Accolades for dedicated volunteers

The bravery and hard work of Albany's emergency service volunteers were commended at a civic ceremony at the City of Albany last Thursday.

The ceremony presented about 60 volunteers with either a Department of Fire and Emergency Services medal to recognise five or 10 years commitment to fighting bushfires, or National Service Medals or clasps recognising 15 or more years of volunteering in the emergency services.

Though having retired from the Gnowellen Volunteer Bushfire Brigade in 2005, Peter Crossing was presented with his third National Service clasp, recognising his 45 years of service.

Mr Crossing said he was thrilled for the recognition, which he accepted on behalf of all Gnowellen brigade volunteers.

"It's certainly nice to be recognised, but pretty well anybody in the Gnowellen brigade could have been recognised exactly the same," he said.

"To a certain extent, my recognition is a just a recognition to all of those who were part of the Gnowellen brigade."

DFES Great Southern region superintendent Daniel Austin said the awards are a way to celebrate the volunteers' service to the nation.

"They put in significant time and effort and it's a way of recognising what they have done and what they have given to their communities," he said.

"They have all individual reasons of why they are there, but the community would be in a fair amount of trouble if they were without (them)."

Mr Crossing, who first became involved in the Gnowellen brigade in 1960, said volunteer firefighters were vital, particularly in smaller districts. "Without (us), it would be impossible for a Government to supply enough professional firefighting people to tackle the fires that arise in those areas from time to time," he said.