The fact that the inaugural statewide awards for emergency service personnel in 2015 started in Wollongong four years ago was not lost on the Governor of NSW General David Hurley on Thursday.
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Gen Hurley grew up in Warrawong and is the patron of the inaugural Rotary NSW Emergency Services Community Awards.
He will be joined at the awards presentation in August with NSW Premier Mike Baird who is the official ambassador.
Gen Hurley said it was exciting to see something started by Rotarians in the Illawarra and Wollongong was now rolling out statewide and could go national within two to three years.
He made the comment after NSW Emergency Services minister David Elliott announced the finalists for the 2015 awards at NSW Parliament House on Thursday in the presence of Illawarra Rotarians Ian Johnston and Dot Hennessy.
The event is being co-ordinated with the help of Kiama business JAi Events and its co-owner Carole Johnston and Rotary District Governor Barry Antees.
The Illawarra and South Coast has four finalists in Marine Rescue regional controller Bruce Mitchell, NSW Ambulance paramedic Carol Bond and NSW Volunteer Rescue Association squad captain Kieran Knuckey and SES flood rescue officer Shannon Crofton.
The other 24 finalists come from across the state.
The public could submit nominations from any of the six state emergency service organisations.
Funds raised from the event will lead to the establishment of PhD scholarship research into post traumatic stress disorder in emergency services personnel. The awards dinner is on August 28.
More to come - An extensive gallery of images from the launch and the announcement of finalists will be attached to this story within 24 hours.
Rotary NSW Emergency Services Community Services Awards coordinated by Kiama business JAi Events were;
FIRE & RESCUE NSW
BRENDAN HURLEY Station Officer LIVERPOOL PAID
DAVID LEWIS Superintendent BATEMANS BAY PAID
MICHAEL NGUYEN Senior Firefighter CABRAMATTA PAID
SAM WALL Senior Firefighter DEE WHY PAID
MARINE RESCUE NSW
BRUCE MITCHELL Regional Controller ILLAWARRA PAID.
JOHN THOMAS Marine Rescue Volunteer PORT STEPHENS VOLUNTEER.
DENNIS TRAVERS Marine Rescue Volunteer TUNCURRY / FOSTER VOLUNTEER.
Derek FORD Marine Rescue Volunteer PORT MACQUARIE VOLUNTEER.
NSW AMBULANCE
PAUL ALEXANDER Paramedic DUNGOG PAID
CAROLE BOND Paramedic BULLI PAID
PHIL HOEY Paramedic WAGGA WAGGA PAID
GERRY PYKE Paramedic BANKSTOWN PAID
NSW RURAL FIRE SERVICE
MARK EGLINGTON Group Captain TWEED DISTRICT VOLUNTEER
JEFFREY LUKE Brigade Captain WOOLGOOLGA VOLUNTEER
THOMAS McCABE Captain SUTHERLAND VOLUNTEER
GREGG MILLER Captain BYRON BAY VOLUNTEER
NSW STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE
PETER CINQUE Regional Controller SYDNEY WESTERN REGION VOLUNTEER
SHANNON CROFTON Flood Rescue Officer SYDNEY SOUTH REGION VOLUNTEER
LOUISE de MARCO Logistics Officer NORTH SYDNEY UNIT VOLUNTEER
PETA LUKE Unit Controller MERRIWA VOLUNTEER
NSW VOLUNTEER RESCUE ASSOCIATION
IAN BENNETT Captain LITHGOW VOLUNTEER
RODNEY COOMBES Captain COONABARABRAN VOLUNTEER
KIERAN KNUCKEY Squad Captain SOUTH COAST VOLUNTEER
PETER WACHTEL Treasurer PERISHER VOLUNTEER
