Mt Lindesay firefighter Murray Brooker up for highest honour at WA Fire and Emergency Services Awards

A firefighter from the Great Southern is in the running to receive WA’s highest honour for an individual bushfire volunteer. Denmark’s Murray Brooker is a finalist in the WA Fire and Emergency Services Awards, standing against two others for the Murray Lang Bush Fire Service Award, a title recognising a volunteer who has gone “above and beyond” what is expected of them. Mr Brooker, who also picked up the Denmark Citizen of the Year award in May, was selected from 126 nominations in the volunteer-focused awards for his work as captain and fire control officer for the Mt Lindesay Bush Fire Brigade and for establishing community-wide bushfire preparedness programs. With 25 years of service under his belt and 18 of them at the Mt Lindesay BFB, Mr Brooker has worked to actively recruit and mentor younger volunteers, ensuring the members are supported and trained properly. His training is not limited to volunteer recruits, having become the Shire of Denmark’s Lead Bushfire Ready Facilitator in 2021 to teach fire reduction procedures to the community. As part of this, Mr Brooker established the Denmark Bush Fire Ready Weekend, a three-day workshop that is now in its third year and the biggest of its kind in the State. Criteria for the Murray Lang Service Award include “dedication to duty beyond normal expectations”, “kindness, understanding, compassion or courage in the line of duty,” and “achievement in community education or community-based fire prevention programs”. Denmark shire president Kingsley Gibbon said people such as Mr Brooker made the Denmark community special. “I’m absolutely chuffed to hear that he’s been nominated, as he’s really made Bushfire Ready in the Shire of Denmark something extraordinary,” she said. “His care for his community is outstanding and he would be a deserving winner.” Winners of each of the 15 categories will be revealed at the WAFES Awards gala dinner at Crown Perth on September 7.