Volunteers from St John Ambulance NSW recently joined the NSW SES for a hands-on Flood Rescue training exercise, demonstrating the strength of multi-agency collaboration in action.

Our members from Hawkesbury Division and Hornsby Division worked alongside SES crews as part of the statewide training program. Beyond the core scenarios, the team extended their session to tackle more complex conditions, including choppy water extraction and boat-to-boat patient transfers. St John volunteers played a key role on the water, assisting with patient retrieval and safe transfer between vessels, building practical skills that will be needed during emergency response.

This type of joint training highlights the value of our role as the Medical Reserve of NSW, ensuring members are ready to deploy at short notice and operate effectively within established emergency management frameworks. It also strengthens relationships with partner agencies, reinforcing our role as a trusted organisation that contributes when it’s needed most.

As our members continue to build this capability, St John will also contribute to upcoming consultation led by the Centre for Volunteering and the Department of Communities and Justice. Over the past five years, the Centre has produced extensive research into volunteering across NSW, including multiple State of Volunteering reports and studies covering sectors such as sport, youth, multicultural communities and regional volunteering.

In 2026, this work will expand with a dedicated focus on Volunteering in Emergencies, bringing together volunteers and leaders through a series of focus groups. These sessions will explore key issues including recruitment and retention, barriers to volunteering, and the current landscape for health-focused volunteer organisations.

St John’s involvement ensures the unique value of our ready and deployable volunteer-force is represented, helping shape a stronger, more sustainable future for emergency volunteering across NSW.