Eucla community servant receives award in King's Birthday Honours
Eucla's long-serving volunteer fire brigade captain is among those recognised in this year's King's Birthday Honours.
Simone Conklin has been awarded an Australian Fire Service Medal for distinguished service as a member of an Australian fire service.
The award citation said Mrs Conklin had been involved in emergency services since 1994 and been the captain of Eucla Volunteer Fire and Emergency Service since 2010.
Located in one of the most remote areas of WA, on the border with South Australia, Eucla VFES covers 550km of the Eyre Highway, responding to a range of emergencies that include aircraft and road crashes, bushfires, hazardous material spills, and structural fires.
Mrs Conklin has attended more than 98 per cent of incidents since 2014, with the isolation of the area meaning she often handled critical incidents with minimal support, frequently being the sole responder for hours until help arrives from distant brigades.
'She has shown outstanding leadership, decision-making and calmness under pressure in numerous emergency situations,' the citation said.
'One example (was) a truck fire at Border Village in 2021, which put the roadhouse at serious risk due to the proximity of the fire to the fuel bowsers, increasing the potential for explosion.
'Mrs Conklin's actions in isolating the area and ensuring that those present were kept at a safe distance, as well as leading her crew in extinguishing the blaze, saved the roadhouse and ensured everyone was unharmed.'
The citation said she had also responded to serious road and aircraft crashes in both WA and South Australia which involved casualties with serious, life-threatening injuries who required airlifting.
'In addition to responding to incidents, Mrs Conklin was involved in securing funding for Eucla's airstrip upgrade, which plays a vital role for emergency services and the community,' the citation said.
'Mrs Conklin's dedication sees her constantly seeking ways to improve and increase public awareness.
'In 2023 she consulted with the Eucla community, Eucla police and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services on a suitable evacuation plan for the town.
'This has now led to discussions with the SA Country Fire Service for them to develop evacuation plans for Border Village as well.'
Several people who served part of their careers or community service in the Goldfields-Esperance were also recognised in the King's Birthday Honours.
Those who received a Medal of the Order of Australia included Esperance Museum co-founder and Esperance Bay Historical Society co-founder and life member Marjorie Barker, Kalgoorlie Golf Club life member and Inner Wheel Club member Lorraine Winchcomb, and Roy Dowsett, who served with the Kalgoorlie Scouts in 1962-64.
Senior Aboriginal Police Liaison Officer Ian Tullock, who served at Kalgoorlie police station from 2018-22, received an Australian Police Medal for a career of nearly 50 years, as did Det-Sen. Sgt Gregory McDonald, who served in the Goldfields during a career that spanned more than 40 years.
Anthony Dodd, who served as a volunteer firefighter in Kalgoorlie-Boulder and Kambalda during his career of more than 40 years, received an Australian Fire Service Medal.
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