Wattle Grove firefighter honoured on Queen's Birthday
Published: 12th June 2017
A Western Sydney fire officer’s dedication to the analysis of bushfires and other emergency events has been recognised in today’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Inspector Kernin Lambert, who has served as a firefighter and officer with Fire & Rescue NSW (FRNSW) for more than 20 years at fire stations across Western Sydney, has been awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM).
The AFSM is the highest honour an Australian firefighter can receive and Inspector Lambert is one of four FRNSW firefighters to be awarded the prestigious medal in today’s honours.
FRNSW Commissioner Paul Baxter congratulated Inspector Lambert, of Wattle Grove, on the much-deserved recognition.
“Inspector Lambert has dedicated countless hours of his own time to produce comprehensive reports into bushfire behaviour and major emergency events, such the Word Trade Centre attacks and the London Bombings, for the benefit and safety of his fellow firefighters,” he said.
Commissioner Baxter said Inspector Lambert single-handedly produces a Fire & Rescue Operations Journal, personally attending many incidents, painstakingly interviewing officers and firefighters, and analysing the actions taken to deliver learning to firefighters.
“This publication is highly sought after by firefighters as a source of knowledge and experience that they can use to refine their own actions and deliver better outcomes to communities affected by emergency incidents,” he said.
“He personally investigated over 500 structure fires connected to the Canberra bushfires in 2003 with the aim of improving fire service operations and increasing our understanding of bushfire behaviour.”
Commissioner Baxter said in addition to publishing many papers and journals, Inspector Lambert has previously been recognised for his courageous actions at a motor vehicle accident in 2001 and his efforts at a house fire attempting to rescue a child in 1999.
“His professional approach has contributed significantly to the development of FRNSW’s emergency services and he is a most worthy recipient of this Queen’s Birthday Honour,” he said.
Inspector Lambert will be presented with his AFSM at a ceremony at Government House in Sydney later this year.