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NSW SES volunteer, Shannon Crofton, has taken top honours this Australia Day, being awarded with the Emergency Services Medal.

The Jannali resident joined the NSW SES with the Sutherland Unit in 1989 before moving to the Sydney Southern Region Unit in 2009, where he is currently their Flood Rescue Officer. Shannon is also a full-time firefighter with Fire and Rescue NSW.

NSW SES Acting Commissioner Greg Newton congratulated Shannon on his achievement and said it was well deserved.

“Shannon has been involved in a range of activities which have improved the services to communities of New South Wales that have been affected by natural disasters.

“Shannon has played an integral role in the development of flood rescue for the NSW SES over a number of years through his involvement in the NSW SES Flood Rescue Working Group.

“Much of the knowledge gained by Shannon has benefited not only his own Unit but also others through the development of exercises and scenario building to replicate real life flood rescue situations.

“His collaboration with his fellow volunteers has helped many in terms of peer support, guidance and personal development,” Mr Newton said.

“Shannon is a shining example of the highly skilled and dedicated 9,000 volunteers across the state who look after their communities in times of disaster. I commend him on this tremendous achievement,” Mr Newton added.

Shannon was the recipient of a 2011 Churchill Fellowship, where he toured the USA and Canada to research the use of helicopters in flood rescues. On his return to Australia, Shannon shared his knowledge in a multi-agency workshop.

In 2012 he was awarded the Higgins and Langley Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement in Swift-water Rescue. It was the first time this prestigious award had been presented to someone outside the United States.