Pomona’s Paul Mardon has been awarded the prestigious Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM), highlighting his extraordinary efforts during a 17-year career.
He’s among six Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) personnel who have been honoured with the AFSM Medal and Emergency Services Medal (ESM).
“It’s something that I never considered that I would receive or even contemplated receiving,” Paul said.
“While it’s very gratifying to be acknowledged it’s also very humbling that I’ve received that award.”
These honours highlight the extraordinary efforts of individuals who have gone above and beyond in their field.
Recipients are considered leaders in their local communities, with diverse skill sets ranging from HAZMAT expertise, road crash rescue and COVID response management.
Paul began his career with Queensland Fire and Emergency Services as an auxiliary firefighter at Cooran Station in 2007.
“I wish I had joined (the fire service) a lot earlier but it wasn’t on my radar until probably later on in life,” he said.
“But I had been involved in other forms of emergency services prior to joining fire. I’m not quite sure how it even popped up on my radar but once I looked into it, I became very keen to get involved.”
He was quickly identified as a dedicated firefighter with key leadership abilities.
Throughout his 17-year career as an auxiliary firefighter, Paul progressed from auxiliary lieutenant to auxiliary captain, whilst also serving as full time firefighter for more than a decade.
“For me it was all about helping the community with other dedicated and talented people,” he said.
“I’ve had some tremendous mentors throughout my career. People that taught me so much. I think the motivation is the opportunity to help the community when they’re in times of need.”
While continuing his frontline service as an auxiliary captain, Paul has been a pinnacle leader in training auxiliary firefighters and enhancing the operational capability across the North Coast region of Queensland.
“You’re learning a total new skillset, stuff that as a person in the community you’ve never even considered what the role of a firefighter encompasses,” he said.
“There’s intense training and a lot of information to bring on board and to start putting those skills into practice.”
His focus was initially on general firefighting skills, but he soon became an expert in HAZMAT and road crash rescue, becoming an instructor in both fields.
“The area that we live in on the Sunshine Coast, it’s a large part of our operation to be called to road crashes,” Paul said.
“Over the years, I’ve been to some pretty confronting and horrific crashes on our highways and roads. But with the training that we receive and the comradeship within our crews, it’s easy to deal with.”
Since 2010, Paul trained, mentored, and supported more than 1000 auxiliary firefighters.
“I’ve been involved in training for a number of years, so the opportunity to be able to share my passion and my knowledge with new firefighters was always a big attraction,” he said.
“I enjoy the training and teaching side and it was a privilege to not only do it but to be part of a very dedicated and talented training team within the North Coast region.
“It’s a privilege to work with these guys when they’re coming through, and to meet up with these guys years later when they’re still on the job. They remember you and you remember them, it’s good.”
He has been instrumental in the tactical leadership of several large incidents and was amongst the first crews in attendance at the devastating 2019 Noosa bushfires.
“We had the Peregian fires first and then we had the Cooroibah fires not long after. It was pretty confronting. They were big fires. We were amongst the first crews in there, so we certainly saw some pretty big flames as we attended.”
His outstanding dedication to firefighter training, his exemplary leadership and his highly skilled frontline service has made a significant impact towards keeping the Cooran, Pomona, and wider Queensland community safe.
“We have mandatory retirement in the fire service and my time comes at the end of December 2023,” Paul said.
“For the last number of years I’ve also been doing advanced driver training in Gympie, so I will continue to do that as something to do in my spare time, which I seem to have now.”
Minister for Fire and Disaster Recovery Nikki Boyd said the recipients join an outstanding group of Queenslanders who exemplify the Australian spirit through selfless devotion, tireless dedication, and unwavering service to their community.
“The community relies on emergency services to be there when they need them most, and the Australia Day Honours List is a great opportunity to recognise the exceptional efforts of extraordinary individuals.”
QFES Acting Commissioner Steve Smith said, “The six members of QFES being honoured today have almost two centuries of combined experience, and I’d like to congratulate them for their outstanding contribution to the emergency services in Queensland.”
“Our staff and volunteers work day-in, day-out without any expectation of reward or accolades, and their service has contributed greatly to creating a safer and more resilient Queensland.”
