Joined: February/March 2006

Rank/Position: General member.

Occupation: Assistant to the Manager of Approvals, Planning & Environmental Services at the City of Joondalup

Short Description:
Outgoing, sociable, cheerful & optimistic.

What was your motivation to join the SES?
I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors, and admired the people who volunteer their time for the community, particularly members of the State Emergency Services and the Volunteer Fire Brigade – so when I saw a recruitment stand at a local school fete, I asked what I’d have to do be a part of it.

It was all a lot less rigorous than I thought!

What is the best thing about the SES?
The best thing without a doubt is the people you meet. Our unit has a wonderful assortment of characters, and everyone was so friendly and helpful when I first joined that it didn’t take long at all to settle in. I’ve made a lot of new friends.

Also, working in an office- I’ve loved being able to do something so practical and hands on in my spare time… to see tangible, physical results of the work I put in, and to know at the end of it that I’ve done something useful that’s really helped someone.

What is the worse thing about the SES?
The hideously unflattering uniforms! Fluro Orange is sooooo not my colour. hahaha
Ah no, it can be tough sometimes to leave your nice, warm, cosy house to go out into a cold, stormy night of running around roof tops etc…. saying that though, once you actually get out there with the rest of your team it suddenly becomes exciting and fun.

What is your most memorable moment?
Probably when my chest ascender came undone- midway through ‘frogging’ up a cliff face at a Single Rope Techniques training day a couple of months back.

Taking me completely by surprise, I promptly flipped upside down and was left wriggling like a fish on a hook trying to get myself right way up again. There were a few short seconds when the words ‘I should have made a will/joined a lawn bowls club instead’ flashed through my head…. and then all was well again.

What is your most embarrassing moment?
I think the winning moment was clearly during 2006 survival camp. Having surprised ourselves by actually catching a rabbit in a trap, I wasn’t at all prepared for the reality of skinning, cleaning and cooking the little guy. I managed to keep it mostly together mind….right up until Peter slipped with the knife and released the bunny’s bladder contents.

My god, the smell! Dignity abandoned me at that point and I spent the next ten minutes green faced, retching and trying to avoid the unit camera!!!!!