Recognising Pakenham’s SES

Wayne Roberts, Mohammed Sandhu, Shayne Honey, Chris Rogers, Nicole Giles-Ackaoiu, Corey Johnson and Ben Mailo at fire pin presentation. Picture: SUPPLIED

By Mikayla van Loon

Pakenham SES volunteers have been presented with the Victorian Government Commemorative Fire Pin for their support in the 2019-20 bushfires.

Eight members received the pin on Monday night recognising the deployment they did over the summer bushfire period.

“It’s great to get that little bit of recognition, we don’t do it for recognition but it’s always nice to be recognised and to get a thanks,” SES Pakenham’s Media Liaison Shayne Honey said.

“But also especially for me, for my kids and family as well to recognise that I ended up being away for three weeks, so it’s nice for them, even though I get the fire pin but I look at it as a recognition of the family as well.”

Region Operations Manager Wayne Roberts presented the pins to Mohammed Sandhu, Shayne Honey, Chris Rogers, Nicole Giles-Ackaoiu, Corey Johnson and Ben Mailo on Monday, with Andre Ackaoiu and Sabrina Canfield unable to attend but still recognised.

Many SES volunteers were sent on deployment to offer support to other emergency service crews like CFA, FRV and Victoria Police.

These roles saw members organising food, accommodation, logistics in a control centre and community outreach to very remote communities where information may not have been delivered about the bushfires.

“At one point at Swan Reach we were actually at risk, so all of a sudden it was making plans on how we were best going to defend the base camp, with generators and hay bales and there were so many things there and so much going on. So it was a fairly intense couple of days,” Mr Honey said.

Other members went to fill spots at SES stations where their volunteers were also CFA volunteers.

A number of Pakenham members went to Tambo Valley to man the station and respond to any road rescue calls.

While there were challenges, Mr Honey said that is the role of the SES, to fill gaps and help out where needed.

“We work on the ‘We Work as One’ mantra but it’s pretty much ‘whatever needs to be done, let’s just get it done’,” he said.

The variety of roles the SES undertake is not something well known to the public Mr Honey said but he thinks the different roles are what draws people to volunteer.

“I guess that is what draws some people to the SES, it’s not just putting out fires but it’s whether we do that whole support role or search and rescue,” Mr Honey said.

The pin itself reflects the Aboriginal culture of ‘Caring for Country’ and understanding the role fire has in regeneration.

The badge features Boorun the pelican, the father of the Gunnai and Kurnai people and who created Gippsland.

In the letter presented to each recipient Dixon Patten writes: “The two animal tracks represent the emu and kangaroo which feature on Australia’s coat of arms. They were chosen as they are the only animals that cannot walk backwards. It signifies us as a community moving forward, rebuilding and helping the land to regenerate once again.”