A range of employers from around the Wheatbelt have been awarded for supporting that state's emergency services at the 2019 Volunteer Employer Recognition Award.
The awards, held on November 1, celebrated the contribution employers made by supporting emergency services volunteers to respond to incidents day and night.
This year, 79 employers and self-employed volunteers from across WA received awards.
Avon Community Services, Dalwallinu District High School, Merredin Glazing Service and the Wheatbelt region WA Country Health Service were awarded gold recognition and McIntosh and Son in Wongan Hills and the Shire of Northam were awarded silver.
The award recipients employ volunteers from the Bush Fire Service, State Emergency Service, Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service, Volunteer Fire and Emergency Service, Marine Rescue WA and the State Wide Operational Response Division.
Emergency services minister Francis Logan congratulated all the winners.
"The Volunteer Employer Recognition Awards are an important way for us to acknowledge those businesses and organisations who provide the support our emergency services volunteers need to help keep their communities safe," he said.
"It cannot be an easy task to have an employee away from work, but these employers recognise how important volunteering is to community safety and that disasters can strike at any time.
"On behalf of the state government and the community, I would like to thank all of the award recipients for the support they give to volunteers and their individual service with donations to brigades or providing free labour and materials.
"A big thank you also to those self-employed volunteers who close their doors at a moment's notice to help others as well as donating equipment and resources.
"I am also pleased to see that my other portfolio of Corrective Services has been recognised in the awards for the support they have given prison officers from Wooroloo and Casuarina.
"These officers not only serve the community by maintaining prison security and mentoring prisoners, but they also extend that service by volunteering in our emergency services.
"The contributions made by WA employers who support volunteers help keep our communities safe, and their commitment is a great example to others."
Shire of Northam president Chris Antonio said many of the shire'e employers were emergency services volunteers.
"Congratulations to both the Shire of Northam and our volunteers on being recognized in winning silver in these awards," he said.
"Volunteers remain an important part of our shire, and I thank each and every one of them and also thank the volunteers involved with nominating the Shire of Northam."
