NSW Ambulance Albion Park TOLL Ambulance Rescue Helicopter critical care SCAT paramedic Garth Thomson and Fire & Rescue NSW Illawarra zone commander Superintendent Tony Waller are among 24 emergency service workers named as finalists for the 2019 Rotary Clubs and Districts of NSW Emergency Services Community Awards.
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As a member of the Special Casualty Access Team on rescue choppers Mr Thomson has spent the last 12 years on call outs to everything from water rescues, farm accidents, remote area access rescues and critical care transfers from emergency departments to ICU units in Sydney.
"This is very humbling and quite unexpected," Mr Thomson said.
"I feel quite appreciated. It is a wonderful thing that Rotary do recognising volunteers and paid emergency service people for their effort. They are all wonderful people. I get to work with a lot of them across the different services. I have been a parademic for 25 years".
Like other finalists Mr Thomson has involved himself in many roles in the community such as working as a retained firefighter and volunteering as a regional ambulance officer for St John Ambulance.
"I have tried to apply my medical knowledge in many ways. It is nice to cross pollinate and get to know people in the various organisations a bit better".
Supt Waller was transferred to Wollongong Fire Station earlier this year after 38 years service with Fire & Rescue NSW and is the senior officer in the region. Up until recently he was the technical manager responsible for rescue, driver, first aid, breathing apparatus and fire fighter training at the training academy in Sydney.
With his background in road crash rescue and urban search and rescue he has been called to help the Christchurch community after the earthquake, the Proserpine community after Cyclone Betty and the Northern Rivers after the floods. He has also lectured overseas on behalf of the United Nations to developing countries on urban search and rescue.
His other roles include being a Scout leader, the director of education on the board of Surf Life Saving NSW overseeing the education needs of 129 surf clubs and 75,000 lifesavers. He is also governor of Coogee SLSC where he still patrols the beach after 45 years. And has been a rescue crewman with the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service for 35 years.
Supt Waller said he did voluntary work for the same reason Rotarians who put service above self. "I am lucky to have had a profession that allows me to put back into the community. I believe it is up to each of us to put back into the community".
"I love doing all those things," he said.
Supt Waller is also a trustee of the Historic Sea Baths Committee and is a trustee of the Fallen Life Savers Memorial which he instigated to honour all the life savers in Australia who were killed in theatres of war.
Supt Waller said he was really humbled to be named a finalist.
"I don't know who nominated me or where it has come from. I do what I do without looking for recognition. The things I do to put back into the community are my past times. It is something I really enjoy doing. Particularly with Scouting and surf lifesaving where you are dealing with youth and future citizens. If you can help develop them into being good citizens that is a really good thing".
NSW Minister for Emergency Services David Elliott said the community was indebted to all the unsung heroes and it was important never to take for granted their commitment to protecting the community.
This year commissioners from each emergency services will nominate an outstanding individual for the $1000 Dorothy Hennessy OAM Emergency Services Youth Scholarship to be decided by a Rotary NSW panel.
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Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
