NSW SES
Among these dedicated volunteers is NSW SES Dorrigo Unit member Peter Tarran, who has made emergency service a true family tradition. Peter is the proud father of 10 children, nine of whom have joined the NSW SES over the years, following enthusiastically in his footsteps. Currently three of his children are in the NSW SES including his daughter Jaclyn who is part of the Scone Unit, and sons Hayden who is part of the Port Macquarie Unit and Leo his youngest child who has joined him at the Dorrigo Unit. He is also grandfather to eight grandchildren, including two sets of twin boys.
For Peter, volunteering on Christmas Day is not unusual and neither is sharing the experience with his family.
"Nine of my children have been through the NSW SES so far.
"My youngest son tried joining the day before turning 16 but the system knocked him back because his birth date wasn't right, so he had to wait until the next day. Now he really enjoys it and he is really putting his foot forward for things," said Peter.
His wife, who is now an SES retired volunteer, has also contributed significantly over the years making the Tarran's a true SES family.
Christmas day incidents have certainly created some memorable family moments for Peter.
He recalls a significant Christmas Eve rescue a few years ago during heavy rain, when a young woman became trapped by fallen trees on Dorrigo Mountain.
"It was myself and four of my kids that responded to that one," he said.
"It was 10:30pm at night and the road was blocked for some time. As we left, we encountered two other cars heading down. I said, 'You either come with us for a cup of coffee or stay here for five hours.
"So that night we had something like nine people sitting around the table and they didn't leave until five o'clock in the morning," said Peter.
The NSW SES Dorrigo Unit responds to storm, flood and General Land Rescues - including vehicles caught in snow near Armidale and rescues in remote terrain.
This Christmas Day, Peter expects the usual bustle at home with at least half of his children and several grandchildren dropping by for breakfast or lunch. But as always, he'll remain just minutes away from the NSW SES Dorrigo Unit depot ready to respond at a moment's notice. The unit is also supported by the local Zone Commander, who lives in town, ensuring rapid response capability.
"Christmas is about being there for others," Peter said. "If someone needs help - whether that's a storm job or a road crash we'll be there."
Peter and his family won't be the only SES volunteers on call this Christmas, NSW SES is made up of over 11,000 dedicated members who will be responding to emergency incidents this Christmas period.
The NSW SES reminds the community to stay safe over the holiday period by monitoring weather warnings, planning for travel, avoiding flooded roads and waterways and staying alert for changing conditions.
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