FESA Community Safety Awards reward quiet achievers

19/11/03
Emergency Services Minister Michelle Roberts today honoured the quiet achievers of emergency management who help to safeguard lives across our State.
Mrs Roberts presented the fifth annual Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) Community Safety Awards in Perth, congratulating winners from a record number of nominees.
The Minister said that award winners were not necessarily those who ran into burning buildings or rescued people from cliffs or flooded rivers, but people who, through a variety of initiatives, worked to make their communities safer places.
"The people and organisations nominated for these awards really are the quiet achievers of community safety," she said.
"They are the thinkers and planners who create and then help to put into action practical solutions and tangible initiatives making a real difference in our everyday lives.
"In many instances the developers of our emergency plans and risk minimisation projects are just as much heroes as our front-end emergency services personnel.
"Their work is less visible, but just as important."
Mrs Roberts said a record number of 29 nominations had been received for this year's FESA awards from across the State - an increase of 30 per cent on last year.
Of the nominations received, 22 were awarded a FESA Community Safety Meritorious Certificate, while seven received the highest level of recognition - a FESA Community Safety Award.
Winners were:

• Mulan Remote Indigenous Community (East Kimberley), for risk reduction strategies for floods;
• the City of Gosnells, for the Safer Seniors Audit Program for home fire safety and security;
• Maureen McKay for implementing the Safer Seniors Audit Program to the City of Armadale;
• the Shire of Gingin employing community strategies to minimise risk of wildfires;
• the Town of Cambridge, for its strong support of FESA Community Safety strategies, including Subiaco Oval exercise and Ten Steps to Home Fire Safety package;
• Mugarinya Remote Indigenous Community (West Pilbara), for risk reduction strategies for floods; and
• Water Corporation for its 'Living Safely' program promoting safe living into its employees' homes.