HALL OF FAME

Tell us a bit about yourself and your role within NSW SES?

My husband and I are both retired. We have seven grandchildren, whom we adore: five live in the Illawarra and two in Western Australia. We have always enjoyed being part of their lives as much as we can. We chose to move to Wollongong four years ago to do this.

Over the years I have enjoyed taking on many varied volunteering roles. This includes through our sons’ sports when they were younger, helping senior citizens, partaking in admin roles, and helping the community by volunteer bus driving and being a carer. I have always enjoyed these roles and found NSW SES, in particular, helped me learn life skills that help in everyday situations.  

Through taking on the role of Deputy Team Leader – Operations, I hope I can pass on my skills, knowledge, and experience to assist others in their volunteering roles to help our community.

I was chosen to be deployed by NSW SES several times. That included last summer; to help out in logistic roles at the FCC for RFS in Glen Innes, during the 2019 fires and to helping in Bega in Jan 2020 assisting with building assessments after the fires had ravaged the area.

I was successfully nominated and extremely humbled to receive an ‘Outstanding Emergency Services Volunteer’ Award at the 2019 Kiama Electorate Community Recognition Awards hosted by Minister the Hon. Gareth Ward MP for Kiama. This was for my “outstanding contribution as a much-valued volunteer for the Shellharbour SES Unit and passion for operations, giving a helping hand in events and training in operations and courses that are available to keep up-to-date with all that is new to keep the operations moving forward to best assist our local communities.”

Why did you join NSW SES?

I decided to join NSW SES after I had been a member in Western Australia for 7.5 years. I really enjoyed my role in the Bunbury SES Unit, where I helped our communities in need.

I joined NSW SES four years ago, because I wanted to continue to help the community and felt I had some skills and knowledge that would benefit fellow volunteers. I have always enjoyed the sense of camaraderie that the SES have always shown.

What is your favourite part about being a member of the NSW State Emergency Service?

Meeting likeminded people who love their community and want to help when things are tough for our neighbours.

What are the various skills you have learnt along the way?

Since being with the NSW SES, I have learnt First aid, Leadership skills, I have attended Emergency Management Workshops, and Incident Management Teams and Work in an Incident Control Centre courses, refreshed my communication skills, and learnt about Beacon and how it works. I am currently attending a course for Trainer and Assessors, so I can pass on some of the skills and experience to my fellow members.

What advice would you give to others that are thinking to join?

Anyone who joins the NSW SES as a volunteer, will get the opportunity to help their community. They will meet likeminded people who have the safety and wellbeing of their community at heart.  There is a place for everyone in the SES, in the field, hands on helping their neighbours, or a myriad of tasks behind the scenes, keeping their fellow members nourished, safe, and the paperwork in order, as well as making sure our members are trained to safely do the many varied tasks asked of them.