The highly respected and decorated officer of the NSW Rural Fire Service, Superintendent Kam Baker AFSM, is the Mid Coast's Australia Day ambassador.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Mid Coast RFS District Officer will take time out from his ongoing efforts to fight bushfires, to represent his community on Australia Day at the Mid Coast celebrations at Forster.
"I cannot think of a more deserving, more fitting ambassador for the Mid Coast region," Mayor David West said.
"Kam is a prime example of a true Aussie hero and I know he will accept this accolade on behalf of his entire team and the many volunteers who continue to work tirelessly throughout this bushfire crisis."
It has been a stressful and difficult time for everyone at the RFS and Kam has been busy driving the local effort as incident controller at the control centre since August 2019.
Supt Baker joined the NSW Rural Fire Service (NSWRFS) as a volunteer member of the Patonga Beach Brigade of the Gosford District in 1979 and worked through the ranks to group officer.
He then qualified as a telecommunication technical officer and became a salaried officer in the NSWRFS in 1993, taking on the fire control officer role for the Gloucester Shire Council.
Following the council amalgamation, Kam was promoted to the role of district manager for the MidCoast Rural Fire District that includes Port Macquarie Hastings, MidCoast and Lord Howe Island.
Supt Baker specialises in incident command and aerial firefighting operations. He has been deployed nationally and internationally to assist in numerous firefighting efforts, including leading a full incident management team into Alberta Canada in 2015 to combat fires within the Province.
He was awarded the National Medal for Service in 1999, Canberra Emergency Medal in 2003, and the Australian Fire Service Medal in 2007, before being awarded District Manager of the Year in 2016 by the Assistant Commissioner of the NSWRFS.
He is a highly respected leader, passionate about protecting and preserving communities, habitat and wildlife and supporting his incredible army of volunteers.
The inaugural region-wide Australia Day civic ceremony will be held in conjunction with the Saltwater Freshwater Festival at Forster Sports Complex in Lake Street on January 26 from 8.30am.
The Manning River Times is now offering breaking news alerts and a weekly email newsletter. Sign up HERE
