NSW Bushfire Emergency Citations have been presented to Forestry Corporation staff in Tumut, acknowledging their contribution to the 2019-20 firefighting efforts. Source: Timberbiz
NSW Emergency Bushfire Citation recipients receive a citation, certificate of recognition, commemorative cap and a letter from the Premier acknowledging their contribution and thanking them for their service.
Acting CEO Anshul Chaudhary said Forestry Corporation staff were heavily involved in the firefighting efforts, alongside around 65,000 NSW Rural Fire Service volunteers and service personnel, as part of the State’s coordinated firefighting efforts.
“Forestry Corporation plays an important role in the coordinated firefighting response, working in close partnership with the NSW Rural Fire Service, National Parks and Wildlife Service and Fire and Rescue NSW,” Mr Chaudhary said.
“During the black summer fire season, Forestry Corporation staff completed over 16,000 individual firefighting shifts, equating to in excess of 250,000 hours in firefighting and incident management. Forestry Corporation also engaged a range of contractors to support the firefighting efforts, including heavy plant operators, aircraft and other service providers.
“While the forestry industry has key skills and expertise in forest firefighting and particularly using heavy equipment to create roads, fire breaks and containment lines, due to the scale of the fires last season our staff were involved more than ever in direct protection of homes and communities.
“I congratulate all our staff for their monumental contribution throughout the 2019-20 fire season and their ongoing commitment to the recovery efforts that have been taking place since to repair infrastructure and regrow affected forests for the future.”
Forestry Corporation’s Snowy Regional Manager, Dean Anderson said 99 local staff were receiving the Premier’s 2019/20 Bushfire Emergency Citation at the River Side Café Tumut, due to COVID restrictions they are being presented in four separate sessions.
“I could not be any prouder or feel any more privileged to lead a team that not only fought fires locally but were dispatched all over New South Wales, starting on the far North Coast in August 2019 and ending in Bombala February 2020,” Mr Anderson said.
