The WA State Emergency Services (SES): History from Civil Defence into the 21st Century

This book traces the history of the Civil Defence in Western Australia, from the mid-1930s, to when the State Emergency Service was first formed in 1959, and the subsequent years as it passed through a number of government departments including the Premiers department, WA Police, as its own department and ending with being under the general responsibility of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services.

DFES is supported by an extensive network of over 29,000 volunteers (including 2000 SES Volunteers) and 1100 career firefighters who all work together with the community and government to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from a diverse range of emergencies.

This book has been authored by Gordon Hall ESM and peer reviewed by John Capes OAM and Allen Gale.

Gordon's formal background is in Electronic Engineering however, he has always been involved in the community in many voluntary capacities, including as a District Governor for Apex, a charter President for a Lions club and the Chair of a School Council. His Voluntary service in the SES started in 1993, at the Swan SES unit (WA) involving him in many searches and operations, including floods, storms and cyclone responses.Gordon has been involved in the WA SES Volunteers Association since 1995 and has served as a Secretary and President, as well as an SES Consultative Committee representative. Gordon was appointed to the first FESA Board representing the State Emergency Service. Later that year he was appointed as a Director with FESA and retired in 2011. During the period with FESA he was involved in many operations and was a key operative in the tsunami research and community preparation for Australia, as well as the resettlement of an indigenous nomadic group from Kiwirrkurra. Currently he is a member of the Mandurah SES and serves as the Chair of the WA SES Volunteer Advisory Committee.In 2018 the National SES Volunteers Association, a registered not for profit company, elected him as their Chair. This has given him the opportunity to pursue nationally the inclusion of young emerging leaders from SES, in national events and the promotion of women in the SES (his 40/40/20 rule). Mr Hall's distinguished service was recognised when he was awarded the Emergency Service Medal in the Australia Day Honours list of 2018.