Australian Fire Service Medal

CITATION

1988

Director of Urban Brigades Gerald Edward LOWE

Gerald Edward LOWE joined the Hobart Fire Brigade on the 18^th July 1957. He progressed through the ranks of the Brigade and was appointed Superintendent on 10 October 1972. he was appointed Administrator of Urban Fire Brigades on 1 March 1978 and on the formation of the single Tasmania Fire Service and the State Fire Commission on 1 November 1979, he was appointed the first Director of Urban Fire Brigades.

Mr Lowe holds the Graduate and Member Diploma of the Institution of Fire Engineers and was the first Tasmania to be made a Fellow of the Institution. He was a foundation member of the Institution of Fire Engineers in Tasmania and has strongly supported its development within the State.

Mr Lowe was the first Tasmanian Officer to be appointed to the Commonwealth Fire Board and is currently the Australian Fire Services representative on the Board.

Throughout his career, Mr Lowe has demonstrated outstanding qualities of leadership and has maintained a high level of professional excellence. Thos qualities have been particularly evident over the last ten years, during which, as Director of Urban Fire Brigades, he has most efficiently planned and executed an upgrading programme for all urban brigades throughout the State. Although restricted by budgetary constraints, Mr Lowe has succeeded in progressively improving the quality of fire stations, fire appliances, operational effectiveness and administration of the four permanently-manned and twenty eight volunteer-manned urban fire brigades in Tasmania.

The very popular and highly respected officers’ exemplary conduct and performance of duties makes him a most worthy recipient of the Australian Fire Service Medal.