NL Forest Fire Fighters Recognized for Service in Australia

The Premier of New South Wales Australia has awarded the Brushfire Emergency Citation to four forest fire fighting personnel from this province for their role in assisting with the response effort to battle brushfires in Australia during 2019 and 2020.

The recipients include:

• Mark Lawlor, Supervisor of Industry Services, Corner Brook

• Matthew Wells, Conservation Officer, Lewisporte

• Darren Jennings, Ecosystem Management Ecologist, Happy Valley-Goose Bay

• Joe Russell, Wildland Fire Training Specialist (Retired), Corner Brook

Each individual volunteered to join a team from other parts of Canada, where they were strategically deployed throughout New South Wales. They performed a variety of duties, including assisting with incident management command, aviation, planning, logistics and operations.

The awards were established in September 2020 by New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian for the thousands of volunteers and emergency services personnel who put their safety on the line to protect lives and properties.