Denman fire captain recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours
Published: 10th June 2019
A fire captain’s 23-year commitment to protecting people and mentoring firefighters in the Denman area has been recognised in today’s Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Captain Gavin Bray has been awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM), the highest honour an Australian firefighter can receive.
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Commissioner Paul Baxter congratulated Captain Bray, who is one of four FRNSW firefighters to be awarded the prestigious medal in today’s honours.
“Captain Bray has played a vital role in transforming Denman Fire Station into a modern-day emergency service, leading our response to fires, road accidents and other emergencies and dedicating countless hours to recruiting and mentoring new retained firefighters,” said Commissioner Baxter.
Joining FRNSW as a retained (on-call) firefighter in 1996, Captain Bray was promoted to the position of Captain at Denman Fire Station in 2015.
He has been a leader in maintaining the road crash rescue capability of the station, which has helped give casualties of road accidents in the Denman area the best possible chance of survival.
Captain Bray has also been a key figure in the Community First Responder (CFR) program, which has seen Denman firefighters trained by NSW Ambulance to provide lifesaving medical care at emergencies in the local area.
“Captain Bray is a tireless leader who continually puts his crew and the community first, ensuring that emergency response is provided by a well-trained, passionate and motivated team of firefighters who are prepared for anything,” said Commissioner Baxter.
“He has achieved all of this while maintaining his primary employment and being a father to six children and he is a most worthy recipient of this Queen’s Birthday Honour.”
Captain Bray will be presented with his AFSM at a ceremony later in the year.