RIP State Protocol Officer, Warwick Cary ESM

Our hearts are broken tonight following the passing of our State Protocol Officer, Warwick Cary ESM. A loyal and proud member of the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) for the past 37 years, he served the people of NSW in their time of need with both care and compassion.

Mr Cary joined the NSW State Emergency Service in 1982. He was appointed the role of Kogarah Local Controller in 2003, a position he held until late last year; and the Service’s inaugural State Protocol Officer by the then NSW SES Director General, Major General B W Howard AO MC ESM in 2001. In this position, he was instrumental in the establishment of an Awards System to recognise outstanding service by NSW SES members.

Mr Cary’s commitment to the community saw him awarded the Centenary Medal (2001), the NSW SES Director General’s Commendation for Service (2004), a NSW SES Director General’s Unit Citation (2006), a NSW SES Commissioner’s Certificate of Appreciation (2016), Life Member Award (2019) and the Emergency Services Medal on Australia Day 2008. In addition, he was named the City of Kogarah’s Citizen of the Year (2011) and presented with the Cook Community Medal by The Hon Scott Morrison MP (2016).

Mr Cary was also a founding member of the NSW SES Volunteers Association (1999) and was honoured with a NSW SES Volunteers Association Life Member (2007).

Over the years, Mr Cary led his unit through many local emergencies. He provided significant leadership in many major operations throughout the state including; the Northern Suburbs Storms (January 1991), Sydney and NSW bushfires (January 1994), Hunter storms (June 1996), Father’s Day storms (September 1996), Thredbo landslide (July 1997), Sydney fires (December 1997), Nyngan floods (August 1990), Sydney hailstorm (April 1999), Sydney Olympics 2000, Dubbo storm (January 2001) and Sydney Christmas fires (December 2001- January 2002).

Away from the NSW SES, Mr Cary was the owner of Medal Shop in Rockdale.

Our deepest and heartfelt condolences go to Mr Cary’s two children, Esther and Matthew, two grandchildren, extended family, friends and colleagues. He will be greatly missed.

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