National Emergency Medal awarded to NSW RFS members for service during 2019-20 fire season

His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, presented the medal to 38 volunteers and staff who provided sustained or significant service during the devastating fire season.

The medal is awarded to those whose service must be in the protection of lives and property or in the service of interests that are not their own and who supported the emergency response for a minimum of five days between September 2019 and February 2020.

Members of the Orana District played an integral part in the firefighting response during that season, starting with out-of-area strike team deployments in September 2019.

The crew were dispatched to assist with the firefighting efforts across the state, including Armidale, Glenn Innes, Tamworth, Narrabri, Kempsey, and the Snowy-Monaro region.

The team rose to the challenge and continued to assist other local brigades battling fires throughout the season through a range of roles, including as firefighters, communications operators, strike team leaders, bulk water tanker drivers, aviation radio operators, and bus drivers.

Staff members were also assisting in multiple roles including the establishment of Base Camps, Helicopter Search and Rescue, Deputy Incident Controller, Major Incident Control and Logistics and Finance roles within the State Operations Centre

NSW RFS Commissioner Rob Rogers praised the medal recipients for their courage.

“Today we recognise brigade members from across the region, including Bodangora, Boothenba, Burrabadine, Dubbo, Eulomogo, Eschol, Minore and Orana Support, as well as Orana District staff, State Training Academy and Area Western Command” Commissioner Rogers said.

“Every single one of these members should be proud of themselves and their dedication to protecting communities across the state.

“They performed admirably during an incredibly difficult fire season and went above and beyond when deployed to other regions to help local brigades battle devastating blazes.”

The recipients of the National Emergency Medal are:

• Michael Bewley, Dubbo HQ Brigade
• Vincent Harland, Dubbo HQ Brigade
• Jodie Bruce, Eulomogo Brigade
• Gordon Cowen, Eulomogo Brigade
• Leslie Ney, Eulomogo Brigade
• Deborah Robinson, Eulomogo Brigade
• Paul Vaughan, Eulomogo Brigade
• Barry Whalan, Eulomogo Brigade
• Brett McCarthy, Eschol Brigade
• Murdoch Clarke, Minore Brigade
• Paul Woodhead, Minore Brigade
• Michael Augee, Orana Support
• Susan Brown, Orana Support
• Margaret Johnston, Orana Support
• Dennis Mackenzie, Orana Support
• Houda Pilcher, Orana Support
• Peter Roy Pilon, Orana Support
• Eliza Darcy, Orana
• Bronwyn Waters, Orana
• Mark Pickford, Orana, Area Western
• Timothy Butcher, Area Operations, Area Western
• Alex Picker, Griffith Mitigation, Area South Western
• Patrick Goodwin, State Mitigation Support Services, Area Western
• Lachlan Sutherland, Area Western
• Timothy Heslop, Region West-Mitigation, Area Western
• Zac Van Dam, Mitigation-Area Hunter
• Corinne Ilievski, Dubbo Academy
• Peter Carter, Dubbo Academy
• Guy Sadler, Dubbo Academy
• Paul Whiteley, Area Operations (Northern), Dubbo Academy
• Cameron Bird, Mid Lachlan Valley Team