A Corrimal firefighter and a Shellharbour SES volunteer have been recognised in the 2024 King's Birthday Honours.
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They are among 11 Illawarra residents to be honoured for their dedication and service to their community.
Firefighter Paul Dorin received the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) and SES volunteer Terrie-Ann Hurt received the Emergency Services Medal (ESM).
Firefighter Paul Dorin
The Towradgi resident first began his career with Fire and Rescue NSW in 1993 and he is currently the captain of Corrimal Fire Station.
Captain Dorin is passionate about helping others and creating safer communities, and he's the man behind two programs adopted across the state and country.
He created the Home Care Disability Fire Safety Program to reduce fire risk in the homes of elderly residents.
He was inspired to create the program while caring for his mother who has dementia. The program embeds fire safety in routine discussions carers have with their clients, and a dedicated QR code provides access fire safety resources and a direct link to book firefighters in to conduct free home fire safety visits.
Following on from almost 200 house fires in the Illawarra during winter 2023, Captain Dorin created Smoke Alarm Action Day to encourage people to change the battery in their smoke alarm or install an alarm if property is without one. The program launched in May 2024 and it's already been adopted statewide and in Victoria, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
Captain Dorin practices what he preaches, and in the past has given his family and friends smoke alarms and fire blankets as Christmas presents.
Fire and Rescue NSW said Captain Dorin consistently displayed and demonstrated FRNSW's values of respect, integrity, service and courage.
"It's nice to be recognised," Captain Dorin told the Mercury.
"I'm very, very fortunate to be recognised in this way and I'm very fortunate to be part of an organisation that's highly regarded in the community.
"Being part of Fire and Rescue NSW is a great, great privilege, the crew really becomes part of your family."
SES volunteer Terrie-Ann Hurt
This Albion Park resident joined the SES in 2003 and is a member of Shellharbour Unit.
During her years with the service Ms Hurt has risen through the ranks from a volunteer and acted as a local commander, unit commander and division commander.
She has helped her local community and also people across NSW and Australia during a wide range of natural disasters, including: the Kiama tornado/Shellharbour windstorm (2013), Black Summer bushfires (2019-2020), and cyclones Yasi (2011) and Debbie (2017). Ms Hurt provided operational leadership during an inland flood campaign in Western NSW during 2021.
She also gives her time mentoring fellow volunteers and supporting them in developing their skills and knowledge for successful leadership within a volunteer emergency service.
"Today my heart is full of gratitude and humility," Ms Hurt told the Mercury of being recognised. "I am deeply honoured to have been named in the King's Birthday Honours.
"I just love the people that I get to work with and the impact we are all able to make. We have access to great training practices where we learn useful skills and then get to put them into practice alongside amazing people."
Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib praised Ms Hurt for her contributions.
"She has displayed incredible commitment and I express my utmost gratitude to Terrie-Ann for her invaluable service and extend heartfelt congratulations on receiving the Emergency Services Medal," he said.
SES Acting Commissioner, Debbie Platz, said Ms Hurt was "as an inspiration to her fellow members in orange, and we commend her for the invaluable service and expertise she brings to NSW SES volunteers".