Victorian volunteer honoured with national Rotary award

All hazards

Risks spanning across multiple hazard types and across the emergency management system.

Biosecurity

Exotic animal and plant disease outbreaks and pest incursions can have significant economic, community and environmental impacts.

Bushfire and other fires

Bushfire and other fires have potential consequences including loss of life and property, and damage to infrastructure and environment.

Climate change

Risks include more days of extreme heat, harsher fire weather, less rainfall and rising sea levels.

Communications disruption

Communications services are crucial in keeping communities safe, connected and informed before, during and after emergencies.

Cyber security and ICT systems failure

Risks relating to the confidentiality, availability, integrity of information and data and disruption of services.

Energy supply disruption

Reliable energy supplies are critical to many social and economic activities.

Flood

Major flood events have occurred in Victoria every 10 to 20 years, with much of the increasing risk created by human settlement.

Hazardous material incident

Potential risks relate to many places where Victoria’s hazardous materials are manufactured, stored, transported, used and disposed.

Heatwave

Heatwaves are considered to be the ‘silent killer’ of extreme weather events and are the leading cause of weather-related deaths in Australia.

Public health emergency

Risks may relate to the delivery of public health services, with impacts on community health and wellbeing and potential for loss of life.

Supply chain disruption

Geopolitical, environmental, economic, societal and infrastructure-related shocks can expose supply chains to wide ranging consequences.

Terrorism and extremism

Attacks carried out by individuals or non-state groups with ideological, political or religious goals can result in loss of life, severe injury and/or material damage.

Water supply disruption

Risks include collection, storage, treatment, delivery, availability and allocation of water for consumption and environmental, recreation and cultural uses.

Workforce and resourcing

Risks may relate to human resource supply and skills to support emergency management operations.

The National Rotary Emergency Services Community Awards were held at Government House, Canberra on Friday 20 October 2023.

Representing a Victorian sponsor agency, Inspector-General Tony Pearce attended the ceremony hosted by the Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) and Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley.

Victorian award winners Graham Symons (Country Fire Authority - Omeo) and Tyson Taylor (Fire Rescue Victoria) joined the other state winners on a perfect spring day.

All the award representatives were great examples of providing Rotary's 'service above self' and supporting their communities.

Attendees also included representatives of Rotary and leaders from the emergency service sector across Victoria, NSW and the ACT.

Our congratulations to Graham Symons on being recognised as the National RESCA Volunteer capacity winner, and Erin Pogmore (NSW SES) recognised as National RESCA Paid capacity winner.

Pictured left-to-right

Grant Hocking ASM (Rotary Victorian Awards Chair), Rick Nugent APM (Emergency Management Commissioner), Siusan MacKenzie (CEO - Emergency Services Foundation), Governor-General David Hurley, former Inspector-General Tony Pearce, Graham Symons (CFA volunteer and National Awards recipient), Garry Cook (Deputy Chief Officer - CFA)

The ceremony was followed by morning tea at Government House where Graham was congratulated along with the National RESCA Paid winner Erin Pogmore from NSW SES.

The Rotary Awards website has information about Graham and Erin (External link) and the ceremony photos (External link).

About the awards

Rotary Emergency Services Community Awards asks the community to help recognise outstanding community service performed by paid and volunteer members of emergency service agencies.

Nominations for the 2024 Awards opens 1 March 2024.

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