Ararat Senior Sergeant Damian Ferrari presented Donna Dunmore from Ararat SES with a certificate of appreciation while Stawell Senior Sergeant Rob Weppner presented Alan Blight and James Treloar with a certificate of appreciation.

The certificates were presented to the Ararat and Stawell SES branches for the assistance they provided during a search for a missing woman in the Grampians on January 31 this year.

"These certificates could have been presented for many other incidents where the SES have provided assistance and are a recognition of our appreciation to our local SES and their volunteers for the tireless support and the specialised skills they provide," Senior Sergeant Ferrari said.

"The police and other emergency services rely on the SES for their help to get the job done."

Sergeant Matthew Cashman said the SES members provide an invaluable service to the community and do an amazing job.

"Anyone considering joining the SES would be warmly welcomed by the SES," he said.

"The SES respond to an enormous array of emergencies including road crash rescue, search and rescue, flood and storms, earthquakes and tsunami events, high and steep angle rescues and fire support.

"In the last year Ararat and Stawell SES have conducted well over a hundred operations each and often work together and provide support to police, CFA and ambulance. Recent operations include the rescue of a motorcyclist over a cliff, and providing assistance at a fatal hang glider accident. Both branches are highly skilled and maintain their skills by ongoing training in areas such as road rescue, land search, chainsaw operation, roof top safety, storm and water management, flood boat crewperson and coxswain."

The Ararat SES trains at 7.30 pm on Tuesdays and the Stawell SES trains at 7.30 pm on Mondays. Both branches conduct training on some weekends.

Donna Dunmore said the great thing about the SES is the diversity of what it does and the great bunch of people members meet from both the agency and the other emergency service organisations.

"You never know until the pager goes off where you are going and who you will be helping," she said.

"Both units are always looking for new members to join VICSES if you are interested please contact either Donna Dunmore from the Ararat Unit on 0427 521 074 or Alan Blight from Stawell Unit on 0408247034."