The NSW State Emergency Service has recorded its second-busiest year on record, responding to an average of 1100 incidents a week and completing more than 60,000 jobs across the state in 2025.

The milestone follows a year of back-to-back emergencies, with volunteers responding to floods, storms, rescues and community first-response callouts, including Tropical Cyclone Alfred, record flooding on the Mid North Coast and across Western NSW, and severe storms in Sydney, the Hunter, Riverina and Northern Tablelands.

In total, NSW SES crews carried out more than 1100 flood rescues, responded to 8300 flood-related incidents, completed 45,000 storm jobs and attended 1200 general land rescues.

The busiest units in 2025 were Wyong, Gosford, Tweed Heads, Port Stephens and Maitland City, while Northern and Metropolitan Sydney regions recorded the highest number of incidents statewide.

More than 140,000 calls were answered by the State Operations Centre, with peak demand in January, March and May, largely driven by major storm and flood events. Volunteers contributed more than 860,000 hours of service, and more than 2300 new members joined the organisation during the year.

NSW SES Commissioner Mike Wassing said, “The level of dedication from our volunteers this year simple can’t be measured. The scale of the response highlights both the growing impact of natural disasters and the extraordinary commitment of volunteers.

"When disaster strikes, our people leave their homes to protect yours. That’s what the SES is all about,” he said.

The service also invested heavily in training and infrastructure, completing nine new facilities and commencing construction on new zone headquarters in Dubbo, Wagga Wagga and Goulburn.

NSW SES is encouraging community members to consider volunteering in 2026.