Queen's Birthday Honours: John Reed's four decades of firefighting service, leadership

For his service, Mr Reed has been awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal as part of this year's Queen's Birthday Honours List.

His citation reads as follows:

Mr Reed joined the Craigie Rural Fire Brigade in 1974 and has held positions including deputy captain, captain, deputy group captain and group captain.

As an active and engaged leader within the Monaro RFS District, he has advocated strongly both for volunteer fire fighters and his community and is widely respected.

QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY 2022 HONOURS:

He has made a significant contribution as chairman of the Bombala and Snowy Monaro Bush Fire Management Committees (BFMC) and has been a member the Bombala Council and RFS service agreement committee, Bombala Fire Control Centre construction working group, BFMC risk management plan working group, Eastern Border NSW/Victoria cross border firefighting committee and Region South group captains forum, among others.

Mr Reed's local knowledge and firefighting experience has been critical in ensuring these forums have made appropriate decisions to benefit the community.

His operational roles include forward control at Delegate for the Victorian fires (2014), divisional commander for the Michelago/Tea-Tree (2009) and Yarrabin (2013) fires and in multiple locations during 2019 and 2020.

Mr Reed is an instructor and assessor for first aid and bush firefighter training and an instructor for the RFS secondary school cadet program at Bombala High School, training more than 200 cadets.

His commitment to the community also extends to his service as an instructor with the State Emergency Service and Country Fire Authority at Bendoc.

He served his country in the Vietnam conflict and until recently was an Australian Army instructor, joining the WWI re-enactment Men from Snowy River march from Delegate to Sydney (2016).

Mr Reed has demonstrated distinguished service through his leadership and commitment, displaying professionalism in the delivery of firefighting resources and services to his fellow volunteers and the Monaro community over more than four decades.