Image: Danielle Eyssens with Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent
Danielle Eyssens has recently become the first Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) volunteer to receive Level 3 incident management accreditation.
Level 3 incidents often come with the highest level of complexity and require significant experience from those who are managing the incident.
Danielle started her volunteering career in 2007, after realising that she wanted to do something more than work. Keen to balance the high stress and pressure of being a veterinarian, Danielle found her nearest VICSES Unit.
“I love being in the great outdoors and finding places to climb, or just being in the garden. I joined the SES, and found it was just what I needed,” she said.
17 years later, Danielle continues to gain new skills.
“The more I learn, the more I find there is to learn. New doors open up all the time.”
This was certainly proved recently when Danielle was accredited as a Level 3 Operations Officer, making her the first ever VICSES volunteer to receive Level 3 accreditation in any capacity.
Despite not having much exposure to management roles when joining, Danielle soon found a passion for the strategic side of VICSES. After completing the Divisional Commander Course, her journey as an Operations Officer began.
With every incident and shift in Incident Control Centres, Danielle became more interested in the role. She gathered enough evidence to pass a Level 2 panel and started to prepare for the next steps.
“I think it’s a significant achievement as a volunteer because being able to gather enough exposure and experience in these environments is a challenge, especially with full-time careers. These are vital in being able to pass the panel for Level 3,” she said.
“Major incidents of various types - for example, storms, floods and fires - are increasing in size, complexity, time, and sometimes even overlap, as we have seen in the last 12 months. Volunteers progressing in these roles will help with prolonged incidents, allowing staff to rest or rely on less at one time,” she explained.
The pathway to a Level 3 Operations Officer is not without challenges. With a full-time job, Danielle admits rostering can be difficult, as volunteers can’t always commit to five days in an incident response.
She said a personal challenge is dealing with her self-doubt and developing the right skills to be resilient for operational roles.
“Volunteers need to know that this is not a chainsaw course where we do a course, and we are qualified. Accreditation takes years of commitment and persistence.”
Danielle encourages anyone who is interested in incident management to start getting involved at a local level.
“Gaining exposure to the IMT environment will allow you to see if it is something that you could see yourself doing. Experience will give you the opportunity to see what role may be of interest to you,” she said.
Danielle reflects on the people who have supported her to become Level 3 accredited.
“Mentoring is important to help you learn and reflect on the work you do and to develop. Honest feedback is vital.”
Danielle is looking forward to continuing to develop her skills as a Level 3 Operations Officer.
“Level 3 endorsement allows me to experience more diverse and complex incidents, and work with a number of different agencies,” she said.
“This is one of the best and most challenging experiences I have ever had. Couldn't recommend it more.”
