Medal for 36

By Christine de Kock
A FOOTSCRAY State Emergency Service volunteer was honoured with a national medal at the Victorian SES State Awards Ceremony last week.
Denis Brain, a staff officer, was given the medal for his 36 years of service in the volunteer organisation.
Mr Brain said he was proud and “a bit humbled” by the award.
His involvement in the SES began by chance in 1968 when he arrived in Footscray from Tasmania.
He said at that stage, the SES was run as the Civil Defence Service, and offered St John Ambulance training to non-members.
Mr Brain wanted to upgrade his existing St John certificate and later found out more about what the SES did.
“It sparked my interest,” he said. “I went to Tasmania, came back again and joined.”
He said the most dangerous incidents that he had been involved in as a volunteer were roof repairs in wet and windy weather.
He said the SES also supported the police, fire brigade, ambulance and the armed services.
“We help out with the police from time-to-time, looking for lost persons or securing a crime scene,” he said.
“In times like the big fires in December, January and early February we had members provide support to the CFA.
“We would drive their trucks from one point to the next so the CFA fellas could get a bit of rest without worrying about driving long distances.”
Mr Brain also became a qualified coxswain through the SES.
“The majority of the boat work has been things like support for river activities at Moomba, the Grand Prix and the Dragon Boat races.”
Mr Brain said he enjoyed his volunteer work as it gave him the opportunity to support the community.
“Being a senior member, I’m now the training officer of the unit and arrange the training for the new people coming through,” he said.
“To help them learn what they need to know, everything has changed so much since I first joined- once upon a time if we did a roof job, we would just put a ladder up against a building and climbed on it- do the job and get down.
“Now when we do it we have to connect ourselves to life lines, there’s a very strong health and safety emphasis.”
The Minister for Police and Emergency Services Bob Cameron and Victorian SES Chief Executive Officer Mary Barry presented the award to Mr Brain.

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