SES bravery awards

By Kath Gannaway
HEALESVILLE SES members were last week recognised for their outstanding efforts in the Black Saturday fires.
The men and women of the unit led by controller Karen Picone were among VicSES members included in state awards in February.
They chose to receive their awards in Healesville to recognise the role every individual played in the operation of the unit and to share the occasion with their family, friends and community.
Five members received bravery commendations. Ken Breasley and Geoff Wilkinson drove into Narbethong to find unbelievable devastation. The car crash they were responding to was no longer an issue, but they found themselves instead making a life or death run back down the Black Spur to get Granton woman Robyn Dean to hospital. Ms Dean suffered horrendous burns. She survived and was at the awards night.
Steve Collins, Geoff Stott and Graham Ledger were, along with Breasley, Wilkinson and other members at River Street managing the exodus from Chum Creek when the calls came through. They took the first call heading up the Melba Highway into Steels Creek where people were reported to be trapped in a dam. With fire all around them they arrived to find the people had safely made their escape.
The men also received group commendation of service awards along with David Barton and Jennifer Barton (Marysville SES members at the time), Dale Dikker, Greg Heidenrijk, Jenny Sharp and Richard Szepietowski. Cassandra Collins and Michael Krikas were awarded controller’s certificates of commendation.
SES Director of Operations Trevor White attended with SES Central Regional Manager Ray Jasper and Operations Manager Wayne Roberts.
Mr White said while for some the memories of the 2009 fires were still very raw, it was timely to recognise the contribution of the SES members on Black Saturday and for several weeks after.
“Members of this unit played some very important roles supporting delivery of immediate relief to community members involved at the Memorial Hall and just being there for people,” he said.
Healesville also covered road accident calls to Marysville and Kinglake after the fires. He made the final presentation to Healesville Controller Karen Picone who he said had returned from duties in Warragul on the Sunday to lead her unit through the very difficult period of Black Saturday and beyond.
“For the next three or four weeks she was the rock of the unit,” he said presenting the regional commendation of service to Ms Picone.
Ms Picone said she was enormously proud of her unit.
She spoke of the Black Saturday efforts and said Healesville was also the first SES unit into Kinglake and Marysville.
They assisted police in the horrendous task of retrieving bodies and reassured residents at the relief centre and on the streets in Healesville that “ … we would all be OK.” “To say that I am proud of my SES family is an understatement,” she said.