April 23 saw the presentation of both National Emergency and Long Service medals, presented by Minister for Emergency Services Steph Cooke, Member for Murray Helen Dalton, Assistant Commissioner Paul Seager and Chief Superintendent Kelwyn White.

Almost 100 local volunteers and staff were awarded the medals for providing sustained or significant service during the most devastating Australian fire season in living memory.

The medal was awarded to all those whose service w in thase protection of lives and property or in the service of others, as well as those who supported the emergency response for a minimum of five days between September 2019 and February 2020.

Over those months, volunteers from Carrathool, Griffith, Hay, Leeton, Murrumbidgee and Narrandera were deployed across the Riverina and beyond - playing an integral role to the response.

Locations that MIA fire service members could be found at included Coffs Harbour, Grafton, Sydney, Clarence Valley, Nowra, Tumut, Tarcutta, and Moruya.

The response was impressive - with MIA volunteers being deployed 42 times and most volunteers being deployed at least twice and one incredible person sent out ten times. Volunteers racked up over 20,000 hours served with staff putting in over 2000 on deployment.

The district itself sent 19 trucks and three support vehicles across the state.

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NSW RFS Commissioner Rob Rogers praised the medal recipients for their courage.

"We are recognising brigade members from across the region and thank them for their incredible contribution over the 2019-2020 season," Commissioner Rogers said.

"Every single one of these members should be proud of themselves and their dedication to protecting communities across the state ... They performed admirably during an incredibly difficult fire season and went above and beyond when deployed to other regions to help local brigades battle devastating blazes."

Those receiving the medals include;

Also awarded on the day were volunteer and staff Long Service Medals for Carrathool and Griffith LGAs, after being postponed from 2021.

A Long Service Medal is awarded to members who have undertaken ten years of service.

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