Shire volunteers recognised with bravery awards for Black Summer bushfires
For eight harrowing minutes, a Grays Point Rural Fire Service crew huddled in the cabin of their tanker while flames of up to 50 metres high roared around them during the 2019 / 2020 Black Summer bush fires.
Cronulla MP and Attorney-General Mark Speakman told State Parliament, "the volunteers demonstrated extraordinary courage in some of the worst Australian bushfires in living memory".
The incident came to light through the annual St Florian's Day awards, in which the Commissioner's Certificate of Commendation was awarded to the crews of Grays Point 1B and Loftus 1 Bravo, a Sutherland Shire strike team made up of volunteers from different units, and the entire Woronora brigade.
Weary but happy: Woronora Bush Fire Brigade during the Black Summer fires. Picture: Facebook
Named after the patron saint of firefighters, whose feast day is May 4, the awards recognise firefighters "who have gone above and beyond - showing incredible acts of bravery in protecting the community, or delivering the highest level of commitment to the service".
Individual honours went to Senior Deputy Captain Todd Gibson (Heathcote Headquarters), Senior Deputy Captain Lindsey Flynn (Bundeena) and Deputy Captain Robin Tuckfield (Menai), for their actions in earlier fires.
The Grays Point 1B unit, under the command of Captain Ian Kemp, was defending properties in Balmoral Village during the Green Wattle Creek fire in the Southern Highlands when "due to its ferocious nature", the crew was forced to seek refuge inside their tanker, with vehicle protection sprinklers activated.
"Grays Point 1B was overrun as they reached Wilson Drive and for eight minutes they were impacted by flames at times exceeding 50 metres high," the citation read.
After the fire passed, the crew dismounted and, despite being under ember and smoke attack, extinguished residual fires and then "employed aggressive firefighting techniques to save two homes."
Captain Kemp told the Leader "it was a close shave".
"If we didn't have the vehicle protection sprinklers, I wouldn't be talking to you today."
Captain Kemp said it was "a strange feeling" to be in such danger.
"I was extraordinarily concerned for the crew, but your training just kicks in and you get on with it."
Captain Kemp said he was "a bit embarrassed" by the recognition and thought everyone involved in fighting last summer's bushfires deserved an award.
The Loftus 1 Bravo crew, led by Deputy Captain Sarah Paterson, fought the same fire when it reached Buxton.
The citation said the crew "devised a plan to effectively and safely assist" several other units which were overrun by fire, and went on to protect lives and property throughout Buxton.
The Sutherland Strike Team was acknowledged for "performing exemplary work" in very challenging conditions during which one crew member was overcome by heat and evacuated for treatment by ambulance paramedics.
The marine-based Woronora Brigade was involved continuously in operations for more than a month - the longest and most sustained period of fighting fires from the water in the fire service's history.