Mt Barker SES team go above and beyond and answer blankets call

The Mt Barker State Emergency Service has donated more than 100 blankets to two Albany charity organisations to support the vulnerable and homeless.

The SES volunteers are responsible for protecting the community from natural disasters and finding missing people, but the Mt Barker team went beyond their usual duties last month by donating 105 wool blankets.

The blankets were given to Pivot Support Services and Anglicare.

Pivot provides counselling services and practical support to vulnerable people in Albany.

Mt Barker SES manager Kirsten Beidatsch said the blankets would benefit the homeless community.

“They are very warm and durable blankets, and according to the charities we donated to, the best blankets to keep people warm when they are sleeping outside,” she said.

Ms Beidatsch said she first saw the request from the charities in a Facebook post asking the community to donate blankets for winter.

“I immediately thought of all the resources we have at the unit,” she said. “It was an opportunity for the SES to help outside of an ordinary emergency situation”.

The blankets were part of a State storm cache that is housed at the Mt Barker SES unit.

The storm cache is one of three in WA, with the main cache located in Perth, with the others in Mt Barker and Kalgoorlie.

They contain equipment essential for managing severe weather events, including tarpaulins, sandbags, and woollen blankets, and are used to restock other SES units low on supplies.

“We sought permission from State Operations before we donated and were advised how many bundles we could spare,” Ms Beidatsch said.