A Bannockburn teenager didn’t know he was capable of being an emergency responder until he stepped outside of his comfort zone and joined the SES.
The 19-year-old wanted to step outside of his comfort zone and give back to his community so decided to join the agency as a volunteer in March last year.
Mr Gerdtz, who is one of the youngest members in the unit, said he learnt a variety of “valuable” skills during his SES training that he used during emergency call-outs, but also outside of volunteering.
“I’ve learnt how to take care of people … and how to deal with stressful situations,” he said.
Mr Gerdtz was called out to his first major operation in October last year during the region’s flood emergency.
The Bannockburn teen said it was like “being thrown in the deep end” as he was still completing his volunteer training.
Bannockburn SES volunteer Henry Gerdtz. Picture: Brad Fleet
He said the most stressful incident from the floods was when a truck was swept off a bridge.
“It was half hanging off the bridge in the water and that has definitely stuck with me,” he said.
Throughout October and November last year, the Bannockburn unit responded to more than 150 calls for help.
Across the South Barwon region, volunteers have dedicated almost 20,000 hours during the current financial year to responding to emergencies and received more than 3000 requests for assistance in the last 12 months.
Mr Gerdtz recently responded to his first road crash rescue after a car side swiped a truck.
“It was definitely an eye-opener … to have my first patient and having to extract them out of the car,” he said.
The teen, who also works casually at Coles in Waurn Ponds, is on call around the clock to respond to emergency situations.
“I would like everyone to know the SES is there to help everyone at anytime,” he said.
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Mr Gerdtz hopes to continue to volunteer with his local SES unit for as long as possible.
“They are an amazing group of people down at the unit, they are so supportive,” he said.
“I would like to get involved with search and rescue operations with our specialist SES crews.”
Locals are encouraged to wear orange and share their gratitude for SES volunteers this week on Wear Orange Wednesday.
Victoria SES chief executive Stephen Griffin said volunteers were “capable of extraordinary things”.
“Whether it’s a one in 100 year flood event, or deployment to another part of the country to help local communities, SES volunteers are here for our communities,” he said.
Wear Orange Wednesday is on Wednesday, May 17.
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