Forty-two recipients with more than 450 years of combined service, received awards at the ceremony held at the Sailors Soldiers and Airmen’s Club in Albury, recognising their dedicated commitment to their communities over many decades.
Among those recognised was NSW SES life Member Craig Elliott from the Culcairn Unit, marking 45 years of committed service. Craig Elliott joined the unit in 1979 and has extensive experience across floodboat operations, road crash rescue, urban search and rescue, and industrial and domestic rescue.
Fellow Culcairn volunteer Robert Webster received the National Medal Clasp 1, recognising 25 years of combined service with NSW SES and NSW RFS. Mr Webster now serves as the unit’s Training Coordinator, supporting the development of new and existing members.
The ceremony also saw 36 NSW Premier’s Flood Emergency Citations presented to members in recognition of their response to the devastating flood events that impacted New South Wales between 2022 and 2023.
The NSW SES Albury Unit received a NSW SES Commissioner’s Unit Citation for outstanding service during the 2022-23 flood emergency. Alongside the Leeton Unit, members undertook large-scale sandbag production and distribution, providing critical flood mitigation support across NSW and interstate.
Kassandra Davis was also recognised with a Commissioner’s Unit Citation for her contribution to the Wagga Wagga Incident Management Team, which provided life-preserving incident management support during the Southern Zone flood event between August 2022 and February 2023.
NSW SES Acting Assistant Commissioner, Metro and South Operations Rhys Gloury, congratulated the award recipients and thanked them for their dedication to the NSW SES and the communities they serve.
“These awards recognise not only the many years our members have dedicated to the NSW SES, but the lasting impact their service has had on communities across the region and beyond.”
“From building local capability and training the next generation of volunteers, to supporting communities through the devastating floods of 2022 and 2023, every recipient has made a significant contribution.”
“Congratulations to all our award recipients. I thank them and their families for their ongoing commitment to serving their local communities.”
