining our team!

This year, we also did the awards from the previous year, as we were unable to at the time due to limited availability.

2024 awards:
Probationary Member: Gavin Horder
Member of the year: Jonathon Marshall
Peer award: Wendy Russell
Geoff Perkins Award: Maureen Russell

2025 Awards:
Probationary Member: Robyn Hale
Member of the Year: Gavin Horder
Peer Award: Maureen Russell
Geoff Perkins Award: Matt Stagg
Attendance Award: Deklan Powell (100% attendance at training)

We're super thankful for all of our members contributions throughout the year!

We also thanked our outgoing unit controller Codie Powell for her time in the hot-seat, as she hands the reigns over to Wayne Gray to lead us through the year ahead!

Thanks to our community too for our ongoing support. 😁