Volunteers from the State Emergency Service (SES) in the Hunter region have endured their most demanding year on record, as a relentless series of storms and floods battered New South Wales throughout 2025.
A Year of Unprecedented Demand
The Hunter was one of the state's most impacted areas, with local units in Maitland and Port Stephens ranking among the busiest across NSW. SES northern region zone readiness officer Travis Douglas confirmed the staggering scale of the response, revealing volunteers attended to 5345 separate incidents and contributed more than 10,000 hours of service.
"Most of these were in response to storm damage, things like fallen trees and other hazards, tarping of roofs, and localised flash flooding," Mr Douglas said. He highlighted that the region experienced a high number of significant events, particularly damaging storms around May and subsequent flooding.
Flood Rescues and Statewide Assistance
Despite the severe conditions, Mr Douglas noted that the community largely heeded warnings. Regional units performed 26 flood rescues, a figure considered relatively low given the volume of major weather events. "Some of those could have been prevented but with the large number of significant events we have had this year, that number is quite low," he stated, expressing satisfaction with the public's general precautionary measures.
Beyond local responses, Hunter SES volunteers also completed 65 support jobs with other emergency agencies and deployed across the state to assist in crises like the north coast flooding triggered by Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
Statewide Picture and Volunteer Surge
The Hunter's experience reflected a broader state emergency. The NSW SES responded to an average of 1100 incidents every week in 2025, completing over 60,000 jobs. Volunteers were on the frontline for back-to-back emergencies including Tropical Cyclone Alfred, record flooding on the mid north coast and in western NSW, and severe storms across Sydney, the Hunter, Riverina and Northern Tablelands.
Statewide statistics for the year are profound:
- More than 1100 flood rescues conducted.
- 8300 flood-related incidents responded to.
- 45,000 storm jobs completed.
- 1200 general land rescues attended.
- Over 140,000 calls answered by the State Operations Centre, with peak demand in January, March, and May.
Mr Douglas praised the community spirit in the Hunter, noting a strong volunteer response. "When we have these larger events we do get a number of people volunteering which is great to see. We have seen great growth through all of our units and a lot of support from the community," he said.
This sentiment was echoed at the state level, with more than 2300 new volunteers joining the NSW SES in 2025, contributing to a total of over 860,000 hours of service.
Leadership Praise and Future Investment
NSW Minister for Emergency Services, Jihad Dib, thanked volunteers for their tireless work. "The NSW SES has faced one of its busiest years ever in the face of severe weather and our volunteers have been there when they were needed the most," Mr Dib said. He emphasised ongoing investment in facilities and equipment for the service.
NSW SES Commissioner Mike Wassing underscored the volunteers' immeasurable dedication. "The scale of the response highlights both the growing impact of natural disasters and the extraordinary commitment of volunteers," Commissioner Wassing said. "When disaster strikes, our people leave their homes to protect yours."
The organisation also focused on capability development, with 580 members completing incident management training and 2300 volunteers trained in flood rescue qualifications. Infrastructure upgrades continued, with nine new facilities finished and eight more in progress. Construction began on new zone headquarters in Dubbo, Wagga Wagga, and Goulburn, with projects planned for Goonellabah and Newcastle in 2026.
