Among the honours presented at an awards ceremony on November 27, 2025, was a NSW SES Commissioner's Unit Citation for members of the Murrumbidgee Capability, Wagga Wagga, The Rock and Junee units for response during the Cootamundra flood in October 2022.
The award recognises the response during what started as a storm assistance deployment and quickly escalated to a major flood response.
NSW SES teams and volunteers worked throughout the day and late into the night, assisting with evacuations and safeguarding residents in a high-pressure event.
Junee Unit Commander Michael Webb said the response demonstrated the importance of teamwork across the SES.
"Collaboration was paramount. There's no way you get through an event of that scale without the help of surrounding crews," Commander Webb said.
"We're all small units out here, and we rely on each other. That give-and-take is what gets the job done."
The Commissioner's Unit Citation Award highlights operational excellence, dedication, endurance, and commitment to working together during a challenging event.
"It's nice to be recognised, but that's not why we do this," Commander Webb said.
"I know if we ever needed support at the Junee Unit, Cootamundra would be straight over to help us too."
Acting Assisting Commissioner Ben Pickup said all award recipients were worthy of recognition and demonstrated the NSW SES mission of saving lives and creating safer communities.
"Our dedicated volunteers are the heart of the NSW SES and carry the weight of emergencies on their shoulders, day after day, year after year," Assistant Commissioner Pickup said.
"I commend all award recipients for their professionalism, teamwork, and unwavering dedication to protecting the Riverina and Murrumbidgee communities.
"To every volunteer across the Southern Zone - thank you. Thank you for the countless hours, the courage you show, and the compassion you bring to every task."
A range of additional capability and service awards were presented across the cluster, including the 35-Year Long Service Award, which was awarded to Tony McPhail, Unit Commander of The Rock Unit, honouring more than three decades of dedicated voluntary service to communities across NSW.
