Faces on the frontline: Paul Berg with the NSW SES

Paul joined the NSW SES in 1996 as a 16-year-old at the Port Macquarie Unit. 

He was an active member for 13 years before transferring to the Camden Haven unit in 2009.

Paul then became the unit controller in 2013 and he is currently the local commander for the Hastings area.

When Paul first started he said very little safety equipment existed. 

“It’s not like today where you have eye goggles and ear muffs,” he said. 

Paul said roof height safety systems also weren’t available. 

“They were only introduced in 1999 after a hail storm in Sydney,” he said. 

“I was young and crazy when I was 16-years-old, so I would put my hand up to go on roofs to fix different issues. It never bothered me.” 

Paul said being involved in the SES has given him a healthy appreciation of risk assessment. 

“Some people say to me ‘I saw you over near the cliffs the other day’ and I will reply ‘yeah but I had all the safety gear on’,” he said. 

Over the years Paul has attended a number of quirky jobs, including stacking sheep in a boat during floods, rescuing a magpie from a tree and being called to a job for a sausage dog stuck in a barbecue. 

Paul said the advances in technology has meant the members of NSW SES can plan appropriately for every scenario. 

In the past members would be alerted to a job by a pager, however they didn’t know any details about the job. 

“Now we get alerts about incidents via smart devices and can view other agencies which are attending and their status,” Paul said. 

The equipment has become lighter and more portable, while Paul said the vehicles are now ‘state of the art’. 

Paul said it used to be a joke people made 30 years ago about talking into their watches. 

“It’s happening now,” he said. 

Paul said he enjoys working alongside other agencies including Police, Fire & Rescue NSW and NSW Ambulance. 

“When we attend a major incident we all share equipment and help each other where we can,” he said.