Australia Day honours for North Coast fire and emergency services

Fire and emergency services from the Sunshine Coast and Wide Bay Burnett have been recognised during Australia Day 2018 celebrations for their service to their local communities.

Minister for Fire and Emergency Services Craig Crawford today (Wednesday) congratulated the six recipients who received their Australia Day Achievement Medallions.

“Each member of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) recognised today should be proud of their efforts,” Mr Crawford said.

“They often work under extremely challenging conditions and never do so for reward or tributes.

“The Australia Day Achievement Medallions are presented to high achievers who take it upon themselves to go beyond their normal course of duty,” he said.

“These recipients fit that bill and have provided significant contribution to the delivery of fire and emergency services in Queensland.”

Caloundra senior firefighter Greg Toman was awarded for his significant involvement in the development of QFES’ specialist remote rescue team.

Mr Crawford said Mr Toman played a leading role in the training and development of remote rescue firefighters, who scale mountains to rescue trapped or injured people.

“The remote rescue component of QFES is an emerging capability within the service, and Greg has been at the forefront of championing its development to the benefit of the local community,” he said.

“This specialised unit has already been involved in a number of significant incidents, particularly on the Sunshine Coast.”

Mr Crawford also highlighted the work of State Emergency Service (SES) Yandaran Group Leader Ray Smith who was awarded a medallion.

“Thanks to Ray, the community can be assured highly-trained SES volunteers are on hand to answer the call for help when needed.”

Similarly, Bundaberg SES Field Operations Member Cory Pignatelli was praised for his involvement in training the region’s SES volunteers.

“Bundaberg has seen its fair share of severe weather events and disasters in recent times,” Mr Crawford said.

“In all cases, the SES was there to support the community during and after these events, and that is largely due to the training Cory has implemented.”

QFES Commissioner Katarina Carroll said recipients had made outstanding contributions to their communities and the organisation.

“While their backgrounds and experiences may vary, they all share one common goal: devoting their time and expertise to community safety and serving Queenslanders in times of need,” Ms Carroll said.

“It is important to acknowledge the achievements of our workforce and we are proud of their ongoing efforts to protect Queensland communities.”

Australia Day Appreciation Certificates were also handed out during the ceremony to recognise organisations who supported QFES within the past 12 months.

Clayton’s Towing received a certificate for supporting training and exercises, while the Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council was honoured for collaborating with QFES to provide operational services to the local community.

Three Gayndah businesses – the Grand Hotel Gayndah, Midway Tyre Centre Gayndah and A Little Different Café – were all cited for providing exceptional support to QFES for training and development.

ENDS

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