Members protect our state.
Another year marked by a spate of natural disasters has meant a busy 2025 for members in agencies such as the State Emergency Service (SES), the Rural Fire Service (RFS) and Fire and Rescue.
For the SES, 2025 was the second-busiest year on record, with the agency responding to an average of 1100 incidents a week and completing more than 60,000 jobs across the state.
The SES’s busy year included tackling the effects of Tropical Cyclone Alfred and record flood levels on the Mid North Coast and in Western NSW. Severe storms also took place in Sydney, the Hunter, Riverina and Northern Tablelands.
The RFS attended more than 32,700 incidents in the 2024/2025 financial year, including more than 5500 bush and grass fires.
Disasters have continued to blight the state and keep members busy in 2026. In January 2026, rainfall reached 242mm over 24 hours at Woy Woy and 264mm at Pittwater, and 74mm over just two hours at Wisemans Ferry.
There were evacuations, rescues from cars caught in flash-flooding, landslides, fallen trees, downed powerlines, damaged roofs, blocked drains and household inundations. The SES responded to 2300 incidents across the state with a thousand volunteers assisting, especially in the Hunter, Sydney, the Illawarra and South Coast.
PSA General Secretary Stewart Little said the work done by these agencies cannot be replicated by the private sector, and the State Government needs to ensure the public bodies responding to such disasters remain well-funded.
“We aren’t going to see corporate Australia undertaking complicated
and essential works when our bushland, farms and homes are under threat,” said Mr Little.
“In addition to the organisations tasked with responding directly to natural disasters, the PSA also represents members in bodies such as Service NSW and the Reconstruction Authority, which work with households and businesses once the floodwaters recede or the fires are put out.”
Mr Little said in light of changes in the NSW climate, it is vital the State Government continue to adequately fund its emergency operations.
“These agencies have been largely spared the job cuts that have blighted the Public Sector in the past year,” he said. “Long may that continue.”
The Public Service Association of NSW and Community and Public Sector Union (SPSF Group) NSW Branch acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work and the places in which we live. We pay respect to Ancestors and Elders, past, present and future. We recognise the unique cultural and spiritual relationship and celebrate the contributions of first nations peoples to Australia.