Amajor upgrade of the Keith SES Unit is now complete, delivering a modern and fit-for-purpose site to help volunteers serve communities across the South East.
The extensive refurbishment has given the Unit, on Wynarling Road, a new lease of life and replaces decades-old facilities to assist frontline personnel.
Upgrades include an entirely new kitchen with lighting, flooring and appliances.
A wall was demolished to provide an open plan design incorporating an office and radio room.
New flooring and lighting were added throughout the building, along with new cabinetry and an air conditioning unit.
The facade also received a facelift with new cladding applied to give a more contemporary look.
In its former life, the Keith Unit was an engineering workshop before a group of dedicated SES volunteers got together and converted the building into a working SES Unit, servicing parts of the state’s South East and Limestone Coast.
With the Unit still structurally sound, the $200,000 project – carried out by SA company McMahon Services – ensures the best return on investment compared to building a brand new SES Unit.
There are currently 12 members in the Keith SES Unit, with the majority of call outs to road crash rescues along the busy Dukes Highway.
The Keith Unit has flood operations, general rescue, land search, reconnaissance, road crash rescue and storm damage operation capabilities and plays an important role in the state-wide emergency response of the SES.
Emergency Services Minister Dan Cregan said the upgrade will benefit the volunteers who serve South East communities and help keep South Australians safe.
“Delivering a modern SES Unit with new facilities will ensure local members are well supported as they continue to respond to emergency incidents,” he said.
Member for MacKillop Nick McBride said he was pleased to see the Keith SES has received this much-needed upgrade to its facility.
“Volunteers who dedicate their time and energy to helping others deserve to have access to modern facilities,” he said.
“I hope the upgraded infrastructure will encourage more people to volunteer and assist the Keith SES in the vitally important work it does in responding to emergencies in the region.
SES Chief Officer Chris Beattie said as part of its state-wide emergency response capacity, it is important we have a focus on our regional units and ensure we support our volunteers with good facilities.
“The Keith Unit plays an integral role responding to incidents along the busy Dukes Highway, which is the main thoroughfare from Adelaide to Melbourne,” he said.
“A high volume of vehicles, including trucks, use the highway every day and our highly trained volunteers remain ready to response when needed.”
