Captain of Gunnedah Fire and Rescue, David Welch, is the recipient of the prestigious Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM).

The AFSM recognises the hard work and dedication of fire service personnel.

This year, only 33 people-Australia wide received the AFSM, with 11 being from NSW.

For 16 years, Capt Welch has been involved with Gunnedah Fire and Rescue.

Through his time there he has steadily worked through the ranks to become Captain.

“I was interested in joining as my uncle was a fireman and I always sort of looked up to him as I did all my family and uncles,” Capt Welch said.

“So many years ago, I approached a gentleman called Deputy Captain Paul Hartley and told him I was interested in joining Fire and Rescue.

“Then he came and saw me one day and said are you still interested in being a firefighter? I said yes and that was the beginning.

“I started as the newest member and worked my way up into the ranks and then the predecessor captain, he departed and no one else really wanted the job and I sort of got guided into the position.”

It is no secret that to be a first responder you have to be a certain type of person. Capt Welch is no exception.

His compassion, leadership skills, and dedication to not only Fire and Rescue but the community at large has made him highly regarded and respected to all those who know him.

And what keeps him coming back every day isn’t for the glory of calling himself a fireman, but for the people and families that are going through one of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.

“First and foremost, it’s being able to help someone who is in possibly their worst day,” Capt Welch said.

“But I’d say the main thing is the people around you, the other firefighters that are here, we are like a family.

“We are very committed and this award is just as much theirs as it is a personal award because I couldn’t do it without them.”

Over the years, Capt Welch has learnt much from his time with Gunnedah Fire and Rescue.

But it wasn’t the biggest, or most dramatic jobs that taught him the most, instead it was the more unexpected, simpler jobs, where he learnt the more valuable lessons.

“I don’t know, probably one of the best things I’ve learned is working as part of a team and using everyone’s skills and knowledge to the benefit of the situation, remaining calm, making informed decisions in high stress.

“But it’s the funny jobs that stand out… jobs such as a koala stuck in someone’s tree or a kangaroo in a backyard; they’re the jobs that stand out.”

The Koala job, however, is one that really stuck with him.

“It was a terrible job. I got roped in to it,” Capt Welch said.

“We did rock scissors paper to see who was going to climb up the ladder and I couldn’t work out why but [the Koala] had chlamydia so it was blind and there was no one else to rescue it.

“We put the ladder against the tree and the koala then decided, I don’t know what that noise is, I’m completely blind, I’m going to go higher,

“When I finally grabbed hold of the koala, it grabbed the tree tighter and then it was a Mexican standoff for the next, it seemed like an eternity, I don’t even remember how long it was and my comrades on the ground were a really good help, they gave me some really encouraging words.

“I learnt a lot of patience from that job.”

Capt Welch is incredibly humble about receiving his medal, and while he is proud of it, he wants to make clear that it is not just him that deserves the recognition.

“I feel quite humbled; in my eyes it’s a complete privilege,” Capt Welch said.

“It’s probably a reflection of my family giving me the opportunity to be able to commit and also a reflection of the station that we’ve got here and the people that make it worthwhile and do a tremendous job,

“But I’ve also got the support of our zone and area.

“It’s a privilege to wear this uniform.”