After a busy year for the Toodyay Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service, its captain Ian MacGregor has made the final list for the individual achievement award at this year’s WA Fire and Emergency Services Awards.
Mr MacGregor, a former butcher and a fuel truck driver for Dunnings Fuel Distributors in Northam, was named with 43 other finalists across 15 categories, after a record number of 140 nominations were put forward — a 35 per cent in crease from last year.
Mr MacGregor has been involved in the service for 30 years and said in the past 12 months he had witnessed some of the most horrific road accidents he’d seen in his time.
The Toodyay Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service were called out to 12 road accidents in the past 12 months, six of which were fatal.
“Three of the six I would rank in the top five worst accidents I have attended,” Mr MacGregor said.
He put the recent results down to driver inattention (using cell phones while driving), driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or just making stupid decisions on the road.
Mr MacGregor said there were five volunteers from the Toodyay service that had been nominated, and some were likely to receive an award in the future because of their commitment and dedication to the community.
“I’m humbled to be nominated,” he said.
“It’s about giving back to the community.
“What you put in you get back.”
Mr MacGregor is recorded on the Toodyay honour role as serving as an apparatus officer in 1994 before stepping up to a foreman role in 1998, and then appointed as captain in 1999-2023.
He said he wanted to leave the station in a better condition that when he first joined, with volunteers that were well trained and equipped to do the job asked of them.
The annual awards, which acknowledge the vital contribution emergency services make to WA, will be announced at the WAFES conference in September.
Categories that attracted the highest number of nominations included the marine rescue individual achievement award, the firefighting team achievement award and the Peter Keillor Award for the State Emergency Service.
Several finalists have been recognised for their efforts at major emergencies, including the team at Fitzroy Crossing Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services, who have been nominated for their work during January’s devastating floods.
Other nominations acknowledge teams or individuals who have excelled in emergency preparedness or community education and engagement.
Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson congratulated the finalists for their “continued work and commitment to the emergency services”.
“Year after year, an impressive force of volunteers and career personnel devote themselves tirelessly to protecting our State,” Mr Dawson said.
“It is heartening to see nominations for the WAFES Awards increasing each year.
“The WAFES Awards are a special way for us to say thanks to those who have gone above and beyond.”
– Individual awards
Murray Lang Bush Fire Service Award
Glenys Malatesta, Gelorup Bush Fire Brigade
James Morton, Gingin West Bush Fire Brigade
Wayne Hatton, Tom Price Bush Fire Brigade
Peter Keillor Award
Donald Smailes, Kalamunda SES
Leonie Briggs, Canine Unit SES
Sabrina Horan, SWORD SES
Volunteer fire and emergency services individual achievement award
Alex Espey, SWORD Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services
Ian Cooksey, Fitzroy Crossing Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services
Simone Conklin, Eucla Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services
Volunteer fire and rescue service individual achievement award
Ian MacGregor, Toodyay Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service
Paul Parker, Dongara-Denison Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service
Tom Kusters, Lancelin Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service
– Youth awards
Firefighting youth achievement award
Callum McLerie, Kalgoorlie Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service
Dylan Goldup, Kununurra Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service
Zoe Creach, Fitzroy Crossing Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services
SES youth achievement award
Anjuli Till, Kalgoorlie-Boulder SES
Charles Hasson, Merredin SES
Oscar McDonald, Kalamunda SES