Lismore’s emergency response capability is set for a major boost, with construction about to begin on a new NSW State Emergency Service North Eastern Zone headquarters in Goonellabah.

The upgraded headquarters at 7 Lancaster Drive will be double the size of the existing building, transforming the way large-scale emergencies are managed across the region and delivering modern, purpose-built spaces for the volunteers and staff who serve our community.

For a city that knows all too well the power of floods and severe storms, the announcement carries particular weight.

State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said the upgrade was a significant and well-earned investment in the local SES team.

“The NSW SES North Eastern Zone headquarters is a well deserved upgrade for our local SES family, made up largely of volunteers but with some paid staff,” Ms Saffin said.

“Having more modern facilities will make their job of keeping us safe easier to do.”

The project forms part of a $27 million statewide investment in upgraded SES zone headquarters, aimed at bolstering flood and storm response and improving preparedness across NSW.

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said some existing facilities dated back decades and were no longer suited to the scale of modern disaster management.

“Some of the current facilities were built in the 80s and 90s at a time when teams were much smaller and disaster management and responses were very different,” Mr Dib said.

“Our SES volunteers continue to go above and beyond for their communities, and they need to grow, plan and train to rapidly respond to the next disaster.”

“These new facilities will give our dedicated personnel the facilities they need to manage emergencies into the future as part of their important work to keep the community safe.”

Construction in Goonellabah is expected to begin in late April, pending weather delays, and will take approximately six months. The new building will be prefabricated offsite before being transported to Lancaster Drive, where cranes will lift it into place.

When complete, the headquarters will feature a Level 3 Incident Control Centre capable of seating more than 50 people. This space will allow large teams to coordinate rescue efforts, logistics, media and communications during major flood or storm events, all from a central command point close to the communities they serve.

Modern operation rooms, briefing areas and expanded coordination spaces will ensure information and rescue taskings can be managed efficiently when every minute counts.

NSW SES Commissioner Mike Wassing AFSM said the new headquarters would help the service meet the challenges of increasingly complex disasters.

“The new zone headquarters will help our teams face the challenges of the future and provide a space they can grow into for decades to come as they continue to expand capabilities and membership,” Commissioner Wassing said.

“I look forward to seeing these purpose-built headquarters come to life and provide our dedicated staff members and volunteers with the spaces they need to serve communities at the highest level.”

“These new facilities will improve the operational response and management of major incidents at a regional level, close to where the disaster is unfolding.”

Importantly, while the exterior shell of the current lower level building will remain in place, the interior will be completely rebuilt. Internal walls and furnishings will be removed and replaced, creating a more functional, contemporary space tailored to today’s emergency management needs.

Furniture and equipment removed from the existing headquarters will be repurposed at other NSW SES units across the state rather than sent to landfill, ensuring resources continue to support communities elsewhere.

For Lismore and the broader Northern Rivers, the investment is about more than bricks and mortar. It’s about backing the volunteers who turn out in the middle of the night, who knock on doors, fill sandbags and coordinate rescues when our region needs them most.