Wear Orange Wednesday (WOW Day) is a national day of recognition of the extensive efforts of the SA SES within the community. This support has been particularly evident during recent severe weather events experienced in South Australia.

WOW Day gives the public a chance to show their support and say thank you.

Many South Australians will be wearing orange today to say thank you to the state’s more than 1700 SES volunteers for all of their hard work.

During the River Murray flood response more than 1400 SA SES personnel distributed over 369,500 sandbags to communities and managed in excess of 1200 calls to the River Murray Hotline.

In total, the SA SES notched up over 130,000 personnel hours across 180 days, as teams supported communities preparing for flooding.

WOW Day also offers a timely reminder of what can be done to limit damage to property during storms, flooding and other severe weather events, and the importance of being prepared.

Recent research by NRMA Insurance, the principal partner of the SA SES, found only 29 per cent of South Australians took steps to prepare for severe weather events over summer. This compared to 37 per cent nationally.

The insurer’s research also found that only 20% of South Australians who moved in the past two years, or are planning to relocate in the near future, have researched property vulnerability to wild weather.

The most recent NRMA Insurance Wild Weather Tracker released in March 2023, and detailing data Australia-wide from summer 22/23, has shown the impact of the severe flooding along the River Murray. Nearly a quarter of all home insurance claims across the state were caused by wild weather, with the South East hardest hit, accounting for over a third of all claims.

NRMA Insurance volunteers help the SA SES fill sandbags during the River Murray flood event

As part of their ongoing partnership, NRMA Insurance and the SA SES will work together to help South Australians better prepare for storms and floods, including localised and targeted community engagement programs in high-risk areas.

This year, the SA SES and NRMA Insurance are celebrating WOW Day with a special event in Rundle Mall today from 11am- 3pm.

The public is invited to go along, say thank you and enjoy activities and giveaways. As well, the SA SES encourages everyone to share images on their social channels with #ThankYouSES

South Australians have experienced multiple severe weather events over the past two years, highlighting the importance of being prepared.

The SA SES recommends everyone take the following steps to prepare their homes and reduce the impact of severe storms:

• Secure loose items in your yard.
• Clear your gutters, downpipes and drains to prevent blockages.
• Trim trees and branches that could fall on your home or property.
• Fix any damage to your roof.
• Check your insurance policy is current and covers you for storm damage.
• Make an emergency plan for your family that explains what you would do in an emergency.
• Put together an Emergency Kit, including a battery-powered radio, torch and spare batteries.
• Check local media for information, updates and advice.