VICSES pair celebrated for decades of exemplary emergency response
A pair of veteran Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) volunteers have been recognised for their outstanding role in supporting their communities and fellow volunteers in times of emergency, awarded the Emergency Services Medal (ESM) as part of the 2026 Australia Day Honours List.
VICSES Gisborne Unit stalwart Dianne ‘Di’ Dale ESM and VICSES Monash Unit leader George Haitidis ESM were each credited for their distinguished service to VICSES over more than two decades, awarded the highest honour available to VICSES volunteers in recognition of their commitment to emergency response in Victoria and further afield.
A dedicated first responder with more than 2,200 emergency callouts to her name, Di Dale has been a constant figure both on the ground and in command roles since joining VICSES in 2003, exhibiting strong leadership throughout with a persistent focus on the health and wellbeing of volunteers.
Serving as a Division Commander during the devastating 2022 Echuca floods which impacted thousands of community members along the Murray River, Di used her exceptional communication and coordination skills to oversee the response of more than 100 emergency workers and volunteers from a range of agencies, ensuring vital support could be delivered quickly to those most in need.
While well known for her frontline response capacity, Di is just as revered throughout VICSES for her vital commitment to peer support, implementing several training initiatives and awareness programs to support the mental health of first responders and allowed members from VICSES and emergency service partners to cope with any stress associated with their emergency role.
Her diverse skillset was highlighted when responding to a fatal crash at Riddell’s Creek in 2024, where Di leant on her road crash rescue expertise and extensive peer support training to manage the unfolding incident and support casualties while providing immediate psychological support to responders and bystanders who had witnessed the tragedy.
A co-author of VICSES’ most recent Peer Support Manual and a recipient of VICSES’ Peter Rabone Shield (for Excellence in Peer Support) in 2016, Di’s name is inextricably linked with mental health and wellbeing at VICSES. Throughout, Di has embodied the values of care, professionalism and leadership and proved a widely respected and heavily relied upon figure for VICSES members throughout Victoria.
Himself a 20-year stalwart of Victoria’s emergency response capability, VICSES Monash Unit Controller George Haitidis radiates passion for his community and his fellow volunteers, showcasing intense dedication, expertise and calmness whenever he wears his orange uniform.
Having joined VICSES Monash Unit in 2005, George’s commitment to the cause quickly saw him identified as a future leader among his cohort. By 2008, George was identified as a section leader, before being successfully elevated to Unit Controller that same year, a position he continues to hold 18 years on.
A highly trained and experienced land-based swift-water rescue specialist, George’s diverse skillset has made him a key figure in flood response in his own community and across the state, leading operations to carry out inland water rescues locally and major riverine flood responses more broadly.
In recent years, George’s drive to assist others on their worst days has seen him lead large-scale response to the Maribyrnong River floods of 2023, overseeing the rescue of community members trapped by rapidly-rising waters. George also played a vital role in rescue nine residents from their homes during flooding of the same river in October 2022.
When VICSES Monash Unit volunteers were called to more than 1,000 storm-related requests for assistance in February of 2024, George worked diligently to assist his volunteers on the ground while consulting local government stakeholders on ways to streamline coordination between agencies to ensure the community could receive timely and highly effective assistance.
Inducted as a VICSES Monash Unit Life Member earlier this year, George’s contributions to emergency response extend well beyond his local unit and exemplify the vital role VICSES volunteers can play in the broader community.
Congratulations to both of our brand-new Emergency Services Medal recipients and thank you for your continued exceptional service and unwavering commitment as leaders in your communities.
