32: NSW State Emergency Service Employee Reviews

For the most part, working with and supporting volunteers was a pleasure and very rewarding. Unfortunately, the same can't be said about paid staff. A few (very few) are excellent managers, team leaders and colleagues. But far too many are just along for the ride until retirement or worse, abusive bullies. I hope the service has changed in the last decade, but I doubt it.

Was this review helpful?

Toxic Senior Leadership | Need a Turnover

Emergency Services Officer (Former Employee) - NSW - 26 September 2023

Amazing team of responders and side staff to work with. Great life/work balance as well! Sadly the senior leaders are hard to communicate with and do not offer the help that is needed (Basically pushing you to resign). This organisation has taught me lots of skills that will stay for life but also taught me the truth about how governments workP.S: With the introduction of body-worn cameras it will be a better place and a more trustworthy place too.

Pros

Free Lunches | 50% off at McDonald’s | Skills Stay For Life | Flexible Hours

Cons

No Bodycams | Outdated Uniform | Leadership

Was this review helpful?

Poor Culture

Senior Manager (Former Employee) - Various - 12 May 2020

The organisation is undergoing significant time of upheaval and weak leadership in the Exec. The moral and culture is at a low and many good staff have walked away it does not engage with its volunteers and users positional power to direct staff. It will get better once Govt step in and change the senior leaders

Was this review helpful?

enjoy meeting people

Fire Fighter (Current Employee) - Bowenfels NSW - 8 April 2020

i like meeting new people from around the states that need help , i have made life long friends , and i'm glad that i was able to make a difference in those lives..

Was this review helpful?

Satisfying role

Call Centre Operator (Current Employee) - Wollongong NSW - 26 March 2020

My work at NSW State Emergency Service is very rewarding I love the challenge and environment this role provides the only down side is it is completely weather dependent good/fair weather = no work

Cons

Weather dependent so you can’t rely on it for regular income

Was this review helpful?

Rate your recent company

Share your experience to help others

Great People and culture

Procurement Consultant - NSW Government (Former Employee) - NSW South Coast NSW - 18 March 2020

Great people and culture which guides the way I did not meet or work with anyone I did not like very impressive They don't talk team or collaboration they live it

Was this review helpful?

Bad management, full of bullying and harassment

Coordinator (Current Employee) - Sydney Olympic Park NSW - 1 May 2019

Bad management with full of bullying and harassment. no technical knowledge for technical managers. managers get recruited internally always through favours. Some managers got restricted even without any competitive assessment. Managers with minimal or no management skills.

Was this review helpful?

memeber

Fire Fighter (Current Employee) - Shanes Park NSW - 20 February 2019

I am a member of the rural fire service and i love it best work place anyone can join . great team work great members most enjoyable part is putting the fire out and helping each other in a team environment

Was this review helpful?

Great place

Receptionist (Former Employee) - Homebush Bay NSW - 25 November 2018

I found upper management as beautiful approachable people who have a genuine caring nature. However, casuals/temp/agency staff in the area I was working aren't treated same eg I was told I was the lackie and get the rough end of the stick - which seems to be acceptable behavior.

Pros

good people

Cons

jobs for mates

Was this review helpful?

All and all a good job

State mitigation and District Assistant, Orana (Current Employee) - Orana WA - 10 August 2018

All and all a good company to work for, not a good work life balance. Love the job and love helping people. Would recommend to someone who likes the outdoors and a bit of advantageous types.

Was this review helpful?

Incredible

VOLUNTEER ROLES AND POSITIONS (Former Employee) - Pindimar NSW - 18 July 2018

Being part of the NSWRFS was a huge part of my life over 8 and a bit years. It helped me gain confidence and an ability to help my community. The training is fantastic and can be taken out of the service to further your paid career and gives you the ability to create a career withing the service.

Was this review helpful?

Productive and Fun Workplace

Probationary Member (Current Employee) - Sydney NSW - 4 July 2018

Always learning something new and gain a lot of beneficial skills. Great way to interact and meet new people and also having the opportunity to serve the community.

Was this review helpful?

Accounts Payable Officer

New South Wales (Former Employee) - New South Wales - 21 June 2018

A very friendly place to work, extremely busy but always very supportive. Hours are flexible very customer focused. Mgt & Staff are very approachable.

Pros

supportive

Was this review helpful?

Fun

Volunteer Firefighter (Former Employee) - Binnaway NSW - 16 June 2018

Excellent opportunity to mix with the community and learn a variety of skills and engage in activities one would otherwise not have the opportunity to without being a member of this wonderful organisation.

Was this review helpful?

Great chance to travel in NSW

Rostered Duty officer far (Current Employee) - Cobar Nsw - 20 March 2018

Good place to work. Great oppurtunities to travel all over NSW. I loved living in outback NSW. Great time with the cockies and landowners learning many different jobs.

Was this review helpful?

Rfs

Volunteer (Current Employee) - Goulburn NSW - 1 March 2018

was just a volunteer with no pay is the best thing that i am doing like helping people with every call out i go to the hardest part of the job is going to a fire one a 40-50 degree heat

Was this review helpful?

Disgusting work ethics.

Data Entry and Administrative Assistant (Former Employee) - Lidcombe NSW - 22 February 2018

Called my agent and said I was unworthy of having that job due to mistakes on files ... except I had no access to them and the only reason they wanted to fire me was because an older employee was coming back to work.

Was this review helpful?

full on work always

State Emergency Headquarter's Logistic's Officer (Former Employee) - Wollongong NSW - 13 February 2018

no much to write about I spent 10 year's at the NSW SES Stateheadquarer's regent street Wollongong stores and finance Logisric's officer good job meet with many client's and volunteer's all over NSW enjoyed meeting all our volunteer's very much,

Pros

good people I worked with

Cons

sometimes very long hours

Was this review helpful?

Hard but Rewarding!

Firefighter (Current Employee) - Inverell NSW - 7 January 2018

The largest Volunteer Emergency Service in the world! It's not the easiest job in the world but it's by far the most rewarding! Being able to help people in their time of need is something truly special!

Was this review helpful?

Enjoyable working with volunteers

Executive Officer, North West Division (Former Employee) - Moree NSW Australia - 3 January 2018

Working with volunteers resulted in intense satisfaction in being able to assist and instruct them in the execution of their work as emergency service 'workers'.

Pros

Meeting and talking with volunteers

Cons

Nil

Was this review helpful?

Casual Contract Position

Administration Assistant (Former Employee) - Kariong NSW Australia - 2 October 2017

I find it a little hard to review as although there were a lot of benefits etc to permanent Rural Fire Service employee's I was not one. I worked for an outside company Drake Australia and was employed and paid through Gosford Council.

Was this review helpful?