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NSW SES Cobar Unit volunteer Gordon Hill AFSM, ESM was awarded with the prestigious Emergency Services Medal at a ceremony at Government House on Friday 7^th September.

The Emergency Services Medal recognises distinguished service by members of emergency services across Australia, and people who are involved in emergency management, training or education.

"It's very rewarding to help somebody, in my case as a member of both the NSW State Emergency Service and the NSW Rural Fire Service, as I’m helping people who are in trouble and who need help,” Mr Hill said.

“It’s very rewarding going home at the end of the day knowing I’ve helped somebody.”

Gordon has been volunteering with the NSW SES for over 40 years, first joining the Service back in 1977 as a member of the NSW SES Urbenville Unit. Gordon who now calls Cobar home, has been a proud member of the NSW SES Cobar Unit since 1992, including five years as the Local Controller of the Unit. During his time with the NSW SES Gordon has received endorsements and specialty training in an array of areas including Industrial and Domestic Rescue, Urban Search and Rescue, Road Crash Rescue and Peer Support just to name a few.

As a trained Rescue and Chainsaw Instructor who has gone on to also be recognised as an Assessor/Examiner, Gordon is seen as a mentor and a beacon to new volunteer members who have joined the NSW ES over the years.

“I’ve come from a volunteering family where my parents were community minded who volunteered their time for many causes. My siblings and I had it instilled in us from a young age that volunteering was important so it really was a natural progression that I would end up volunteering,” Mr Hill said.  

To top off a big week, on his way home from Sydney after receiving his Emergency Services Medal, Gordon stopped by Dubbo for the Orana Region NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards where he was awarded with Senior Volunteer of the Year award, presented by the Centre for Volunteering NSW.