More than 30 emergency services personnel and youth volunteers have been recognised for their commitment and outstanding efforts over the past year at the 10th NSW Rotary Emergency Services Community Awards (RESCA).
Minister for Health Ryan Park and Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib congratulated all 28 finalists across the emergency services agencies and the four finalists of the Dorothy Hennessy OAM Emergency Services Youth Scholarship, for volunteers between 18 and 25 years of age, in a ceremony at Bankstown Sports Club last night.
The awards are an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the community service of personnel from agencies including NSW Ambulance, Fire and Rescue NSW, NSW Rural Fire Service, NSW State Emergency Service, Marine Rescue NSW, Surf Life Saving NSW, and VRA Rescue NSW.
The Rotary awards are community nominated, with seven winners across the agencies, two overall winners, and one recipient of the youth scholarship.
The winners by emergency service agency are:
- NSW Ambulance: David Press - Clinical Volunteer - Community Emergency Response Team, Manildra
- Fire and Rescue NSW: Jen Sullivan - Wellbeing Officer - Mental Health East
- Marine Rescue NSW: Nancy Weatherman - Deputy Unit Commander, Eden
- Surf Life Saving NSW: Mollie Murphy - Club Director of Lifesaving, Umina Beach
- VRA Rescue NSW: Malcolm Barry - Captain, Narooma Rescue Squad, Narooma
- NSW Rural Fire Service: Michael Carey - Group Captain 3, Southern Tablelands Zone, Wee Jasper
- NSW State Emergency Service: Benjamin Power - Land Search Operations Instructor, Ku-ring-gai
The officer named overall winner in a volunteer capacity was Michael Carey, Group Captain 3 of the Southern Tablelands Zone with the NSW Rural Fire Service based at Wee Jasper. The officer named overall winner in a paid capacity was David Press, Clinical Volunteer Community Emergency Response Team with NSW Ambulance based at Manildra.
The overall winners go on to represent NSW at the AusRESCA (Australian RESCA) ceremony in Canberra in October.
The recipient of the $1,000 Dorothy Hennessy OAM Emergency Services Youth Scholarship winner was Kayla McKenzie, Patrol Captain with Surf Lifesaving NSW based in Wollongong.
Minister for Health Ryan Park said:
"I'm immensely proud of the endless dedication and efforts to go above and beyond from all our paramedics and emergency services individuals who make it their life's work to provide us with care in some of our darkest moments.
"These awards are an opportunity to celebrate the tremendous contributions these special individuals give to our health system, and to communities all over NSW."
Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:
"It is a privilege to be the Minister for Emergency Services and to meet the incredible people on the frontline who keep our communities safe, often in the face of personal risk."
"It's the sense of volunteerism and the eagerness to lend a hand that make emergency services personnel so worthy of celebration, and that's what these awards are about - recognising the vast community contributions these individuals make."
