$550,000 investment to transform SES response

Published 26 July 2025

A new fleet of state-of-the-art vehicles and equipment will double the operational capability of SES crews to respond to natural disasters after a record half-a-million-dollar investment by City of Moreton Bay and the State Government.

Seven new specialised Ford Ranger General Response vehicles and three General Storm Response trailers were formally handed over in a ceremony at Moreton Bay SES Unit Headquarters on July 26.

City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery said the vehicles and trailers would help SES crews meet the needs of Moreton Bay’s booming population in times of crisis, while boosting the response capacity of emergency services.

“These vehicles and trailers are essential for our SES to assist Moreton Bay residents in their darkest hour,” he said. 

“The new vehicles are equipped to meet the rigorous demands of the SES, featuring improved suspension and lift for better ground clearance and performance in poor conditions, purpose-built ladder racks, 360-degree high intensity lights and a 3500kg towing capacity for speciality rescue equipment like ATVs and flood boats.

“These are the best available resources money can buy to help our community when they need it the most.”

Mayor Flannery said the Storm Response trailers were equally important in being able to carry vital operations equipment and supplies to SES members on the frontlines, such as chainsaws, power tools, hand tools, tarps, sandbags and rope.

“Those SES groups who have received a storm trailer in this handover will now each have two trailers at their disposal, meaning two SES teams working in different locations can be equipped and supplied at the same time. This is critical in emergency scenarios where every second counts,” he said.

Local Disaster Management Group Chair and Division 10 Councillor Matthew Constance said the new vehicles were a quantum leap over the ones they replaced, with the previous fleet averaging 150,000 kilometres on the clock.

“These new vehicles are a real step up. They can go from helping clean up after a storm, to launching a flood boat for rescues, to heading off-road to search for someone missing in the bush. That kind of flexibility is exactly what we need in a disaster response,” he said.

The vehicles and trailers were funded through a $200,000 Council contribution and $350,000 from the State Government, an SES Support Grant and the Community Gambling Benefit Fund.

The donation follows the delivery of a new people mover to Deception Bay SES group and a 4x4 dual cab general response vehicle to Woodford SES group in June – which was jointly funded by Council and the State Government.

Council will also fund the purchase of an additional dual cab 4x4 ute to act as an SES command vehicle.