Together with her fellow NSW SES Warringah Pittwater Unit volunteers, Ms Parkes founded the 'Women Helping Women' workshops in the Northern Beaches, designed to equip females with the skills and confidence to protect their homes and families from storms, floods and other emergencies.
"I was in the operations room over a stormy weekend and kept speaking to the same three women who all had leaking roofs," Ms Parkes said.
"They had all paid someone to clear their gutters, but it appeared they had not been cleaned to a standard. I was so outraged I wanted to find a way to help women in this situation."
Ms Parkes joined the NSW SES in 2018 after her husband passed away unexpectedly, leaving her sole-parenting two children.
"Before joining the SES, I had not used power tools or been on a roof," she said.
"The more I did with the SES, the more I realised there were lots of women parenting alone, who would be like me and not know what to do should something happen.
"Now, I really like community engagement and looking for ways to make things better and safer for women."
The hands-on workshop returned last Sunday 14 June to NSW SES Warringah Pittwater Unit for the fifth time, with a record attendance of more than 60 local women.
Some of the practical skills taught included using silicone for waterproofing, operating a drill, safely using a ladder, building a sandbag wall and understanding the dangers of floodwaters.
NSW SES Acting Deputy Commissioner Nicole Hogan ESM said the workshops were a fantastic opportunity for volunteers to share their knowledge and skills with members of their community in a supportive and inclusive environment.
"Not only are we equipping women with the skills needed to prepare their homes and families for a variety of scenarios, but they are also developing the confidence to act quickly during an emergency," Acting Deputy Commissioner Hogan said.
"Floods and storms don't discriminate, and we are working with women so they have the confidence to take charge of emergency responses at home."
