Emma Pritchard
In her own words, wherever there has been a need for volunteers, she has never hesitated to put her hand up.
From serving lunches in school canteens to dedicating countless hours with Grafton Meals on Wheels, Pat Crowe has always made herself available to help those around her.
“It’s something I’ve always enjoyed doing,” she said.
In 2024, Mrs Crowe celebrated 60 years as a volunteer with the NSW State Emergency Services (SES) and was recognised for her community spirit and innumerable contributions by Member for Clarence Richie Williamson, the Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib, and the NSW SES Acting Commissioner Debbie Platz APM.
“When I first joined the SES, it was known as the Civil Defence Service (CDF),” Mrs Crowe explained.
“I remember it was flooding, and I went to see if they needed a hand because I wanted to do what I could to help my local community.
“I was asked if I could work a switchboard, I said yes, and it all started from there.”
In the following years Mrs Crowe has played pivotal roles in the preparation, first response, and recovery operations following devastating natural disasters which have impacted the Clarence Valley and surrounding regions during her time as an SES volunteer, and she has also assisted in the training of other SES volunteers and helped to promote community education and awareness in the lead-up to and during wet weather events and bush fires.
Some of the most notable changes to take place within the SES throughout the years have been the advancements in technology to aid communication, and the introduction of computers, which Mrs Crowe has learned to operate.
“It was certainly different from writing everything down by hand,” she revealed.
“Myself and other SES volunteers also made the transition from using landline phones to mobile phones.
“The new technology has certainly aided us in how we respond to emergency situations.”
In 2010, Mrs Crowe was made a life member of the SES and in 2015 she received the distinguished Emergency Services Medal (ESM) in recognition of her involvement in emergency management, training, and education.
She is currently Commander of the Clarence Nambucca Capability Unit, a varying role which makes her “the go-to person”, distributing teams where they are needed during emergencies and overseeing the physical and mental welfare of other SES personnel.
Mrs Crowe would love to encourage more people to volunteer with the SES by visiting www.ses.nsw.gov.au
“Volunteering is a great way to stay active and engaged within your local community, and there is always something new you will learn,” she said.