Diamond Beach Rural Fire Service (RFS) volunteers received 'Our Local Hero' awards at the Hallidays Point Australia Day ceremony. They were issued by the Hallidays Point Lions Club to recognise the crew's work in the recent bushfire crisis.
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Certificates will also be issued to Rainbow Flat RFS in the near future.
Diamond Beach RFS deputy captains Jan Kempe and Leo Fransen were also named joint winners of the Local Citizen of the Year award at the ceremony.
According to Hallidays Point Lions Club president Noel McManus, their work in the community extends beyond the recent bushfire crisis. He identified the duo as role models for the Diamond Beach community.
"They have been volunteering for many years in what I consider a very difficult position," Mr McManus said.
It was the first time two people were selected to win the award.
Mr McManus said the Australia Day ceremony ran smoothly.
"It went really well, we had a good crowd but numbers were slightly down I thought," he said.
"We had a free sausage sizzle and breakfast before the ceremony."
Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie, Member for Myall Lakes Stephen Bromhead and local ambassador Francina Mills spoke at the ceremony.
"It was the first time Dr Gillespie could make it- he spoke before the flag raising ceremony which was good," Mr McManus said.
After the ceremony, many headed over to Wylie Breckenridge Park for the Australia Day Vintage and Classic Car Display. Hosted by the Great Lakes Historic Automobile Club and Taree Historic Motor Club, the annual event showcased cars, motorcycles and stationary engines.
Learn about Jan, Leo and Francina
After a move to Hallidays Point six years before, Jan Kempe joined the Diamond Beach RFS in 1998 as a firefighter.
She went on to achieve qualifications such as advanced firefighter, village firefighter, crew leader and first aid.
In 2003 Jan was elected secretary/treasurer, a position she still holds today. She was awarded life membership in June 2008 and received long service medals from the NSW Government.
Jan was recognised by then NSW Premier Bob Carr for exemplary field service during the 2001-02 bushfire emergency and was active in the Black Head emergency in 2004.
She is instrumental in recruitment, cohesiveness, fund raising and building extensions.
Fire captain Russell Gray said Jan spent long hours at the station during the recent bushfire crisis.
On several occasions, Jan was still at the station at 2am after starting at 9am the previous morning.
She was also on the fire ground firefighting and identifying hot spots in the area.
Other selfless duties during this time included processing paperwork for truck repairs and arranging crew rosters.
Leo Fransen joined the brigade in 2009 and has held the position of community engagement officer since 2012 and deputy captain since 2014.
He is also a volunteer for Hallidays Point Landcare and a committee member of Halliday Shores Retirement Village.
Leo looked after cycling teams as a volunteer at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
At Christmas, Leo dresses up as Santa Claus for the Manning Valley Riding for the Disabled, Community Church Carols in the Park, Diamond Beach Christmas Party, Red Head Santa Run, Diamond Beach fire brigade party and the Santa Run at Halliday Shores.
"Leo is an extremely active member of the brigade," fire captain Russell Gray said.
"When there is anything to be done, Leo puts up his hand. All the yellow hydrant markings in the local area have been managed by Leo with the help of our brigade members, including the blue reflective markers on the road."
He has assisted with bushfires in Gloucester, Port Macquarie, Hunter Valley, Inverell, Armidale, Singleton, Tenterfield, Grafton, Lithgow, Glen Innes and Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
Local ambassador Francina has serviced the Diamond Beach community for more than 30 years. She purchased her first salon in town in December 1989.
Francina has owned and operated four salons in Hallidays Point, Forster and Smiths Lake, trained 19 apprentices and employed more than 40 staff.
She is also an active member of the community- protesting sand mining at Diamond Beach, supporting Clean Up Australia Day and various fund raising events.
