VRA Captain up for state recognition

If the Captain of the Glen Innes VRA finds out who nominated him for a state emergency services award, he wants stern words.

Captain Brewer, who has run the Glen Innes volunteer rescue association for 18 years, is one of 24 nominees for the NSW emergency services community awards.

"I've never gone looking for any pats on the back; the pat on the back I look forwards to is the people we recover when they say thankyou or when we get a letter. That's the only thanks I ever want," he said

"I'm no here for myself and I don't believe that any of my members are here for themselves. We're here to provide a service and say thankyou."

He said he found out in a phone call from Rotary and initially thought they wanted a favour.

Glen Innes' VRA deals with car wrecks, crime scenes, swift water work and helps rescue people who get lost in the woods. They're the only volunteer unit qualified to do cliff rescue, and Captain Brewer estimates the the unit of 18 volunteers get between 20 and 30 calls a year.

Brewer, who has been in the Glen Innes VRA for three decades, is one of twenty four volunteers across NSW in line for the NSW emergency services community awards.

Our region has been particularly competitive in the awards. Tingha SES volunteer Leonie Cox and Frank Flemming from the Inverell VRA and Ben Tory from Ashford's ambulance service are also in the final 24.

They are the only awards which include all emergency services workers, both paid and volunteer. All entrants have to be nominated by someone else. The winners will be announced at an awards presentation dinner at the Bankstown sports club in Sydney, on August 2.

Mr Brewer is also an engineer at Photocreate and owns a small farm.

"I'm certainly very greatful for the opportunity to be a nominee, but I think it's more for the unit and the town rather than just me," he said.

"I'm one of those blokes who've grown up from an old style (culture) that, you know, the community gives you a fair bit and some way to return that is to be part of an organisation.

"Being part of a rescue squad was, for me, the way to do it. I've always been interested in rescue. I started with the bush fire service in the old days, way back early and that just migrated from there."

Minister for Emergency Services David Elliott said the awards shine a light on the enormous contribution of emergency services workers.

"Emergency services workers and volunteers give so much of themselves to the community and ask so little in return. We are indebted to all our unsung heroes and will never take for granted their commitment to protecting the community," he said.

"These awards honour everyday Australians who have given decades of service including SES volunteer Cecil Bond of Gundagai, with 45 years' service, and Warwick Teasdale of Kilcare, with more than 43 years' service in the NSW RFS.

"This year's finalists have almost five centuries' combined service and I thank them all for their exemplary efforts."

In addition, the emergency services Commissioners will each nominate an outstanding individual for the $1000 Dorothy Hennessy OAM Emergency Services Youth Scholarship to be decided by a Rotary NSW panel.