- Nominations
open for annual WA Fire and Emergency Services (WAFES) Awards
- 15
awards in three categories to reward outstanding achievements from WA's
exceptional emergency services volunteers
Western Australians are being encouraged to
nominate emergency services volunteers and staff who have done something
extraordinary in the past 12 months for the 2024 WA Fire and Emergency Services
(WAFES) Awards.
Emergency
Services Minister Stephen Dawson said there were 15 awards up for grabs across
three categories - individual, team, and youth - covering Marine Rescue, State
Emergency Service, fire and rescue, career firefighters and DFES corporate
staff, and operational personnel.
Last
year's winners included first responders to the unprecedented Kimberley floods,
a marine unit that rescued the crew of a capsized yacht off the Midwest coast
during a severe storm, and a specialised rescue team that helped a school group
stranded in a Margaret River cave.
To
nominate a DFES volunteer or staff member visit dfes.wa.gov.au/wafesawards.
Nominations
close on Monday, 25 March 2024. Finalists will be announced on Thursday,
30 May 2024, with the winners named at the WAFES Awards gala dinner on Saturday,
7 September 2024.
Those
people who nominate a finalist will also receive an invitation to the WAFES
Awards gala dinner, and may be eligible to attend the WAFES Conference.
For help
developing or submitting a nomination, email eventsandawards@dfes.wa.gov.au.
Comments attributed to Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson:
"Every
region and every town in our vast State has a remarkable story to tell when it
comes to emergency services volunteers or career personnel doing great things
to protect the communities they love.
"The WAFES
awards are about bringing those stories to light and celebrating what makes
WA's emergency services family so special.
"Our
personnel don't do their job for the plaudits, but they are incredibly grateful
for any public support - such as the personal messages of thanks and appreciation
that appear on the road side, or appear on social media following an emergency
event.
"Nominating
a local emergency services superstar in your area for the awards is another way
to say thanks to the 26,000 volunteers, and around 1800 DFES staff who
consistently step up when they're needed most."
Comments attributed to Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren
Klemm AFSM:
"We've had an incredibly busy 12 months dealing with numerous emergency
level bushfires, complex HAZMAT incidents, and treacherous sea rescues.
"DFES volunteer and career personnel have responded to about 29,000
incidents since April 2023 - including more than 5,300 bushfires, 2,800 road
crashes, and 1,200 structure fires.
"At the Wanneroo bushfire in November, volunteer and career firefighters
were able to save over 280 homes in the emergency warning area from damage - an
amazing feat given the extreme fire conditions.
"Emergency services personnel who were integral to the response are the
kind of people we want to see nominated for these prestigious awards, as well
as the quiet achievers working hard behind the scenes."
2024 WAFES Awards Categories
Youth achievement awards
- Firefighting Youth Achievement Award;
- Marine Rescue Youth Achievement Award; and
- SES Youth Achievement Award.
Individual achievement awards
- Marine Rescue Individual Achievement Award;
- Murray Lang Bush Fire Service Award;
- Peter Keillor Award (SES);
- Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services Individual Achievement Award;
- Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service Individual Achievement Award;
- Career Fire and Rescue Service Individual Achievement Award;
- DFES Operational Staff Individual Achievement Award; and
- DFES Corporate Staff Individual Achievement Award.
Team achievement awards
- Firefighting Team Achievement Award;
- Marine Rescue Team Achievement Award;
- SES Team Achievement Award; and
- DFES Staff Team Achievement Award
