Dapto firefighter Bill Reid was getting all the pats on the back for his service during one of the worst ever fire seasons on record.
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But on Thursday, Reid was more concerned with thanking his employer, the Department of Education run EDConnect.
The long-time Dapto RFS deputy captain joined RFS district officer Matt Reeves to present the Wollongong-based EDConnect - which looks after all teacher salaries around the state - with an award for being a supportive employer.
EDConnect gave Reid six months off to fight fires with the Dapto RFS. He fought fires all over the state during those six months from mid-September to March, 2020.
"It was an incredible summer. I've been doing this nearly 20 years and I've never seen anything like it was. It was just so far off the charts, it wasn't funny," Reid said.
"I'm fortunate my employer were so supportive. My manager [Scott Dries] actually said to me, 'we've got three things, one go and fight the fires until they are out, two be safe and three come back'.
"That approach of giving additional leave to the firefighters was well above the whole of government approach.
"Knowing I had the support from my workplace meant I could make myself available for any shifts, allowing my station and district to put more crews on the road, which directly translated to more properties being protected and lives saved."
While thankful to his superiors [Scott Dries and Kate Sheehan] for allowing him time off to fight fires, Reid also appreciated the many encouraging messages of support and gratitude from colleagues, managers and executives.
Those messages of support, which would sometimes flash on his mobile phone in the early morning hours, always made him feel "loved and appreciated".
"There were some harrowing and scary moments. I saw s..t that probably no one should really see and I'd be really happy if I didn't see it again," Reid said.
I was also on the fire ground when two colleagues up at Balmoral got killed. I was working that night and was only about a kilometre away from where it occurred. That was very humbling and really brought home the mortality of life, and just how fragile life is.
- Dapto RFS deputy captain Bill Reid
"I saw some incredibly moving moments too. I was also on the fire ground when two colleagues up at Balmoral got killed. I was working that night and was only about a kilometre away from where it occurred.
"That was very humbling and really brought home the mortality of life, and just how fragile life is.
"I saw a hell of a lot over this summer."
Reid, whose soon to be 21-year-old son joined him in the RFS a few years ago, also praised the NSW RFS Supportive Employer Program.
He said the program recognised the vital contribution employers make to the NSW RFS, especially by releasing volunteers to attend incidents and other NSW RFS activities during work hours.
"I'm incredibly humbled for what [work] did and thankful for what they did, which then allowed me to do my bit in the community.
"I'm sure the RFS is also thankful to them. This is what the supported employer is about. It is recognising those employers who enable their employees to then give back to the community," Reid said.
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
