Phenomenal service of VICSES mid-west region volunteers recognised
Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) personnel from across the organisation’s regional mid-west have gathered to have their extensive contributions to local communities celebrated and acknowledged as part of VICSES’ annual long service awards initiative.
Convening for a ceremony held at Bacchus Marsh Golf Club at the weekend, volunteers with between five and 45 years of continued service were on hand to celebrate with their peers and special guests including VICSES Chief Officer Operations Alistair Drayton and Minister for Emergency Services Vicki Ward MP.
VICSES Ballarat Unit pillar Gary Hickson celebrated 45 years of VICSES service at the event, the longest-tenured recognised on the day having joined and been a consistent presence at his local unit since 1978.
A VICSES Life Member with an extensive history of operational response, Gary was also awarded a National Medal 3rd Clasp, in recognition of at least 45 years of outstanding and diligent service and a National Emergency Medal for exceptional service during the 19/20 Black Summer bushfires.
VICSES Ballarat Unit was well represented on the day, with fellow members Leonie Sharp (30 years) and Sandra Koole (20 years) honoured for multiple decades of service, while Stewart Riddel and Damian Slater received medals signifying 10 years of VICSES involvement.
VICSES Gisborne Unit trio Dominico Bonanno, Harley Kent and David Thomas were also part of the cohort recognised for a decade of service, as was VICSES Sunbury Unit volunteer Daniel Edwards.
A further six volunteers representing VICSES Woodend, Gisborne and Bacchus Marsh units were conferred pins in recognition of their five years of VICSES involvement.
Initial National Medals celebrating 15 years of diligent service were presented to VICSES Gisborne Unit pair Rex Pilgrim and David Thomas as well as VICSES Sunbury Unit volunteer Jacinta Hall and VICSES Woodend member Kevin McNair.
VICSES Bacchus Marsh Unit volunteer Denis Purcell was also honoured with both his National Medal 1st and 2nd Clasps, signifying 25 and 35 years of diligent service respectively.
In all, more than 400 years of long-service was celebrated at the event before VICSES Ballarat Unit’s Craig West and Gary Hickson and VICSES Sunbury Unit volunteer Jacinta Hall were awarded the NSW Premier’s Flood Emergency Citation, in recognition of their incredible service on deployment to NSW during major flood events between 2021 and 2023.
Stewart Riddell received further honour as the recipient of the VICSES Values award, acknowledging his vital staff role in supporting the health and safety of VICSES volunteers across Western Region, leaning on his experience as a volunteer to provide prompt, practical and reliable advice to all members and to support other business functions when the opportunity arises, showcasing outstanding credibility, commitment and adaptability in all aspects of his service.
The ceremony was rounded out with the presentation of the rare Commendation of Service to VICSES Woodend Unit volunteers Tobin Connell and Ben Tyrell, in acknowledgement of their remarkable response during severe storms on the night of June 9, 2021.
Working alongside VICSES crews from Bendigo and Daylesford, the pair were tasked with two time-critical emergencies in the Trentham-Tylden area, where a woman in active labour had become isolated by the storms and another resident relying on bottled oxygen had seen their supply dwindle and unable to self-evacuate their property.
In the face of one of the worst storms the region has ever experienced, volunteers, aided by Victoria Police and a determined midwife, made painstaking progress through the fallen debris overnight and ultimately restored access to both patients in the early hours of the following morning, ensuring they could receive the critical care they needed.
Their incredible adaptability, determination and willingness to go above and beyond for their communities was on display throughout as they epitomised the values of VICSES in the face of constant danger.
Saturday’s ceremony follows a busy year for mid-west region volunteers, called to more than 2,300 incident in 2024/25, including more than 1,500 relating to storm and almost 150 road crash incidents.
To find out more about volunteering with VICSES, visit www.ses.vic.gov.au/join-us.
Quotes attributable to Jordan Bush, VICSES Operations Manager, Mid-West Unit Support Team:
“VICSES volunteers play an important role in every Victorian community and we’re extremely fortunate to have such a wealth of experienced, willing and skilled volunteers servicing communities across the mid-west.
“Our volunteers don’t turn out to emergencies with the expectation they’ll be acknowledged for their efforts but events like these offer a great opportunity to ensure their incredible service earns the recognition it deserves.”
