VICSES’ Women in Rescue goes from strength to strength
Over 300 female and gender diverse volunteers from Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) united on Saturday, 1 March, for seven simultaneous events across the state as part of the ever-expanding Women in Rescue (WIR) initiative.
Now in its eight year, Women in Rescue was originally founded in 2018 by female volunteers for female volunteers, and has grown significantly, with this year marking its largest event yet.
Women in Rescue is a hands-on training event designed to empower women in emergency operations. Volunteers will gain experience using tools and equipment, refine their rescue skills, build confidence, and collaborate in a supportive environment.
The event promotes gender diversity within VICSES while encouraging recruitment and retention of female volunteers. Currently, women make up nearly 34% (1,689 out of 5,002) of VICSES' volunteer base, and the organisation aims to increase that number to better reflect the communities it serves.
The focus of the day was practical, skills-based training, with exercises covering a wide range of emergency rescue response scenarios.
This event follows a demanding 2024, where VICSES volunteers received a yearly total of 44,380 Requests for Assistance across the state on the back of a number of storms and road rescues.
VICSES takes pride in the dedication and expertise of its female and gender diverse volunteers, who play a vital role in emergency response and community safety.
Overall, VICSES volunteer numbers have grown in Victoria in each of the past two years, but more are still needed to ensure we can meet the growing needs of our communities. For those interested in joining VICSES or learning more about becoming a volunteer, visit ses.vic.gov.au/join-us.
2025 Women in Rescue Locations:
- Southern Metro – Bangholme
- Eastern Metro – Knox
- Loddon Malle region – Huntly
- Hume region - Seymour
- Grampians and Northwest Metro – Ballan
- Gippsland region - Sale
- Barwon Southwest region - Penshurst
Quotes attributable to VICSES Interim CEO, Kate White:
“This year’s event is bigger than ever, and it’s fantastic to see more women and gender diverse volunteers come together to train, collaborate, and build on their skills."
"Women in Rescue is all about sharing knowledge and refining rescue techniques. The skills learned here will be taken back to units across the state, strengthening our overall capability."
"Our female first responders are extraordinary, handling highly complex and challenging incidents."
