By Mitchell Clarke
Almost four decades ago, Chris Rogers picked up a copy of the Gazette and saw an advertisement seeking SES members.
He wasted no time in joining the Pakenham unit and 36 years later, his dedication to the cause was officially recognised.
On Monday 25 January, Mr Rogers was crowned the 2021 Cardinia Shire Citizen of the Year during an Australia Day award ceremony.
Put forward by his SES counterparts for “going above and beyond to attend emergencies” and giving up his Sunday mornings to train volunteers in road rescue, Mr Rogers said the recognition came as a “complete shock”.
“I didn’t know anything about the award until I got an email saying that I had been nominated. I nearly fell off my chair when I read it. I wasn’t expecting it at all,” he told the Gazette.
“I’ve had a lot of long service medals over the years but this was a real surprise.”
A bigger surprise, he says, was being chosen as winning the award over the other nine nominees.
“I accept this award on behalf of all the volunteers in the community. There are so many people volunteering who don’t get recognised, they just go about doing it, and that’s what makes this community a better place,” he said.
Mr Rogers joined the SES in 1984, when the Pakenham unit was stationed in a milking shed on Bald Hill Road.
“We’ve come a really long way,” he laughed.
Since records began in mid-2009, Mr Rogers has attended almost 1100 requests for assistance, including 487 road rescue calls, undertaken repairs to more than 150 homes during storm events, cleared more than 300 trees, assisted police at more than 30 crime scenes and attended six plane crashes.
During the 2020 bushfires, Mr Rogers was based in Bairnsdale as a member of the Air Rescue support helicopter, responding to road rescues in fire ravaged areas.
His dedication to the role was further highlighted when he dropped everything to respond to a fatal crash on the Princes Highway, just hours before his presentation on Monday night.
“I was getting ready for this function and the pager went off so I had to go up and assist at Gumbuya (World) and then rush back to make the ceremony,” he said.
“That’s the nature of being a volunteer.”
Away from the pager, Mr Rogers is a postie with Australia Post. He said he began volunteering to help the community and learn new skills within a “technical” role.
He’s never gave up his time in order to receive recognition.
“I’ve never really been one for awards, I just like to help the community and learn new skills and that was my main aim in joining,” he explained.
“This was a big surprise but it’s a great honour and I’m really humbled by the award.”
Mr Rogers thanked his wife and two children for their unwavering support and understanding over the years.
“Being a member of the emergency service organisation … it’s a real interruption to family life when the pager goes off at any minute of the day, and you’ve got to fly out the door,” he said.
