Mr Marshall was joined at the official opening of the headquarters by Ashford community members as well as SES staff and volunteers.

The $350,000 new Headquarters of the NSW State Emergency Service Ashford unit has significantly boosted operating conditions for local volunteers, and will cater for the unit’s continuing growth and enable members to respond even more efficiently to emergency calls for help.

“This impressive project has provided the unit’s volunteers with substantially upgraded operating and training facilities,” Mr Marshall said.

“The Inverell Shire Council and NSW Government jointly funded the construction of the new purpose built headquarters which can also house the unit’s flood boats and response vehicles.

“As well as upgraded operating conditions, these facilities will allow the volunteers to train more efficiently, enabling them to provide an even more effective response to emergencies such as storms and flash floods,” Mr Marshall said.

“Members of the community have been volunteering with the NSW SES Ashford unit since 1959 and have responded to many floods and other emergencies, such as road crash rescues, in that time. The volunteers of the NSW SES Ashford unit have been protecting the local community for almost 56 years and in that time has seen some pretty big floods in the area including the 2011 flood,” Mr Marshall said.