South Coast Surf Life Savers awarded Emergency Services Medal

The special presentation was staged as part of the official opening of the new South Coast Branch Training, Administration and Storage Centre (South Coast Tas) at West Nowra on Saturday.

Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Stephen Pearce made the presentations along with Gilmore MP Fiona Phillips and South Coast MP Shelley Hancock, saying it was a special occasion as it was the first time the SLSNSW organisation had been awarded such medals since being approved as part of the Emergency Services.

The medals were presented to members for their efforts during the 2019-20220 bushfire emergency.

South Coast members to receive medals included Shane Wicks, Stephen Strong, Richard Hingston, Glenn Wright, Robert Willetts, David Rogan and Steve Jones.

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Unfortunately Mr Willietts and Mr Rogan were unavailable, while Ron Strong accepted the medal on his son's behalf.

"This is a very special occasion for surf life saving," Mr Pearce said.

"It is the first time surf life saving members have been the recipient of such medals as a recognised emergency service.

"We thought it was apt to make the presentations on this day, as we have been speaking so much about the emergency management and emergency services and this complex being part of the emergency services precinct."

Surf life saving was officially recognised and formally gazetted as an emergency service in 2018.

Mr Pearce said the organisation was proud to be the "newest member of emergency services in NSW."

"As an emergency service it opens up pathways for accolades and acknowledgment that life savers probably should have been recognised for in many years previous," he said.

"Now we are actually able to be recognised for our efforts, which we perform currently or into the future."

He said in the 2019-20 bushfires, the organisation sent a big contingent of lifesavers into the bushfires to support the Rural; Fire Service and the community.

"Many of our surf clubs, predominantly on the South Coast and particularly on the Far South Coast, were the makeshift evacuation centres," he said.

"The Bermagui Surf Club will always go down in the annals of surf life saving history as the club that housed and protected over 5000 people on one night in the surf club from the fires."

Seventy-nine Surf Life Saving NSW members have been awarded the Emergency Services Medal, of which seven are from the South Coast Branch.