Helping people is in the blood of Broadmeadows SES volunteer Shane Taylor.
A member of the SES for 15 years, Mr Taylor has been involved in many different events and says lending a hand is something that comes naturally to him.
“Helping people is a passion of mine,” he said.
“The friend who had asked me to join all those years ago, we would always stop and help people. It was in my nature.
“Both kids are caring people and they want to help others. The kids are following in my footsteps and I’m following in my mum and dad’s footsteps.”
Mr Taylor’s son Kyle has been a member of the Broadmeadows unit for the past two years.
Mr Taylor said being an SES volunteer had plenty of positives and meant that they saw a lot of things.
This year alone he has taken part in several bushfire support deployments, the search for Will Callaghan at Mt Disappointment, as well as assisting the Deprtment of Health and Human Services with COVID-19 testing sites, supporting CFA at the Campbellfield Factory fire, and more.
“You meet so many new people,” he said. “You name the type of event, I’ve done it.
“There’s people who we can help and they see a smiling face and someone coming to give a hand in their need of time.
“I’ve learnt so many new things and formed some genuine friendships.”
Mr Taylor was this year part of the SES’s ‘Your Family, Our Family’ campaign which aims to highlight SES members.
He said he hoped people would think about the folks that are behind the guys and girls in orange.
“My family, and the Orange Knights, are there for me whenever I need them, and I couldn’t do it without them.”
Mr Taylor said there had been some changes to the SES over the 15 years ndnew things to learn, but the organisation’s key focus on safety remained.
As well as helping those in the community, Mr Taylor has helped those within the SES through the Orange Knights, a motorcycle group involved in fundraising and the support of members.
“It helps bring like-minded volunteers together,” he said. “You socialise outside the orange overalls and it’s an outlet and there’s an ear to listen.”
Mr Taylor encourages anyone who has the time and is interested in helping people to join their local SES.
“You learn skills and use them in your life,” he said.
“It benefits the community as a whole.”
