AUSTRALIAN FIRE SERVICE MEDAL

CITATION

Lyndon Ian GABITES (Ian)

Ian joined the Tasmania Fire Service as a member of the Hadspen Fire Brigade on 7 November 1994 and has served as a diligent and active member within the Brigade, Quamby Group and Tamar Region since. Ian has responded to fires and incidents within the region, and been a member of taskforces on both intrastate and interstate deployment on major wildfires. Ian has held the ranks of Firefighter, Permit Officer, OH&S Officer, Third Officer, Second Officer, VTI, Brigade Chief and Brigade Secretary.

Ian has a passion for training and has applied his professional skills in this area to foster, train and mentor many volunteers during his time with Tasmania Fire Service. He has promoted the Fire Service and its benefits to the community by pioneering a junior Fire Fighter program for Hadspen Brigade which he coordinated for many years.

As a result of his passion to ensure volunteer firefighters have the skills to work safely on the fireground and at incidents, he has extended his training reach across the organisation as a Volunteer Training Instructor and has influenced Work, Health and Safety policy in his role as an elected Workplace Safety Representative.

Testament to his commitment to the welfare of volunteers within the Tasmania Fire Service, Ian has been an active member of the Volunteer Fire Brigades Association including a period as State President. He is still active in the organisation to this day, advocating for and promoting policy and procedures to assist volunteer members in their duties.

His peers, both career staff and volunteers, past and present, hold him in high regard and appreciate his tireless work and dedication to the Tasmania Fire Service and members.

In 2003, Ian was nominated and accepted as a delegate on the State Council and has represented Volunteers throughout the State on numerous committees and forums. Within the State Council he has held the positions of Delegate, State Vice President, State President and State Secretary and has excelled in all positions.

For his dedication to his Brigade and many years representing Volunteers statewide, Ian was presented with Life Membership of the Tasmanian Volunteer Fire Brigades Association in 2016.

Ian continues to be an active and valued member of the Tasmania Fire Service adhering to the organisation’s values when applying himself and his duties to his many roles within the fire service