MAWWFRS Celebrate Success Awards 2016
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service staff were once again recognised for their outstanding efforts, achievement and contribution to the community at the Service’s Celebrating Success Awards ceremony held at the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea on Wednesday night (23rd November 2016).
This prestigious event, now in its sixth year, recognises the tremendous efforts made by colleagues on a daily basis to make the communities they serve safer places to live, work and visit.
The event was sponsored by companies including Bristol Uniforms LTD, Emergency One, Clan Tools & Plant LTD, Mansel Davies & Son LTD, Admiral, Veale Wasbrough Vizards, Lawray Architects and T.A.D. Builders LTD. The awards presentation was hosted by BBC News presenter Sian Lloyd.
This year’s event honoured the Service staff across the board and emphasis was placed on the teamwork and dedication showed by all.
The event began with the presentation of the Long Service & Good Conduct medals, and was followed by the presentation of 12 special awards to recognise the outstanding efforts and contributions made by Service personnel over the past year.
The awards included:
The Individual Achievement Award which recognises an outstanding individual achievement, or an individual that has consistently performed above expectations throughout the year. This was won by Crew Manager John Phillips for his work in maximising the availability of the Port Talbot Co-Responder. In addition to this added responsibility, John has managed to find time to organise and lead the Fire Cadets programme at Port Talbot Station. John also provides an excellent link between his primary employer, TATA, and Command to enable the Service to create innovative and unique training exercises on this complex industrial premises.
Crew Manager John Phillips – Individual Achievement Award
The Team Achievement Award recognises an outstanding team achievement or a team that has consistently performed above expectations throughout the year. This year the award was presented to the Human Resource On Call Recruitment Team for providing guidance and support to South Powys Command for all recruitment purposes and provided guidance and support in dealing with management issues effectively.
Team Achievement Award – HR
The Personal Development Award was won by Station Manager Simon Hawkes for achieving his Fire Service College – Fire Safety qualifications and Bachelor of Science Degree. He was also, in recognition of his qualifications and knowledge, recently awarded the internationally recognised Engineering Technician Eng. Tech.
Personal Development Award – Station Manager Simon Hawkes
The Fire Fighters Charity Award was picked up by Firefighter Adam Khadiri and Firefighter Michael Monaghan who recently undertook a difficult climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Aid of Cancer Research Wales. In the lead up to the event they also inspired the Fire Cadets of Port Talbot, as the two men led a team of Cadets on warmup climbs to the top of Pen Y Fan and Snowdon mountains, raising money for Cariad and the Fire Fighters Charity in the process.
Fire Fighters Charity Award Firefighter Adam Khadiri and Firefighter Michael Monaghan
The Award for Innovation was won by the Operational Risk Management Department. Over the past 12 months the ORM Department have been instrumental in developing the UAV Drone Trial, supporting the All Wales Multi-Function Personal Protective Equipment and overseeing the introduction and trial of the new extinguishing system such as Cold Cut and Delta Spike.
Innovation Award – ORM
The Community Achievement Award is for an initiative or event that brings benefits to the Service or public through excellent internal or external partnership working. This year’s Award recognises the Dawns Glaw multiagency youth initiative for its work with young people, identified as being potential high risk individuals in relation to anti-social behaviour, to deliver grass fires messages.
Community Achievement Award – Dawns Glaw
This year’s Young Person’s Achievement Award was won by Ammanford Young Firefighters following their outstanding achievement in being crowned the 2016 UK National Toughest Young Fire Cadet at the annual championships in Essex.
Ammanford YFF
Tenby Firefighter Nicky Rees was the deserving recipient of the Sports and Social Club Award. Nicky is a renowned triathlete and has a lifelong friend – Gareth Scotcher, who is diagnosed with motor neurone disease. Nicky raises funds to help make his friend’s life a little easier with special disability adaptions for his home. In 2014, Nicky swam 1.6 miles in the sea, cycled 112 miles and ran 26 miles with Gareth attached to him. An amazing feat!
Sports and Social Club Award – FF Nicky Rees
Milford Haven Fire Station were the worthy winners of this year’s Station of the Year award for their work for the Service and their community. The crew have delivered a reading program at a local school, engaged in the towns Founders Day and developed a foam training package to new recruits. The Station also hosts a breakfast club for infant classes at the station and coffee mornings for the elderly in sheltered housing.
Milford Haven Fire Station – Station of the Year
The Partnership Award recognises an outstanding partnership or collaboration that has enhanced MAWWFRS services and helped the Fire and Rescue Service to keep our communities safe. This was won by the Neath Port Talbot Culvert Clearing Partnership, an initiative between MAWWFRS, National Resource Wales and Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council. The Partnership has resulted in a 47% decrease in flooding incidents attended for the Neath Port Talbot Command, despite a 53% increase in rainfall since 2012/13.
Partnership Award NPT Culvert
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Robert Quin presented Cariad Charity with a Special Recognition Award for its work in providing each First Responder MAWWFRS vehicle with a defibrillators.
The Chief Fire Officer’s Exceptional Achievement Award was won by Firefighter Dave Haines-Hanham. Whilst off duty and spending time on the Gower, Dave came across a cyclist who had suffered a heart attack. The gentleman, who was unresponsive when Dave arrived, soon stopped breathing and Dave commenced CPR. After 40 or so compressions, the gentleman started breathing again and was taken to hospital, where he underwent an operation. It is clear that Dave was confronted with an extremely challenging situation and without his intervention, the gentleman may have died.
CFO Exceptional Achievement Award Dave Haines-Hanham – collected by GM Peter Greenslade
Chief Fire Officer Chris Davies MBA also gave recognition to Firefighter Billy Connor and Firefighter Gary Slack from Tenby Fire Station. On August 7th 2016 Billy and Gary entered the sea at Castle Beach to save two children. The brother and sister had found themselves in difficulty 100m off shore in strong current and tidal swell conditions. Billy swam to the aid of the brother and recovered him to the shore, before returning to assist Gary who was successfully keeping the sister afloat. It was widely recognised by the RNLI crews that their swift, immediate actions, undoubtedly saved the lives of the two children.
Billy Connor and Gary Slack
The final award of the evening, the Lifetime Achievement Award, was won by three individuals – retired Watch Manger Nigel Bradshaw, Watch Manager David Evans at Llanfyllin Fire Station and Watch Manager Paul Kelly at Cymmer Fire Station.
Nigel Bradshaw
Spotted something? Got a story? Email News@News.Wales
